DigitalOcean has sponsored ProxySQL LLC, the company behind ProxySQL, to add support for the PROXY Protocol in its latest release, v2.7.0, which brings significant improvements to managing database connections behind a load balancer by preserving client IPs and connection details. This update simplifies complexities of managing connections behind load balancers, offering enhanced visibility, control, and security, making it easier to track traffic sources accurately. The PROXY Protocol adds a human-readable header to requests passing through a load balancer, which includes the original client’s IP address and connection details, allowing ProxySQL to extract these details when a connection reaches it. Enabling the PROXY Protocol in ProxySQL is simple and flexible, with various configuration options available, including default settings and support for specified IP ranges or subnets. This update provides valuable benefits for database administrators, such as query rules, processlist display, auditing & logging, access control, and more, making modernizing database operations a more reliable way to manage connections behind load balancers.