An proxy or proxy server is a program which acts in the middle between a client and server on the internet. Without proxy, a user will send a request to resources directly a server, and then the server will serve the requested resource directly to the user. This method is simple to understand and use, using proxies has advantages such as greater performance, privacy, security, and much more. As an additional layer moving through, proxies serve as a guardian to the internet between servers and clients.




In general, the bundled combination of server hardware and the software to install proxy servers is often called proxy servers. This article will focus on proxy servers which are generally described as software, as well as those used in conjunction with web servers. We will give a synopsis of the two main types of proxies: they are one that is forward and a reverse proxy. Each has its own usage that can cause confusion due to the same terminology.




This article will give you an idea of the how proxies work and what their subtypes are, as well as their utility in a variety of configurations. Through in this post, you'll be aware of how to determine the situations that a proxy can be advantageous, and decide on the best option to use a forward or reverse proxy depending on the specific situation.



Understanding Forward Proxies



Forward proxy, also known as open proxy. An open proxy serves as a representative for a client that is trying to make an online request to a source server. In this case, the whole attempt to send requests from the client will rather be directed by the forward-proxy. The forward proxy, in its place as the customer will review the request. First, it will verify if the client has been authorized to transmit requests via this particular forward proxy. It will then deny a application and send it back to its original server. The client has no direct connection for the web. It can access only the information that the forward proxy allows the client to connect.




One of the most common uses for forward proxies is greater security or privacy on the internet. The forward proxy can connect to internet instead of a client. as a result it utilizes an alternate IP address to the initial IP address of the client.




Based on the way it was set up in accordance with the method of configuration, forward proxy may offer a variety of features dependent on the way it's set up, allowing you to:




Do not be a victim of ad tracking.


Circumvent surveillance.


Find out the restrictions that apply to the location you are in.




Forward proxies also are used in systems that use centralized security and based access, for instance in workplaces. If all internet traffic flows through an common forward proxy layer, an administrator can restrict access to a specific user group to the internet filtered through an common firewall. Instead of keeping firewalls in place for the client layer which may comprise several devices with diverse environments and users, there is the possibility to set up an firewall that is located in the front proxy layer.




It is important to remember the fact that forward proxy servers have to be manually set up to use, whereas reverse proxies may be hidden from clients. Based on the type of IP address the client, it will be passed to the server that created it via forward proxy privacy and security can be granted or kept secret.




There are a myriad of alternatives to consider for forward proxies:




Apache is a well-known open-source web server with forward proxy capabilities.


Nginx: Another well-known open source web server, which has forward proxy features.


Squid is an open-source forward proxy that utilizes the HTTP protocol. This doesn't offer an entire web server application. You can read our instructions on how to set-up Squid proxy to permit private connections in Ubuntu 20.04.


Dante Forward Proxy that utilizes the SOCKS protocol rather than HTTP which makes it more for use in situations such as peer-to-peer traffic. It is also possible to learn how to setup an Dante proxy for private connections on Ubuntu 20.04



Understanding Reverse Proxies



A reverse proxy acts as a representative of a web server that handles incoming requests by clients on its behalf. Web servers can consist of a single server, or several servers. Additionally, it could include an application server such as Gunicorn. In both cases, the request comes from an internet user generally. The majority of the time, requests will get sent directly to the web server which has all the resources the client in need of. Contrarily reverse proxy acts as an intermediary and isolates Web servers and their direct contact with the internet.




From the consumer's point of the consumer's perspective, working with reverse proxy is not any different than interacting with an online server direct. It's basically the same but the user is unable to see the difference. The client makes a request for it, then it receives it without additional configuration needed to be completed by the client.




Reverse proxies offer features like:




A centralized layer of security to protect the server.


Controlling traffic inbound based on rules that you establish.


A new feature to cache is now available.




While centralized security is a benefit of both forward and reverse proxy, reverse proxies do this to only the server layer, but not the layer that clients use. Instead of establishing firewalls on Web server layers that can include multiple servers and various configurations, the majority of security measures for firewalls are targeted towards the reverse proxy layer. Furthermore, taking the burden of interfacing with firewalls and communicating with clients outside of web servers permits the firewall to concentrate on delivering the needs of their customers.




If there are multiple servers operating within a reverse proxy it also determines which requests are sent towards which servers. There are many web servers running on the same server, serving different kinds of resources or a mix of both. These servers utilize the HTTP protocol like a traditional web server. However, they could also be equipped with other protocols for application servers like FastCGI. You can configure a reverse proxy to direct the clients to specific servers based on the kind of resource they are seeking, or to adhere to certain rules for traffic load.




Reverse proxies can also be able to benefit from their positioning prior to web servers, through providing caching functions. Large static assets can to be configured with caching rules to avoid having to call web servers for every request. Certain software solutions allow you to deliver static files directly without touching the server once. In addition, the reverse proxy can handle compression of these assets.




The popular Nginx web server also functions as a reliable reverse proxy service. Although it is real it's true Apache website server fitted with an reverse proxy that is an additional option for Apache but Nginx was designed originally for and focuses on reverse proxy capabilities.



Differentiating Forward Proxy and Reverse Proxy Examples



Since "forward" as well as "reverse" come with connotations of directionality, they can lead to misleading comparisons to "incoming" and "outgoing" traffic and could be confusing because both types of proxies handle requests and responses. A better approach to distinguish between reverse and forward proxy is to take into account the requirements of the application that you're developing.




A reverse proxy is useful in the case of designing a system to provide web-based services via the internet. They act as your servers when you interact with the Internet.




Forward proxy software is useful when they are put in front of a user for personal use as well as in an office environment. They represent your clients when you interact with the internet.




The use case-based differentiation instead of focusing solely on common naming conventions can assist in avoiding confusion.



Conclusion



This article explains what a proxy is with two types: the forward proxy and reverse proxy. Practical applications and an examination of useful features were utilized to differentiate between reverse and forward proxies. If you're interested in exploring the use of proxy servers then you should read our tutorial on how to configure Nginx as an internet server and reverse proxy on Apache on one Ubuntu 20.04 server.



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