Which device is best suited for filtering traffic based on URL access restrictions?

A proxy server is specifically designed to act as an intermediary between users and the internet. It can filter traffic based on various criteria, including URL access restrictions. When a user attempts to access a website, the request goes through the proxy server, which evaluates the requested URL against a predefined list of allowed or blocked URLs. If the URL is permitted, the proxy forwards the request to the target website; if not, it blocks the request.

This capability allows organizations to enforce security policies, control employee access to certain sites, and enhance user privacy on the network. Therefore, using a proxy server is the most effective choice for managing and filtering URL access in a network environment.

Other devices, like routers and switches, primarily handle data packet routing and switching without advanced traffic filtering based on content type, while load balancers focus on distributing traffic across multiple servers to ensure availability and reliability rather than filtering specific content requests.