It is proxy is proxy is also referred to a proxy server is software that sits as a mediator between a server and a client on the internet. Without the use of a proxy, users will send a request for the resource directly to the server and it would then serve direct to users who requested the resource. While this approach is straightforward to comprehend and implement, using proxies provides benefits in terms of better performance as well as privacy, security and much more. As an additional layer for being able to pass through, a proxy functions as a security guard for the internet between clients and servers.




The general consensus is that the combination of server hardware and installed proxy software is frequently called proxy servers. For this post, we'll examine proxies commonly described as software, as well as those that are employed in conjunction using web servers. This article will provide an in-depth description of two types of proxies: that is one that is a forward proxy and one called a reverse proxy. Each type is unique in its use, often confused because of the similar namesake convention.




This article will provide an understanding of what proxies are and what they are subtypes of, as well as the ways they can be useful for the most common setups. After reading this article, you'll be able to identify the circumstances where a proxy can be useful, and then decide the appropriate choice for forward proxy or reverse proxy for a particular scenario.



Understanding Forward Proxies



The forward proxy also referred to in the form of an open proxy is the agent of a customer that attempts to transmit an internet request to an source server. In this scenario, it's the case that all requests from the client will be sent to the forward proxy. In this situation, the forward proxy in lieu of the client, will examine the request. It will first will decide whether the client is allowed to forward requests through this particular forward proxy. It will then decide whether to deny the request or transfer it over to the original server. It isn't able to connect directly via the Internet. It only has access to what the forward proxy allows the forward proxy to connect.




A common reason for using forward proxy is to achieve more privacy or security online. Forward proxy utilizes the internet as a separate client. In this process, it can use another IP address in opposition to the IP address that is used by the client.




Depending on how it's been set up in the past, forward proxy servers can provide a range of choices, allowing you to:




Stay clear of tracking ads.


Circumvent surveillance.


Find restrictions based on your where you live.




Forward proxies are also used in systems to provide central security and permission based access, like at work. In the event that all internet traffic passes by an open forward proxy, the administrator can grant only a small number of clients online access which is filtered by a standard firewall. Instead of ensuring firewalls are in place at the level of client, which may include multiple machines that are different in terms of user and environment the firewall can be placed at the layer which is responsible for forwarding proxy data.




Be aware that forward proxies need to be manually setup to be used, while reverse proxies can be disregarded by clients. Depending on whether the IP address of the client is sent to the server that originated it via the forward proxy, privacy and anonymity can get granted, or even made more transparent.




There are a myriad of options to be considered in the case of forward proxies:




Apache A well-known, open-source web server that offers forward proxy features.


Nginx A renowned open-source web server that has forward proxy features.


Squid is an open source forward proxy that makes use of it's HTTP protocol. It doesn't provide an entire web server. Check out our article on the most efficient way to setup Squid proxy for secure connections on Ubuntu 20.04.


Dante forward proxy which utilizes the SOCKS protocol rather than HTTP and HTTP, which makes it better suited for scenarios such as peer-to-peer traffic. It is also possible to check out how to configure the Dante proxy for private connections in Ubuntu 20.04



Understanding Reverse Proxies



Reverse proxy is a representative of a web server which manages requests by customers on its behalf. The web server could represent one or more servers. It could also serve as an app server such as Gunicorn. Any of the above scenarios, it is possible to receive a request via the internet at large. Most of the time the request will be delivered directly to the server with the resources that the user is seeking. Reverse proxy, however, serves as an intermediary, and blocks your website server from any interaction with the open internet.




From the perspective of a customer from a client's perspective reverse proxy is no different than communicating with the webserver in direct communication. It's basically the same, and the client cannot discern the difference. The client requests a resource and then receives it, with no additional configurations required for the end user.




Reverse proxy proxies can provide features, like:




Centrally secured to protect Web Server Layer.


Sending traffic to be directed according to rules that you can establish.


Additional features to cache data.




While central security is a benefit of both reverse and forward proxy service, reverse proxy providers provide this benefit only to the server layer and not to the client layer. Instead of the maintenance of firewalls at the web server layer that may contain multiple servers with various configurations, the majority of firewall security is centered in the reverse proxy layer. In addition, the removal of the requirement of interacting with firewalls and connecting with requests from clients far from web servers allows firewalls to focus on the requirements of their clients.




If there are multiple servers that are connected to a reverse proxy, the reverse proxy is also in charge of how requests are routed to which server. Multiple web servers may be running from the exact same computer, providing various kinds of resources or a mix of both. These servers may use the HTTP protocol in the same way as a traditional web server. They may also include applications server protocols like FastCGI. It is possible to set up reverse proxy that directs users to specific servers according to the type of resource they're looking for, or to adhere to certain rules for traffic load.




Reverse proxies also can profit from their positioning ahead of web servers through the capability of caching. Large static assets are able to be configured using caching rules to prevent hitting web servers on each request, with certain services giving the option to directly serve static resources without connecting with the server for even one time. Additionally, reverse proxy could handle the compression of these assets.




The well-known Nginx web server also functions as a well-known reverse proxy service. While you can use Nginx, the Apache web server is also equipped with reverse proxy function, it's a separate feature that is available for Apache however Nginx was initially designed for and specifically designed for reverse proxy functions.



Differentiating Forward and reverse proxy Utilizing Differentiation of Forward Proxy and Reverse Proxy Use



Because "forward" and "reverse" come with connotations of directionality, and false comparisons to "incoming" as well as "outgoing" traffic These terms can be confusing since both types of proxies can be used to handle requests as well as responses. An alternative method to differentiate between forward and reverse proxies is to examine the requirements of the app that you are creating.




A reverse proxy could be beneficial in the development of a system to deliver web-based applications over the internet. They serve as your servers whenever you connect to the internet.




Forward proxy is useful when used before a client for your personal use or in the workplace. They can be used to represent the traffic of your clients whenever you use the internet.




A distinction based on use cases instead of focusing exclusively at similar names can help you avoid confusion.



Conclusion



This article provides the definition of a proxy with the two types that are forward proxy and reverse proxy. Practical application scenarios and an exploration of beneficial features was used to distinguish between forward proxy and reverse proxy. If you're interested in exploring the possibilities of proxies, then check out our guide on how to configure Nginx as a reverse and web server proxy on Apache on an Ubuntu 20.04 Server.



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