An proxy or proxy server is software that sits acting as an intermediary for a client and server on the internet. Without proxy, a user would send a request for the resource directly to the server, and the server will serve direct to the client. Although this method is easy to grasp and use but the addition of proxies can provide advantages such as greater performance, privacy, security, among others. As an additional layer of passing through, proxies act as a guardian for the internet between servers and users.




The system of server hardware along with the software used to install proxy services is usually referred to as proxy servers. This article will concentrate on the proxy servers which are generally described as software, as well as those that are utilized together with web servers. We will give a synopsis of the two major types of proxies, those that are a one that is forward and the reverse proxy. Each has its own usage which may be confusing because of a similar language.




This article will provide you with an understanding of how proxies work and what their subtypes are, as well as their benefits in a range of configurations. Through this article, you'll know what situations that a proxy can be beneficial, and determine the most appropriate option for forward proxy or reverse proxy based on the specific situation.



Understanding Forward Proxies



Forward proxy, also referred to in the context of an open proxy is a proxy for a client who attempts to send an online request to an source server. In this situation the entire attempt to send requests from the client will rather be controlled by the forward proxy. A forward-proxy, acting in the place of the client, will examine the request. It will first determine whether the client has been granted permission to send requests using this particular forward proxy. It will then reject an request and forward it to the origin server. The client is not able to have direct connection directly to internet. It is able to access only the information that the forward proxy permits the client to connect.




A common use case of forward proxies is greater security or privacy on the internet. Forward proxy connects to internet in place of a client and as a result it utilizes an alternate IP address that is different from the client's original IP address.




Based on the way it is configured according to the configuration, a forward proxy could provide a variety of functions depending on how it is set up, allowing you to:




Do not be a victim of ad tracking.


Circumvent surveillance.


Find out the restrictions that apply to the location you are in.




Forward proxies are also utilized in systems of centralized security and permission based access, for instance, in workplaces. If all internet traffic flows through an open forward proxy layer the administrator can restrict access to a specific user group to the internet by a common firewall. Instead of keeping firewalls in place for the client layer that could comprise a range of computers with diverse environments and users, there is the possibility to have a firewall at the forward proxy layer.




It is essential to note that forward proxy servers have to be manually set up to use, whereas reverse proxies are often not noticed by clients. Depending on the kind of IP address the client, it is sent to the server that created it by the forward proxy's privacy and security may be granted or kept in the dark.




There are a myriad of options to be considered for forward proxies:




Apache is a well-known open-source web server that provides forward proxy capabilities.


Nginx is another well-known open-source web server with forward proxy features.


Squid: A free forward proxy that uses the HTTP protocol. Squid doesn't come with a complete web server application. It is possible to read our guide on how to set up Squid proxy to allow private connections with Ubuntu 20.04.


Dante Forward Proxy that utilizes the SOCKS protocol rather than HTTP which makes it more suited to use in instances such as peer-to -peer traffic. It is also possible to discover how to set up the Dante proxy to allow private connections on Ubuntu 20.04



Understanding Reverse Proxies



A reverse proxy functions as an agent for a web server, which handles any requests made by clients on its behalf. The web server may be a single server or several servers. It could also serve as an app server, such as Gunicorn. In both cases, the request comes from users on the internet generally. The majority of the time, the request will be sent directly to the server that has all the resources that the user is requires. However reverse proxy functions as an intermediary and isolates Web servers and their direct communication with the internet.




From the consumer's point of the consumer's perspective, working with reverse proxy isn't any different from interacting with an internet server direct. It's the same thing, and the client cannot see the difference. The client asks for this resource and it receives it without additional configurations that need to be performed by the customer.




Reverse proxies provide features such as:




A centralized layer of security to protect the server.


Controlling traffic inbound based on rules you can create.


A new feature to cache is now available.




While central security is a benefit of both forward and reverse proxies, reverse proxies provide this feature only to the server layer but not the layer that clients use. instead of maintaining firewalls at Web server layers that can include multiple servers and various configurations, most security for firewalls is focused on the reverse proxy layer. Additionally, removing the burden of interacting with a firewall and communicating with clients outside of web servers permits the firewall to concentrate on addressing the needs of their clients.




In the event of multiple servers running within reverse proxy, it manages controlling which requests go to which servers. A number of web servers could be running within the exact same system, serving different types of resources or a mix of the two. These servers utilize the HTTP protocol, which is similar to a traditional web server. However, they could also be equipped with other protocols for application servers such as FastCGI. You can configure reverse proxy servers to guide the clients to specific servers depending on the kind of resource they are looking for, or to follow certain rules regarding traffic load.




Reverse proxies also have the ability to gain advantages from their positioning ahead of web servers by offering caching capabilities. Large static assets are able to be configured using caching rules so that they do not have to contact web servers every time you request. Certain solutions offer the option to serve static assets directly without having to contact the server once. In addition reverse proxy solutions can handle compression of these assets.




The renowned Nginx web server is also used as a reliable reverse proxy service. Although it is true it is true that Apache website server also outfitted with a reverse proxy that is an additional option for Apache but Nginx was originally built for and is focused on reverse proxy capabilities.



Differentiating Forward Proxy and reverse Proxy Examples



Because "forward" and "reverse" have connotations of directionality, they can lead to false comparisons to "incoming" as well as "outgoing" traffic and could be confusing because both types of proxy services process requests and respond. An alternative approach to distinguish between reverse and forward proxy is to think about the requirements of the application that you're developing.




A reverse proxy is a great option in the case of designing a system to provide web-based services via the internet. They act as your servers in any interactions through the Internet.




Forward proxy software is advantageous when placed in front of the client for personal use and in the professional context. They are your client's representative whenever you use the internet.




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



Conclusion



This article explains the definition of a proxy along with two types: forward proxy and the reverse proxy. Practical applications as well as an exploration of beneficial features were used to distinguish between forward and reverse proxy. If you're interested to learn more about the implementation of proxies then you should read our tutorial on how to set up Nginx as a reverse proxy using Apache on the Ubuntu 20.04 server.



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