Cisco Cisco Web Security Appliance S670 User Guide

Before installing the Web Security appliance, read through the following questions and use the responses 
to each question to help you decide how to deploy the appliance and where to locate it in your network. 
Each response includes a reference to a different section that covers the response in more detail.

Will you deploy the Web Security appliance as a transparent proxy or an explicit forward proxy?

Explicit Forward Proxy. Client applications, such as web browsers, are aware of the Web 
Proxy and must be configured to point to a single Web Security appliance. This deployment 
requires a connection to a standard network switch. When you deploy the Web Proxy in explicit 
forward mode, you can place it anywhere in the network. For more information, see 

.

Transparent Proxy. Clients applications are unaware of the Web Proxy and do not have to be 
configured to connect to the proxy. This deployment requires an Layer 4 switch or a WCCP v2 
router. For more information, see 

.

A Layer 4 switch is a switch capable of doing policy based routing.

Does the network have an existing proxy?

If yes, it is recommended you deploy the Web Security appliance downstream from an existing 
proxy server, meaning closer to the clients. The System Setup Wizard refers to this as an upstream 
proxy configuration.

For more information, see 

.

Will you enable the L4 Traffic Monitor?

L4 Traffic Monitor deployment is independent of the Web Proxy deployment. You can connect the 
L4 Traffic Monitor to a network tap or the mirror/span port of a switch.

For more information, see 

.

The Web Security appliance includes six physical Ethernet ports on the back of the system. Each 
Ethernet port corresponds to a different network interface. The Ethernet ports are grouped into the 
following types of network interfaces:

Management. The Management interfaces include M1 and M2. However, only the M1 interface is 
enabled on the appliance. For more information, see 

.

Data. The Data interfaces include P1 and P2. Use the Data interfaces for Web Proxy data traffic. For 
more information, see 

L4 Traffic Monitor. The L4 Traffic Monitor interfaces include T1 and T2. Use these interfaces for 
monitoring and blocking L4 Traffic Monitor traffic. For more information, see 

.

 shows the Ethernet ports on the back of the Web Security appliance blade.