A proxy, also known as a proxy can also be referred to as a proxy server. It is a program that acts in the role of intermediaries between client and server via the internet. Without the proxy, a client would send a request for anything directly to the server, and servers would serve the requested resource directly to the user. Although this method is easy to grasp and use however the addition of proxy servers could provide advantages like increased speed, privacy and security, and so on. In addition to providing a layer of security proxy servers function as a gatekeeper for the internet, separating clients from servers.




There is a general consensus that the hardware for servers, paired with proxy software is often referred as proxy servers. This article will focus on proxies that are traditionally referred to as software, specifically in relation to servers on the internet. This article will provide a brief overview of the two major types of proxy which are forward proxy and reverse proxy. reverse proxy. Each kind has a distinct usage, which can be confusing due to the identical namestamp.




This article will provide you with an understanding of types of proxies, their subtypes, and their value for the most common setups. Through this article you'll recognize the situations where you can benefit from a proxy and decide on the appropriate option between reverse proxy and forward proxy for any situation.



Understanding Forward Proxies



Forward proxy also referred to as open proxy, sometimes referred to as open proxy is a proxy for the user who wishes to make a request over the internet to a source server. In this instance, any attempt to send requests made by the client will be sent through this forward proxy. A forward proxy acting in place of the client will review the request. It will first determine whether the client is allowed to accept requests via this particular forward proxy. It will then either deny requests or send it back to server from which it originated. The client is not capable of having directly access to internet; it will only be allowed access to the information that the forward proxy gives its access.




A very frequent reasons for forward proxy is increased privacy or security on internet. A forward proxy accesses the internet in lieu of a client's individual account, and may use a different IP address as opposed to the IP address of the user.




Based on the way it's configured, based on the way it's configured, forward proxy may offer many features that allow you to:




Avoid tracking ads.


Circumvent surveillance.


Determine restrictions based on location.




Forward proxies are also used in systems to offer central security as well as permission-based access, such as at a workplace. In the event that all internet traffic flows through an open forward proxy layer, administrator can allow only specific clients access to the internet. This is filtered by an common firewall. Instead of having firewalls on the client layer, which could comprise a variety of machines with various configurations and users, a firewall may be placed an intermediary layer.




Keep in mind that forward proxy servers must be manually configured for be used, while reverse proxies can be ignored from the clients. According to the type of IP address of the client's connection to the server that generated it by the forward proxy privacy and security can be made more transparent.




There are many options to take into consideration for forward proxy:




Apache is a well-known open source web server that offers forward proxy capability.


Nginx is another well-known open-source webserver which has forward proxy functionality.


Squid: A free and open source forward proxy that makes use of an HTTP protocol. The option does not include the whole web server. It is possible to refer to our guide on the best method to set up Squid proxy to permit private connections on Ubuntu 20.04.


Dante is a forward proxy which uses the SOCKS protocol instead of HTTP which makes it more appropriate for situations such as peer-to-peer connections. You can also learn how to setup the Dante proxy to allow connection to private networks in Ubuntu 20.04



Understanding Reverse Proxies



Reverse proxy is a web server that handles requests from customers on its behalf. The server could function as a one server, or multiple servers. In addition, it could include an application servers, such as Gunicorn. In any of these instances, a request would come via the web in general. In the majority of cases the request will be sent directly to the server along with all the information the client requires. A reverse proxy serves as an intermediary, separating your server from communications with the internet's users.




From a consumer's point viewpoint from the perspective of a client, using reverse proxy isn't different from connecting to an internet server direct. It's functionally the same but the client can't discern the difference. The client asks for the resource, and it receives it without any additional configuration needed on the part of the client.




Reverse proxies provide various features, including:




A central layer of security to guard the server.


Directing incoming traffic according to rules you set up.


A new feature to cache has been added.




While central security is a benefit of both forward and reverse proxy services, reverse proxy providers provide this feature to the server layer, it is not available to the client layer. instead of the maintenance of firewalls at the server level that could contain multiple servers and different configurations, the majority of firewall security could be focused at the reverse proxy layer. Furthermore, taking the burden of communicating with firewalls as well as interacting with requests from clients outside of web servers permits them to concentrate solely on delivering the requirements of their customers.




In the case of multiple servers being hosted through reverse proxy the reverse proxy is responsible for routing requests to the servers. There could be multiple web servers operating on the same server, or serving various kinds of resources, or a mix of both. They may utilize the HTTP protocol for functioning as a standard web server, but they may also include protocols for application servers like FastCGI. It is possible to set up reverse proxy that routes clients to particular servers based on the requested source, and to observe certain guidelines for traffic volume.




Reverse proxies also can benefit from their position prior to web servers by providing the ability to cache. Large static assets can be set using caching rules to prevent from reaching web servers with every time you request. There are solutions offering an option to serve static content directly without having to communicate with the webserver at all. Additionally, reverse proxy can manage compressing these files.




The renowned Nginx web server is a well-known reverse proxy choice. It is true that Apache web server does have reverse proxy capabilities, Apache web server is able to use reverse proxy capabilities, it is an added feature available to Apache but Nginx was designed originally to and is focused on reverse proxy functionality.



Distinguishing Forward Proxy from Reverse Proxy Use Examples



Since "forward" as well as "reverse" are associated with the perception of directionality, they can lead to false comparisons with "incoming" as well as "outgoing" traffic and can confuse because both types of proxy servers process requests and respond. Instead, a better way to differentiate between forward and reverse proxy servers is to analyze the requirements of the app that you are building.




Reverse proxy is a vital element in the creation of a solution to serve web applications on the internet. They serve as servers during any interaction through the Internet.




Forward proxy is useful in displaying customer information to your personal use or for use in a working environment. They represent the client's information when you connect to the internet.




A distinction based on use cases instead of focusing on similar naming conventions will make it easier to avoid confusion.



Conclusion



In this article, we clarified the meaning of a proxy. There are two kinds of proxy being the forward and the reverse proxy. Practical applications and an exploration of beneficial attributes were used to identify forward proxies and reverse proxies. If you're interested in the benefits of proxy servers, you can read our guide on how to configure Nginx as an internet server and reverse proxy in Apache using an Ubuntu 20.04 server.



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