Anyone who has ever been to the mall will tell you the same thing: you must know precisely what you need. With so many vendors throwing different options in your face, making a decision becomes an uphill task.
The same holds when choosing a proxy service provider. Most people find it daunting to locate a provider because they don’t know what they need in the first place. Fortunately, with this article, you’ll be able to make the right choice confidently. Let’s get straight to it, shall we?
Article Contents
Types of Proxy Servers
Knowledge, they say, is power. To accurately pinpoint what proxy service best meets your needs, you first need to know what types exist.
High Anonymity Proxy
As the name suggests, these proxies are for customers that desire even greater privacy than what a typical proxy server provides. This tool constantly changes a user’s IP address, making it difficult for anyone to trace a device.
Transparent Proxy
Transparent proxies are the most popular. Schools and public libraries often use them because of the relative ease of setting them up. They are “transparent” because they act as an invisible layer above devices. Students and employees, for example, are mostly unaware of their existence.
Distorting Proxy
This type is very similar to an anonymous server. A distorting server hides one’s identity by presenting an incorrect IP address to a website. These proxies make it seem that you are browsing from a specific country. However, some websites have features to detect and block such proxies.
Reverse Proxy
If your organization is expecting or experiencing large traffic, you can’t go wrong with reverse proxies. They assume a managerial role in your network, overseeing the inflow and outflow of all information while increasing your bandwidth.
Choosing the Right Proxy Service Provider
It’s a different ballgame now. This time around, you’re in the market with a crystal-clear image of what suits your needs. Finding the top service provider is the next step. Here are some pointers you should bear in mind while making a decision:
Great Customer Service
You’ll agree that, more often than not, technical guides aren’t sufficient to resolve problems encountered. After all, the bulkier they are, the less likely anyone would want to read them.
Hence, it’s pertinent that your intended proxy service provider boasts of excellent customer service – and not just in words. They should possess a team with a minimal response time that can quickly identify and resolve your problem while guiding you along each step of the way.
Given that technical problems can occur at any moment, it’s even more preferable if the service provider can provide round-the-clock support.
Good Reputation
As you may already know, the market is full of providers, all promising the best service. Naturally, not all of these companies are genuine. Some people market subpar proxies that are completely useless. As such, it is crucial to only deal with reputable and trustworthy firms that offer high-quality and fast proxy services at reasonable pricing.
Any proxy provider worth doing business with should be known to be reliable and have the safety of their clients as their prime focus. Additionally, business policies must adhere to the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). These and many other things, such as legal credentials, ought to be made explicit on their website.
Customer reviews are another area to consider for your background research. In this modern environment, a company can easily conjure a convincing facade. Thankfully, people are always keen to share their experiences with a service, especially when unsatisfied.
Robust Service
Clients come with different needs. The ability to meet these many demands distinguishes the truly exceptional proxy service providers. Noteworthy providers have an adequately large proxy pool.
Invariably, a provider with a small proxy pool can only go so far in meeting your needs. Things may seem fine at first, but it becomes a hurdle as you try to take on larger jobs. Moreover, an undersized pool is more prone to IP blocks.
A larger proxy pool would mean more options. For instance, you have access to more countries. Of course, you would have to make sure the provider you’re considering supports the country you want.
Conclusion
Proxy servers are crucial for any company to remain safe online. With proxy servers growing in demand, there is a need to exercise extreme caution to ensure you only deal with providers who won’t put your company at risk. The tips mentioned above will surely come in handy when selecting a proxy provider, so keep them in mind.
