The ProxyClient software will include byte caching – useful for optimising WAN connections – and should give remote and mobile users control over web security wherever they are.
The company believes there is a growing need for a solution that lets staff work efficiently whilst away from the office, with many workforces increasingly comprised of mobile and remote users.
“While enterprises have put considerable emphasis on protecting and managing web access for users located at headquarters, once a user leaves corporate headquarters their laptop computer is largely unmanaged,” a Blue Coat spokesperson said.
ProxyClient’s byte caching technology is said to be able to improve performance by up to five times when compared to Blue Coat’s existing SG Client. In one test, a 10mb file took just three seconds to download with the ProxyClient software enabled.
Blue Coat claims ProxyClient’s location awareness function means the appropriate WAN optimisation settings are automatically applied, depending on whether the user is inside a branch office and benefiting from acceleration provided by its ProxySG appliance, or working remotely.
The ProxyClient software will be available in March and is free to Blue Coat customers with ProxySG appliances. To benefit from web security and control, users must have Blue Coat’s WebFilter installed and hold remote user licenses.