An proxy is also referred to for its role as a proxy. It is software that functions as an intermediary between client and server over the internet. In the absence of a proxy server, a user would be able to send a request to anything directly to the server and servers would serve the requested resource directly to the user. This is a simple method to grasp and use however using proxy servers can offer advantages such as more speed, privacy and security, among others. As an additional layer of protection proxy servers function as a gatekeeper for the internet, separating clients from servers.

The consensus is that the hardware for servers, paired with proxy software is often referred as proxy servers. However, this article will concentrate on proxy servers that are typically categorized as software, and more specifically with respect to servers on the internet. This article will provide a brief overview of the two major types of proxy that are a forward proxy and reverse proxy. reverse proxy. Each has its own usage, which can be confusing due to the identical name convention.

This article will provide you with an understanding of types of proxies, their subtypes are, as well as their importance for the most common setups. After reading this article you'll know the scenarios where you could benefit by a proxy and decide on the appropriate option between reverse proxy and forward proxy for any scenario.

Understanding Forward Proxies

Forward proxy sometimes called an open proxy serves as an agent for the user who wishes to transmit a request through the internet to an source server. In this instance, any request sent by the client will rather be directed via this forward proxy. A forward proxy in the instead of the user will look into the request. It first will determine if the client is authorized to accept requests through this specific forward proxy. Then, it will either reject requests or send it back to source server. The client will not be allowed direct access to the internet. it will only be allowed access to the information that forward proxy grants the access.

A very popular applications for forward proxy servers is greater security or privacy on the internet. A forward proxy is able to access the internet in lieu of a specific client and in the process, it can use another IP address in comparison to the IP address of the client.

Depending on how it's configured, based on the way it's configured forward proxy can provide many features and allow you to:

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  Do not click on ads that track you.
  
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  Circumvent surveillance.
  
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  Establish restrictions based upon your location.
  
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Forward proxies are also used in systems to provide central security and permit-based access, like in a workplace. In the event that all internet traffic passes through an open forward proxy layer, administrators are able to restrict access to only certain clients to the internet, which is blocked by a common firewall. Instead of keeping firewalls in place for the client layer that could involve many machines with varying settings and types of users, the firewall could be placed at on the front proxy layer.

Keep in mind that forward proxy servers must be manually set up to use while reverse proxies could be disregarded by the client. Depending on the type of IP address of the client, it is transmitted to the server that originated it through the forward proxy, privacy and security can be granted or made more transparent.

There are a variety of options to take into consideration in determining forward proxy:

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  Apache is a well-known open-source web server that provides forward proxy capabilities.
  
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  Nginx is another well-known open-source webserver that includes forward proxy capability.
  
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  Squid is an open source forward proxy that utilizes an HTTP protocol. It does not contain the whole web server. It is possible to refer to our article about the best method to set up Squid proxy to allow private connections in Ubuntu 20.04.
  
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  Dante is a forward proxy that uses the SOCKS protocol instead of HTTP this makes it more suitable for scenarios such as peer-to-peer connections. You can also learn how to set up a Dante proxy for secure connections within Ubuntu 20.04
  
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Understanding Reverse Proxies

Reverse proxy acts as the web server, which takes care of the requests of customers on behalf of the server. This server can serve as a one server, or multiple servers. Additionally, it can comprise an application server, such as Gunicorn. In all of these scenarios it is possible to send a request via the web at large. In the majority of cases, the request is sent directly to the web server with all the resources the client in need of. A reverse proxy functions as an intermediary, segregating your website server from communicating with the web's public.

From a consumer's point of viewpoint from the perspective of a client reverse proxy isn't different from connecting to an internet server direct. It's functionally identical, however the client isn't able to discern the distinction. The client makes a request for the resource and receives it, with no additional configuration needed on the part of the client.

Reverse proxies offer options like:

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  A centralized layer of security to protect the server.
  
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  Directing incoming traffic using rules that you set up.
  
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  A new feature to cache is now available.
  
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While central security is a benefit of both reverse and forward proxy services, reverse proxies provide this benefit only to the server layer and not the client layer. instead of the maintenance of firewalls on the server level which might contain many servers and various configurations, the bulk of firewall security can be directed at the reverse proxy layer. Additionally, removing the burden of communicating with firewalls and interacting with requests from clients not connected to web servers permits them to focus on only the requirements of their clients.

In the case of multiple servers hosting through reverse proxy it also handles the routing of requests to the servers. Multiple web servers could be serving the same resource, or serving different kinds of resources or a mix of both. They may use the HTTP protocol for functioning as a standard web server, but they may also include applications server protocols like FastCGI. It is possible to set up reverse proxy that routes clients to particular servers based on the request for service, or adhere to certain guidelines for traffic volume.

Reverse proxies can also 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 getting to web servers for every request. There are solutions offering the possibility of serving static content directly without having to interact with the webserver in any way. Furthermore, reverse proxy can help compress these assets.

The renowned Nginx web server is a wildly popular reverse proxy option. It is true that it is true that the Apache web server does have a reverse proxy capabilities as an added feature available to Apache but Nginx was originally designed to focus on the reverse proxy feature.

Differentiating Forward Proxy and reverse Proxy Use Examples

Because "forward" and "reverse" are both associated with an impression of directionality and misleading comparisons with "incoming" or "outgoing" traffic and could be confusing because both kinds of proxies process requests and response. A better approach to differentiate between forward and reverse proxy servers is to study the needs of the application you're creating.

Reverse proxy is a vital aspect in the design of a solution to serve web applications on the internet. They function as your servers whenever you connect to the Internet.

Forward proxy is useful in displaying customer information for your own use, or for use in a working environment. They are a way to display the information of your client every time you interact with them on the internet.

A distinction based on usage case rather than focusing only on naming conventions that are similar can help avoid confusion.

Conclusion

This article clarified the definition of a proxy with two types, the forward and the reverse proxy. Practical applications and an exploration of beneficial attributes were used to identify forward proxies and reverse proxy. If you're interested in the role of proxy servers, you can read our guide on how you can configure Nginx as an internet server and reverse proxy in Apache in the Ubuntu 20.04 Server.

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