proxy, also known as a proxy is often referred to for its role as a proxy server, a software that acts as a mediator between client and server via the internet. Without the use of proxy, a user would make a request any service directly from the server, and the server would deliver an item directly for the requester. While this is a simple method to comprehend and utilize, however, the addition proxy servers could provide advantages in terms of increased performance, privacy, security, and much more. Alongside providing a layer of security, a proxy acts as a gatekeeper for the internet between users and servers.

In general, the combination of server hardware and installed proxy software is also often referred as proxy servers. This article we'll examine proxies commonly categorized as software and within relation to web server. The article will give a detailed breakdown of the two primary types of proxies: that is a forward proxy and a reverse proxy. Each type of proxy has its own unique usage scenario that is often not understood due to the common name convention.

This article will provide you with an understanding of what proxies and subtypes are, and how they are useful in a variety of configurations. Through this article, you'll be able recognize the situations where a proxy is beneficial, and then make the best alternative between forward and reverse proxy in any given scenario.

Understanding Forward Proxies

A forward proxy also referred to by the name of an open proxy is a proxy for a user who is trying to connect via the internet to a source server. In this case, every attempt to send requests made by the client will instead be handled by an forward proxy. Forward proxy in the place of the client will review the request. It first decides if the client has been authorized to receive requests from this particular forward proxy. Then, it'll either reject requests or redirect it to the server that originated it. It isn't able to direct connection with the Internet. It only has access to what the forward proxy enables it to access.

A common use for forward proxy is to provide greater privacy or security when using the internet. Forward proxy connects to Internet as a "client" during this way, it assigns an alternate IP address for the IP address of your client.

Depending on how it has been configured according to the method it was set up forward proxy can provide a wide range of options which allow you to:

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  Beware of tracking ads.
  
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  Circumvent surveillance.
  
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  You can identify limitations based on your location.
  
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Forward proxies are also used in systems that provide central security and access through permissions, such as in the workplace. All internet traffic can pass by an open forward proxy, administrators can restrict access to a specific group of people to connect on the internet, and this is blocked by the typical firewall. Instead of having firewalls at clients, which could be utilized by a variety of computer systems with different settings and users. A firewall may be found within this forward proxy layer.

Be aware that forward proxies have to be manually setup to allow their use, however reverse proxy servers will not be noticed by the user. Based on the fact that an IP address from the client is sent to the origin server through the forward proxy, privacy and anonymity may be granted or hidden.

There are numerous possibilities to think about in the case of forward proxy services.

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  Apache The Apache is a popular open-source webserver that provides forward proxy functions.
  
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  Nginx is another well-known open-source web server with forward proxy functions.
  
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  Squid: An free forward proxy that utilizes an HTTP protocol. It isn't part of the entire web server. There is a step-bystep guide for setting up Squid proxy to allow secure connections on Ubuntu 20.04.
  
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  Dante Forward proxy that uses the SOCKS protocol rather than HTTP which makes it more suitable for situations such as peer-to-peer communication. It is also possible to look into how you can install a Dante proxy that will allow private connections to Ubuntu 20.04
  
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Understanding Reverse Proxies

Reverse proxy functions as an intermediary to a web server, handling any requests that come in from clients its place. This server can serve as a one server, or a number of servers. Additionally, it can comprise an application server, such as Gunicorn. In any event, it's possible to get a request from a customer via the web at large. Most of the time the request will be sent directly to the web server hosting the information the client is asking for. A reverse proxy acts as an intermediary to isolate your website server from communicating with the internet's users.

From a consumer's point of perspective, which is also an individual's view, interacting using reverse proxy is not different from connecting to the server on its own. It's functionally identical to the web server, and the client cannot tell the difference. The client can request the resource, and is then given it, without any extra configuration required from the user.

Reverse proxies grant features like:

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  Centralized security to web server.
  
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  Controlling traffic coming in based on rules you can design.
  
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  Added functionality for caching.
  
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Although centralized security is an advantage of both reverse and forward proxy services, reverse-proxies do this function to only the layer of web servers but not the client layer. Instead of implementing firewalls at the web servers which might contain multiple servers with various configurations, the bulk of the firewall security is centered on the reverse proxy layer. Additionally, getting rid of the necessity of interfacing with a firewall and interfacing with requests from clients without web servers lets them focus on meeting the requirements of their customers.

In the event of multiple servers hosting through reverse proxy, the reverse proxy also is responsible for directing which requests go on which server. Multiple servers may be providing the exact identical service, however each providing different types of resources, or some combination of the two. They may use the HTTP protocol in the same way as traditional web servers however, they could also be outfitted with protocols for application servers like FastCGI. You can set up reverse proxy servers to redirect customers to specific server based on the resource they are looking for or to adhere to specific rules regarding traffic load.

Reverse proxy solutions can benefit from placing them on the web servers with the caching feature. Large static files can be arranged by caching rules to prevent hitting web servers with each request. Some applications allow the server to serve static files directly without having to connect to a web server in any way. Furthermore the reverse proxy is able to compress these files.

The popular Nginx web server also functions as a well-known reverse proxy service. It is certain that Apache web server comes with reverse proxy feature, it's a different option for Apache and not the default option. Nginx was initially designed and focused on reverse proxy functionality.

Differentiating Forward Proxy from reverse Proxy Use Cases

Because "forward" as well as "reverse" are associated with the perception of directionality, and misleading comparisons to "incoming" or "outgoing" traffic. The labels can confuse because each type of proxy handles the flow of requests as well as responses. A better approach to distinguish between forward and reverse proxy is to think about the requirements of the application you're creating.

Reverse proxy is an essential feature when building an application that can deliver web applications to the internet. They act as your web server during any interaction with the internet.

Forward proxy applications are useful when they are displayed in front of clients for personal use, or in a workplace. They can be used to represent the traffic of your client when you interact with the internet.

A case-based approach to differentiation instead of focusing solely on common naming conventions will ensure that you don't get confused.

Conclusion

The article outlined what an "proxy" is, with the two most common kinds of them being reverse and forward proxy. Practical applications and a discussion of beneficial features were used to distinguish forward proxies from reverse proxy. If you're looking for ways to use proxies, check out our guide on how to configure Nginx as a web server and reverse proxy for Apache on an Ubuntu 20.04 server.

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