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Is OpenDNS running a proxy?

Yes.  Some software, including your (and our) beloved Google Toolbar, intercepts requests made via the address bar so that DNS requests never occur. This creates some usability issues, including making shortcuts - which require DNS requests to be made from the address bar - unreliable.  We've designed a simple proxy that ensures the best of Google and OpenDNS work without causing problems.

When enabled, we route certain requests to a simple proxy which checks for the origin of the request.  Shortcut-related traffic gets handled (and redirected) while all other traffic goes to the intended destination untouched.  We are not storing or mining any of the data that passes through the proxy.  The proxy does nothing malicious - it's designed to make your shortcuts work seamlessly with the Google Toolbar and similar services, giving you the best of both worlds.

Like all OpenDNS services, the proxy is respectful of your privacy. We do not track any of the searches made through the proxy. In fact, since so many people use Google we automatically rotate and delete the logs frequently. We do not store any of those logs, nor do we perform any non-operational-related analysis of the traffic sent through the proxy at any time. Protecting your privacy and delivering a fantastic navigational experience will always be two of our main goals at OpenDNS. We believe that this solution provides just that, and continues our tradition of innovative services that make your Internet experience with OpenDNS faster, safer and more reliable. 

Ultimately, this proxy serves to enhance the OpenDNS experience and we recommend you leave it enabled.