Setting up a PAC file to manage a proxy infrastructure

A work network can have complex traffic flows between local networks, connected vendor and partner networks, and the Internet. DNS domains are often split between internal and Internet hosts that require complex routing. A PAC file is an efficient way to manage a complex proxy infrastructure.

A PAC file is a

JavaScript

function definition that determines whether web browser requests (HTTP, HTTPS, and FTP) go directly to the destination or if they are forwarded to a web proxy server. PAC files can support proxy deployments in which clients are configured to send traffic to the web proxy.

The benefits of using a PAC file:

A PAC file allows you to automatically:
Send Internet-bound HTTP, HTTPS, and FTP traffic directly to the proxy
Send Intranet traffic directly to the destination
Make exceptions for internal or external sites that must be routed or bypass the proxy
A PAC file locks down the
BlackBerry Access
LAN egress configuration
A PAC file provides a flexible, easy-to-maintain, and script-driven method of controlling the routing of web requests
A PAC file can include code that handles proxy load distribution and failover
A PAC file can be stored and updated in a central location, instead of distributed on multiple servers and devices; when a PAC file is changed, client browsers retrieve the updated copy the next time
BlackBerry Access
is launched
A PAC file can be configured to return DIRECT, NATIVE, BLOCK, or PROXY to have more granular control over browsing