An proxy, also known as a proxy server is also known as a proxy server, is a software that acts as a mediator between a client and server on the internet. Without the use of a proxy, clients would make a request resources directly to a server and it will serve that resource to its user directly. Although this is a simple process to comprehend and implement with proxy servers, it could offer benefits in terms of enhanced performance, privacy, security, and many more. In addition to providing a layer of protection proxy functions as a guardian to the internet between servers and clients.

It is generally accepted that the combination of server hardware and proxy software is generally known as proxy servers. In this article, we'll focus on proxy servers, which are generally classified as software and when it comes to web servers. You will get a breakdown of the two major kinds of proxies: the forward proxy and the reverse proxy. Each kind has its own usage scenario, which is often misunderstood due to a similar the namesake convention.

This article will provide you with an understanding of types of proxy services and what their subtypes, as well as their significance in the common configurations. After reading the article you'll know what circumstances that a good proxy can be beneficial and pick the right solution in between reverse and forward proxy, based on the circumstances.

Understanding Forward Proxies

A forward proxy, sometimes known as an open proxy, also known as an open serves as an intermediary between clients who are trying to connect via the internet to an source server. In this scenario, every request made by the user will be routed straight via forward-proxy. A forward proxy in the client's place, will examine the request. It will first decide if the client's allowed be able to accept requests through this specific forward proxy. It will then reject any request or forward it to the original server. The client has no direct access to the internet. It can access only what the forward proxy allows the client access.

One of the most frequent applications of forward proxies is to gain greater privacy or security while using the internet. A forward proxy uses the internet as the client, and in that process, it uses an alternate IP address in addition to the client's IP address.

Based on how it has been configured depending on how it is configured forward proxy can provide various features based on how it is configured that allow you to:

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  Avoid tracking ads.
  
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  Circumvent surveillance.
  
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  You can determine limitations based on your geographic place of residence.
  
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Forward proxies are also utilized in systems that provide centralized security as well as access based on permissions, such as in a workplace. The entire internet can be passed through an open forward proxy. an administrator is able to restrict access to only certain clients to the internet that is protected by an common firewall. As opposed to having firewalls in place on the client layer, which may include multiple computers that have different configurations and users there is the option to install a firewall at the layer that forwards proxy traffic.

Note that forward proxy settings should be manually configured for use however reverse proxies will be ignored by the client. Based on the fact that an IP address belonging to a user is passed to the server from where it originated by the forward proxy, privacy and security can be granted or hidden.

There are many choices to be considered for forward proxy options:

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  Apache is a well-known open source web server that provides forward proxy capabilities.
  
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  Nginx: Another popular open-source server used for web hosting with forward proxy capabilities.
  
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  Squid: A free forward proxy that utilizes the HTTP protocol. It's not the entire web server. Read our guide on how you can install Squid proxy for private connections in Ubuntu 20.04.
  
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  Dante is an forward proxy which utilizes the SOCKS protocol instead of HTTP to make it more to handle peer-to-peer communication. It is also possible to look at how you can set up Dante proxy to allow connection to private networks in Ubuntu 20.04
  
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Understanding Reverse Proxies

A reverse proxy acts as the web server, which takes care of all requests received from customers on behalf of. The web server can represent a single, or a number of servers. It could even be an application server, such as Gunicorn. In any of these situations an application request comes from a user via the internet. Most of the time the request will be sent directly to the web server, which will provide the information the client wants. However, a reverse proxy functions as an intermediary that isolates your website server from communication with the internet's open.

From the point of view of the individual client's viewpoint, the process of using reverse proxy isn't different from connecting to a Web server through direct communication. It's exactly the same and the client is unable to tell the difference. Client requests an item, and it is followed by its receipt, without any additional configurations required for the user.

Reverse proxy providers offer options like:

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  A centralized layer of security to protect the server.
  
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  Incoming traffic is directed on the rules you determine.
  
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  New feature added to caching.
  
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Although centralized security is a benefit of both forward and reverse proxy, reverse proxies apply this function to only the server layer, but not the client layer. Instead of focusing on upkeep of firewalls on the web server layer, which could contain multiple servers and different configurations, most of firewall security is targeted towards the reverse proxy layer. Furthermore, the elimination of the responsibility of interacting with firewalls as well as communicating with clients who are far from web servers enables them to concentrate on delivering the requirements of their clients.

In the event of multiple servers existing through reverse proxy, the reverse proxy also is responsible for directing what requests will go via which server. There may be several web servers that provide the same content, and each providing different services or a mixture of the two. They could be running the HTTP protocol that is a standard web server, but can contain different protocols for application servers, such as FastCGI. You can also set up a reverse proxy to direct visitors to specific server depending on the resource requested or to adhere to certain guidelines regarding the load of traffic.

Reverse proxies benefit from their position on top of web servers, as they have the capability to store information. Large static assets can be set up with caching policies to avoid the web server from being hit with every request. Certain applications allow users to directly serve static assets without contacting Web servers in any form. Furthermore the reverse proxy is able to manage compressing these assets.

The well-known Nginx web server is also used as a popular reverse proxy option. While there is an equivalent feature available that is available in Apache web server, it has a reverse proxy features as an additional option that is accessible for Apache whereas Nginx was initially designed to and is specifically designed for reverse proxy functions.

Distinguishing Forward and Reverse Proxy Use Situations

Since "forward" in addition to "reverse" have connotations of directionality, as well as misleading comparisons to "incoming" and "outgoing" traffic The labels can be confusing because both kinds of proxy servers process requests and responses. In addition, the most effective method to differentiate between the reverse and forward proxy types is to study the specifications of the application that you're building.

Reverse proxy is useful when designing a solution for serving applications that are on the internet. They act as your web servers when you interact with the internet.

Forward proxy is beneficial when they are placed in front of customers for the purpose of your own use, or even in a corporate environment. They are a representation of your customer's traffic in any interactions via the internet.

A case-based distinction instead of focusing on the common naming conventions can aid in avoiding confusion.

Conclusion

The article clarified the meaning of a proxy is, and compared it to the two most common kinds: the forward proxy and reverse proxy. Practical applications and a review of the beneficial attributes were used to identify forward proxies and reverse proxies. If you're looking to know more about implementation of proxies, you can check out our tutorial on how to configure Nginx as a reverse proxy and web server proxy for Apache on one Ubuntu 20.04 server.

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