It is a proxy or proxy server. It is a program that functions to act as mediator between a server and a client over the internet. Without a proxy, a client would be able to send a request or resource to the server directly, and then the server would serve the resource directly back at the request of the customer. Although this method is simple to comprehend and implement the addition of proxies can provide advantages in the form of improved performance as well as privacy, security and many more. As a pass-through layer, a proxy acts as a security guardian of the internet between clients and servers.

The general consensus is that the combination of server hardware and software to install proxy servers is commonly referred to as proxy servers. However, this article will concentrate on proxy servers which are generally classified as software and also within the context of web servers. There will be a discussion of the two main types that are forward proxy and reverse proxy. reverse proxy. They each have their own unique usage scenario, which is often not understood due to the similar terminology.

This article will provide you with some understanding about the types of proxies and what subtypes they are and how they operate in the most common configurations. After reading this article, it will be able to identify the scenarios in which you can benefit by a proxy, and decide which is the best choice between reverse and forward proxy options for each situation.

Understanding Forward Proxies

The forward proxy, also referred to in the form of open proxy. open proxy is the agent of a customer who wants to make a request through the internet to an source server. In this scenario, the entire request sent by the user will be forwarded by the forward-proxy. This forward proxy, acting on behalf of the client will examine the request. The first step is to determine if the client is able to accept requests through this particular forward proxy. The client then decides if it wants to deny a request or forward it to its original server. The client is not allowed direct access to the internet. It has access to only what the forward proxy allows the client to access.

One of the most popular uses for forward proxy is to achieve more privacy or security online. Forward proxy can be used to access the internet in lieu of a client, and in this manner, it may use an IP address that is different from the initial IP address.

Based on the way it has been configured, the forward proxy will provide different functions, based upon the way it has been configured that lets you:

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  Avoid tracking ads.
  
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  Circumvent surveillance.
  
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  Find restrictions that are based on your location.
  
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Forward proxies are also used to secure systems that are centralized and based on permission access such as in a workplace. All internet traffic can pass by an open forward proxy. administrators can allow only a handful of clients access to the internet through an common firewall. Instead of establishing firewalls at the layer of clients, which may comprise a variety of computers with different configurations and users, a firewall could be set up at an intermediate layer of forward proxy.

It is vital to note that forward proxies must be set up manually to use however reverse proxies will remain unnoticed by the clients. Depending on the type of IP address of a user is transferred to the origin server by the forward proxy privacy and anonymity could be granted, or if it is left unnoticed.

There are a myriad of possibilities to explore forward proxy options

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  Apache is a well-known open-source webserver that offers forward proxy functions.
  
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  Nginx is a different well-known open-source web server with forward proxy capabilities.
  
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  Squid is an open source forward proxy that uses an HTTP protocol. It does not come with an entire Web server software. We have a guide on how to install Squid proxy for private connections for private connections on Ubuntu 20.04.
  
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  Dante Forward Proxy that utilizes the SOCKS protocol instead of HTTP which makes it more suited for cases like peer-to-peer communication. It is also possible to examine how you can setup the Dante proxy for private connections in Ubuntu 20.04
  
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Understanding Reverse Proxies

Reverse proxy is the web server, that handles client requests instead. The web server may serve as a one server or multiple servers. In addition, it could serve in the role of an application server such as Gunicorn. In any of these scenarios, the request is made by an internet-connected user. In most cases, the request will be directed directly to the web server which contains the resources the user wants. In contrast, a reverse proxy works as an intermediary, separating it from any direct interaction with the open internet.

From the point of view of the user, working with reverse proxy is not distinct from communicating with your website server direct. It's functionally identical and the user is unable to tell the difference. The client makes an request for a resource and then receiving it, without any further configuration from the user.

Reverse proxies offer features like:

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  Secured centrally for Web Server Layer.
  
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  Sending traffic to be directed in accordance with rules you decide to decide to define.
  
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  Additional functions for caching.
  
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While central security is an advantage of both forward and reverse proxy servers, reverse proxy services provide this benefit only to the web server layer, but not to the layer that clients use. Instead of maintaining firewalls in the server level which can contain multiple servers with various configurations, the bulk of the firewall security can be concentrated at the reverse proxy layer. Furthermore, getting rid of the hassle of dealing with firewalls and interfacing with requests coming from clients far from web servers allows them to concentrate on serving resources.

If multiple servers are operating in a reverse proxy, the reverse proxy takes care of the way requests are routed to the server. There may be several web servers offering the same service, each providing various kinds of resources or a mix of the two. They may utilize the HTTP protocol as a conventional web server, however, they might also include applications server protocols like FastCGI. It is possible to set up reverse proxy servers to direct users to specific servers based on the resource requested or to follow certain guidelines regarding traffic load.

Reverse proxies can also benefit from their placement over web servers by offering the ability to cache data. The large static files can be created using caching rules to prevent from hitting web servers with every request, with certain solutions providing the option to deliver static files directly, without connecting to the web server even once. Furthermore, the reverse proxy can manage compression of these files.

The popular Nginx webserver is a highly popular reverse proxy solution. While Apache is also a reverse proxy service, this Apache web server has a reverse proxy functionality as an additional option to Apache however Nginx was initially designed and focused on reverse proxy functionality.

Differentiating Forward Proxy and Reverse Proxy Use Differentiating Forward Proxy and Reverse Proxy Use

Since "forward" and "reverse" come with connotations of directionality, as well as false distinctions between "incoming" and "outgoing" traffic These labels are prone to confusion since both kinds of proxy deal with requests and responses. Better yet, the best method of separating between forward and reverse proxy is to examine the requirements of the app you're creating.

Reverse proxy is a crucial feature when you are developing a solution to serve websites on the internet. They are your web servers for any interaction on the internet.

A forward proxy is useful when used in front of customers for your own use, or in a work environment. They are your client's proxy through any interaction with the internet.

Differentiating by use case as opposed to focusing only on common names can make it easier to avoid confusion.

Conclusion

The article clarified the definition of a proxy, with the two main types being the forward proxy and reverse proxy. Practical scenarios to use them and a discussion of the most beneficial features were used to differentiate forward proxies from reverse proxies. If you're interested to learn more about the benefits of proxies, you should check out our tutorial on how you can install Nginx as an reverse proxy and an internet server using Apache on Ubuntu 20.04 Server. Ubuntu 20.04 server.

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