proxy, also referred to as a proxy or proxy server is a server software that acts in the middle between client and server on the internet. In the absence of an intermediary a user could send a request for an item direct to a server, and servers would then serve the item directly to the client. Although this method is easy to grasp and use, adding proxies offers benefits such as improved speed, privacy, security, and much more. A proxy that is a pass-through layer acts as a gatekeeper of the internet between clients and servers.




Generally speaking, the bundled bundle of server hardware with installed proxy software is described as proxy servers. This article will concentrate on proxy servers that are generally referred to as software, and those used in conjunction with web servers. This article will give a synopsis of the two primary kinds, namely the forward proxy and reverse proxy. reverse proxy. Each comes with its own specific usage scenario, which is frequently misunderstood due to the identical terms.




This article will give you an idea of the what proxy services and their subtypes are, as well being able to explain how they can be useful in typical configurations. Through this article, you will be able to recognize the scenarios where you could benefit from proxy services and decide on the best option in between reverse and forward proxy options in any given scenario.



Understanding Forward Proxies



The forward proxy also referred to as an open proxy is an agent used by a user who wishes to send a request through the internet to the server that made it. In this situation, it's the case that all requests made by the client would rather be sent directly towards the forward proxy. This forward proxy in the place of the client, will review the request. It will determine if the client can accept requests through this specific forward proxy. Then, it will either refuse requests or redirect it to the server that originated it. The client does not have direct access to the internet but it is able to access what forward proxy grants it access to.




The most popular reason to utilize forward proxy servers is to improve security or privacy online. Forward proxy allows you to access the internet instead of clients, and in the process, it uses a different IP address than the IP address originally that the client uses.




Based on how it has been set up according to how it was configured forward proxy may provide you with a variety of features as well as the ability to:




Beware of ads that track you.


Circumvent surveillance.


You can identify restrictions based upon your geographic location.




Forward proxies are also employed in systems that provide central security as well as access based on permissions, such as at a workplace. In the event that all internet traffic is routed via an open forward proxy an administrator can grant access only to specific users to the internet, which is then filtered by a typical firewall. Instead of keeping firewalls in place on the client layer that can comprise a range of computers that have different users and environments, a firewall could be installed on top of an intermediate layer.




Remember that forward proxies have to be manually setup before they can be utilized for use in a reverse proxy, whereas forward proxies are able to not be seen by users. Based on the fact that the IP address of the user is transmitted to the server that originated it via the forward proxy, privacy and anonymity can be granted or made transparent.




There are many options to take into consideration for forward proxies:




Apache A well-known, open-source web server offering forward proxy functionality.


Nginx: Another well-known open source server for hosting websites with forward proxy capabilities.


Squid is an open-source forward proxy that uses the HTTP protocol. It's not the complete web-based server. Read our tutorial on how to set up Squid proxy for private connection in Ubuntu 20.04.


Dante Forward proxy that uses the SOCKS protocol instead of HTTP to ensure it is more suitable for scenarios such as peer-to-peer traffic. It is also possible to examine how you can create a Dante proxy for private connections on Ubuntu 20.04



Understanding Reverse Proxies



A reverse proxy functions as an agent for the web server which takes care of the incoming requests of clients on its behalf. The web server can be one server or several servers. It could also serve as an application server, like Gunicorn. In all these instances, the request for an application comes by a user who is on the internet in general. Most of the time the request will be sent directly to the website server hosting the information the user is looking for. In contrast reverse proxy acts as an intermediary in order to shield Web servers from direct interactions with the internet's open.




From a perspective of the user's viewpoint, interfacing using reverse proxy is the same as working with Web server directly. It works identical to the web server and the user is unable to tell the distinction. Clients can request the resource, and is then provided with it, without any additional configuration on the part of the client.




Reverse proxy proxies provide features such as:




Secured centrally to protect Web Server Layer.


Controlling traffic that is incoming based on rules you set.


The caching functionality was added to the application.




While centralized security is a benefit of both forward and reverse proxy servers, reverse-proxies provide this function to the web server layer and not to the client layer. In lieu of maintaining firewalls in the web server layer, which can contain several servers with different configurations The majority of the firewall security is aimed on the reverse proxy layer. Furthermore, the detachment of the responsibility of interfacing with a firewall and responding to requests from clients via web servers allows them to concentrate entirely on meeting the requirements of their clients.




In the event of multiple servers operating through reverse proxy the reverse proxy may also be responsible for the direction in the requests that are directed to which server. There may be several web servers hosting identical resources, however each one offering a different type of resources or a combination of both. These servers can be using the HTTP protocol to operate as a standard internet server, but they also incorporate protocols for applications such as FastCGI. There is the possibility to set up reverse proxy in order to redirect visitors to specific server based on the type of resource they're looking for, or to follow certain guidelines regarding traffic load.




Reverse proxies are also able to benefit from their positioning before web servers through the ability to cache. Large static assets can be able to be configured using rules for caching to avoid hitting web servers on every request. There are solutions offering the possibility of providing static files directly without connecting with the server on any manner. Furthermore, the reverse proxy is able to manage compression of these assets.




The renowned Nginx website server also a popular reverse proxy option. Even though Apache is also a reverse proxy solution, the Apache web server is equipped with reverse proxy function, it is a different characteristic in Apache but Nginx was originally designed and geared towards the reverse proxy function.



The distinction is between Forward Proxy and Reverse Proxy Use Examples



Since "forward" and "reverse" have connotations of directionality, they also create inaccurate comparisons to "incoming" or "outgoing" traffic, they could be confusing since both types of proxies can manage requests and responses. Better yet, the best method to differentiate between the forward and reverse proxies would be to look at the needs of the application you're creating.




A reverse proxy could be useful when designing an application that connects web-based applications to the internet. They function as servers when you are on the internet.




Forward proxy can be helpful when placed before the client for your private use, or in a workplace setting. They are your client's proxy every time you connect to the internet.




Differentiating by case of use instead of focusing on the same names will ensure that you do not get confused.



Conclusion



This article defined what a proxy is along with two kinds, specifically the forward proxy as well as the reverse proxy. Practical applications as well as an exploration of beneficial features were used to differentiate between forward and reverse proxies. If you're interested in learning more about how to implement proxies, you should check out our tutorial on how to configure Nginx as a web server as well as reverse proxy in Apache on an Ubuntu 20.04 server.



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