proxy is also referred to as a proxy is commonly referred to for its role as a proxy server, a software that sits as a mediator between a server and a client via the internet. Without proxy, a user would make a request any resource directly to the server, and then the server would give direct access to that resource. Although this method is easy to comprehend and utilize, however, the addition of proxy servers could provide advantages in terms of more performance, privacy and security, among other things. In addition to offering a security layer the proxy also acts as a security guard for the internet between users and servers.




In general, the combination of server hardware and the software for proxy installation is often referred to as a proxy server. This article we will examine proxies commonly categorized as software, and also in relation to web server. You will get a breakdown of the two main types of proxies. These are a forward proxy and reverse proxy. reverse proxy. Each one has its own use scenario that is often not understood due to the common names.




This article will give you the knowledge of what proxy servers and their subtypes are and the ways they can be beneficial in a range of configurations. Through this article, you'll be able recognize the situations where it is beneficial to use a proxy and make the right option between reverse and forward proxy for any particular scenario.



Understanding Forward Proxies



A forward proxy, also known as an open proxy acts as an agent for a user who is trying to connect via the internet to an source server. In this case, every attempt to send a request by the client will instead be sent through an forward proxy. This forward proxy in the place of the client, will examine the request. It will first determine if the client is authorized to receive requests from this particular forward proxy. It will then either deny requests or redirect them to the source server. It's not able to direct connection to the internet. It is only able to access the information the forward proxy enables it to access.




The most common reason for using forward proxy is the requirement for greater privacy or security when online. The forward proxy is connected to web as a user and through this process, it uses an alternate IP address for the client's IP address.




Depending on how it's been configured according to the configuration, forward proxy may provide a variety of functions which allow you to:




Beware of tracking ads.


Circumvent surveillance.


You can determine limitations based on your geographic location.




Forward proxies are also employed in systems to give central security and access via permissions, for instance in a workplace. Internet traffic can be routed by an open forward proxy. administrators can grant access only for specific individuals to access the web, which is blocked by the typical firewall. Instead of maintaining firewalls on this layer of client, which could be utilized by a variety of computers with different settings and users, a firewall could be located at this forward proxy layer.




Be aware that forward proxies have to be manually setup to allow them to be used however reverse proxy servers will not be noticed by the user. Based on the fact that your IP address a client is sent to the origin server through the forward proxy Privacy and anonymity may be granted or kept in the dark.




There are numerous possibilities to think about when it comes to forward proxy services.




Apache: A popular open-source webserver that provides forward proxy capabilities.


Nginx is another well-known open-source web server that has forward proxy capabilities.


Squid is an Open Source Forward Proxy which utilizes the HTTP protocol. It isn't part of the entire web server. This is a step-by-step tutorial for setting up Squid proxy to allow connection to private networks in Ubuntu 20.04.


Dante Forward proxy that uses the SOCKS protocol instead of HTTP, making it ideal for scenarios such as peer-to-peer traffic. You can also look at how to set up the Dante proxy that allows private connections in Ubuntu 20.04



Understanding Reverse Proxies



Reverse proxy is an intermediary between web servers, which handles any requests that come in from clients its place. This server can serve as a one server, or as a set of servers. Furthermore, it could comprise an application server, such as Gunicorn. In any case it is possible to receive the request of a customer via the web at large. In most cases the request will be made directly to the web server that hosts the information the client wants. Reverse proxy acts as an intermediary in order to block your server from communications with the internet's public.




From a consumer's point of perspective, which is also an individual's view, interacting with reverse proxy isn't distinct from the interaction with the server in its own. It's basically the same as an internet server. The client is unable discern the distinction. The client can request the resource, and receive it, without any additional configuration needed by the user.




Reverse proxies grant features like:




Security centralized to web server.


Controlling traffic coming in according to rules you design.


Added functionality for caching.




While centralized security is a benefit of both forward and reverse proxy systems, reverse proxies perform this function to servers on the internet but not the client layer. instead of having firewalls installed at the layer of web servers which might include multiple servers that have different configurations, the bulk of the firewall security is centered on that layer called reverse proxy. In addition, the absence of interfacing with firewalls and interfacing with requests from clients without web servers lets them concentrate on providing the needs of their customers.




In the case of multiple servers hosting through reverse proxy, the reverse proxy also is responsible for directing which requests go on which server. Multiple web servers could be offering the identical service, however each offering different kinds of resources, or some combination of the two. They can use the HTTP protocol in the same way as traditional web servers, but they can also be outfitted with application server protocols like FastCGI. You can set up reverse proxy that directs users to specific servers based on the requested resource, or to observe certain guidelines for traffic load.




Reverse proxy solutions also benefit from their positioning on the top of web servers by using the caching feature. Large static files can be arranged by caching rules to avoid hitting web servers with each request. Some applications allow the server to serve static files directly without connecting to the web server at all. Additionally, the reverse proxy is able to manage compression of these assets.




The popular Nginx web server also functions as a well-known reverse proxy service. It is certain that Apache web server has a reverse proxy feature, it's an additional option for Apache as opposed to Nginx was originally designed to and focused on reverse proxy functionality.



Distinguishing Forward Proxy from Reverse Proxy Use - Situations



Because "forward" as well as "reverse" are both associated with a sense of directionality and misleading comparisons to "incoming" or "outgoing" traffic These terms can be confusing since both kinds of proxies handle the flow of requests as well as responses. A better approach to distinguish between forward and reverse proxy services is to take into account the needs of the app you're building.




Reverse proxy is an important feature when building a solution to deliver web-based applications to the internet. They serve as your web servers during any interaction with the internet.




Forward proxy applications are beneficial when it is placed in front of clients for personal use or in a workplace. They can be used to represent the traffic of your client when you use the internet.




The use case-based differentiation instead of focusing solely on common naming conventions will help you not be confused.



Conclusion



This article clarified what a "proxy" is and the two most common kinds being reverse and forward proxy. Practical applications and a review of the beneficial features was utilized to distinguish between forward proxy and reverse proxy. If you're interested exploring how to implement proxies you should read our guide on how to configure Nginx as web server and reverse proxy to Apache on Ubuntu 20.04 server.



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