(pro´ksē cash)
(n.) Also referred to as a
Web proxy cache, a function of a
proxy server that
caches retrieved Web pages on the
server's hard disk so that the page can be quickly retrieved by the same or a different user the next time that page is requested. The proxy cache eases
bandwidth requirements and reduces delays that are inherent in a heavily trafficked,
Internet-connected
network. Because the page is stored locally on the proxy server, the page is delivered to the next request at local network speeds. The proxy cache also is advantageous when
browsing multiple pages of the same Web site. The proxy cache also stores all of the images and sub-files for the visited pages, so if the user jumps to a new page within the same site that uses, for example, the same images, the proxy cache has them already stored and can load them into the user's browser quicker than having to retrieve them from the Web site server's
remote site.
