Most of the content licensed by the University Libraries resides on servers run by the content providers. Almost all vendors use an IP-based access control scheme, which means that requests from non-UW IP addresses will be rejected. The Libraries operates a proxy server that provides a way for users with non-UW IP addresses to gain access to this content. Users must configure their browsers to use a proxy automatic configuration (PAC) file. The PAC file defines a Javascript function, findProxyForUrl(), that the browser calls before sending a request. If the url needs to be proxied, findProxyForUrl() returns the address of the proxy server; the browser then forwards the request to the proxy server instead of sending it directly to the remote host.
When the proxy server receives a request for retrieval, it checks for a user's credentials. If not found, the user is asked to authenticate via a pop-up box from the UW Libraries Proxy Service. After a successful dialog, the proxy server forwards the proxied HTTP request via the browser. The remote web server sees the proxy server IP address and allows access to the remote resource.
The firewall should be configured to accept requests from the following hosts and ports:
proxy.lib.washington.edu:80
www.lib.washington.edu:80
Note: Some firewalls require a numeric IP address for their tables. The proxy server host name is an alias for several machines providing redundant services. If you require numeric IP addresses, please enter ALL of the following in your tables:
128.95.104.56:80
128.95.104.140:80
If your network topology includes a cache server or content filter, please note that traffic to and from 128.95.104.56:80 should not be cached or filtered. Another solution is to exempt specific users from the cache or filter.
Each firewall or cache implementation has a distinct management interface and table structure. Because of these differences, the Libraries cannot provide detailed instructions for your implementation. Please refer to your user manual or contact your vendor for assistance. If you have additional questions about this service, send an email to Contact Us and we will respond as soon as possible.