What type of server acts on behalf of a user to connect to remote destinations?

A proxy server functions as an intermediary between a user's device and the internet or remote destinations. When a user makes a request for information or resources, the proxy server receives that request and forwards it to the appropriate remote server. This process allows the proxy server to retrieve data on behalf of the user, which can provide various benefits such as enhanced privacy, anonymity, content filtering, and caching.

The use of a proxy server can also help in managing traffic more efficiently and can provide additional layers of security by hiding the user's IP address from the remote server. This makes it a crucial component in many network security strategies and setups. In contrast, application servers, web servers, and database servers serve different roles, primarily focusing on handling application logic, serving web content, and managing databases, respectively, rather than acting specifically to connect users to remote destinations.