"proxy" refers to a software "proxy" refers to the idea of a proxy often known as a proxy server is software that acts to act as an intermediary for client and server via the internet. Without proxy, a user could send a request to the server directly and the server would then serve the requested resource directly to the user. While this is a simple method to grasp and implement, adding proxies offers advantages such as more performance and security, privacy, and so on. As a pass-through layer the proxy acts as a security layer for the internet between clients and servers.




In general, the combination of server hardware coupled with the software to install proxy servers is often known as proxy servers. This article will focus on proxy servers which are typically described as software but specifically in relation with web server. This article will give a synopsis of the two primary types of proxies: that is a forward proxy and reverse proxy. reverse proxy. Each type comes with its own use case, and is often misinterpreted due to the overlapping terminology.




This article will give you an idea of the what proxies as well as their subtypes and ways in which they can be beneficial in a variety of configurations. If you read this article, you'll be able to recognize situations where using proxies can be beneficial and identify the most suitable option between forward and reverse proxy for a particular scenario.



Understanding Forward Proxies



A forward proxy, also referred to by the name of an open proxy, acts as the representative of the client trying to send an internet request to an source server. In this situation, any attempt to send requests from the user's side will be sent via an forward proxy. This forward proxy taking place of the client examines the request. It will then determine whether the client is allowed to send requests via this specific forward proxy. It will then decide whether to reject the request or send it back to its source server. The client is not able to have direct connection to the internet. It is only able to connect to what the forward proxy allows it to connect to.




The most common reason for using forward proxy services is to increase security or privacy when surfing the internet. A forward proxy can be used to connect to the internet rather than clients, and in this way, it utilizes an alternative IP address to the IP address used by the client.




Depending on how it's been configured, and how it is configured forward proxy could offer a range of functions and allow users to:




Beware of ad-tracker.


Circumvent surveillance.


You will be able to identify any restrictions based on your geographical location.




Forward proxies can also be used to secure systems that are centralized and have access dependent on permissions, for instance in a workplace. If all internet traffic goes through a common forward proxy layer, an administrator might restrict access for only a limited number of users to the internet, which is filtered by an common firewall. Instead of setting up security firewalls on the layer that is used by clients that can be utilized by multiple computers with different environments and types of users there is a way to have a firewall located at the front proxy layer.




It is important to note that forward proxy servers need to be configured manually for use in order to be used, while reverse proxies can be obfuscated by clients. Based on the fact that your IP address a user is relayed to an origin server by the forward proxy privacy and anonymity are granted or not.




There are a variety of possibilities to think about when it comes to forward proxies.




Apache An open source, well-known web server that has forward proxy capabilities.


Nginx is another widely-used open-source webserver, which includes forward proxy capabilities.


Squid: A no-cost forward proxy that uses the HTTP protocol. It's not part of the complete web server. Learn more about how to set up Squid proxy to allow private connections on Ubuntu 20.04.


Dante Forward proxy that utilizes the SOCKS protocol instead HTTP which makes it more suitable for situations such as peer-to-peer connections. You may also want to know how to configure Dante proxy to allow private connections in Ubuntu 20.04



Understanding Reverse Proxies



A reverse proxy functions to act as a proxy for server on the internet, which processes requests from customers on behalf of. It could represent a single, or multiple servers. Additionally, it could serve as an app server such as Gunicorn. In either scenario, a request would come through the internet generally. In most cases, the request is sent directly to the web server hosting the information that the client requires of. Instead, a reverse proxy acts as an intermediary, and separates the web server from direct contact with the public internet.




From the perspective of the individual client's point of view the procedure of using reverse proxy is the same from interacting with the server in its own way. It's exactly the same however the client cannot see the difference. Client requests the resource and is then provided with it, with no extra configuration required by the client.




Reverse proxies provide features like:




The server for the web is secure centrally.


Traffic coming into your site is routed by rules you have set.


A new feature to cache is now available.




While centralized security is a benefit offered by both forward and reverse proxy servers. However, reverse proxies provide this feature only to the server layer and it is not available to the client layer. instead of maintaining firewalls at the server level that could include multiple servers with various configurations, the bulk of security for firewalls is concentrated on the reverse proxy layer. In addition, removing the responsibility of communicating with a firewall and connecting with client requests away from web servers allows firewalls to focus on meeting the needs of their customers.




In the event that there's multiple servers being located within a reverse proxy this reverse proxy will be responsible for how requests are routed through which server. Many web servers may be providing the same service, offering different types of resource or a combination of the two. They may employ their HTTP protocol to function as a standard web server, however they can also use applications server protocols like FastCGI. You can also set up a reverse proxy to direct users to specific servers based on the resource requested, or to adhere to specific rules regarding traffic load.




Reverse proxies may also profit by their positioning in front of web servers, by providing caching capabilities. Large static assets can be configured with caching rules in order to ensure that web servers are not hit each time you request. There are options that allow you to directly serve static files without having to connect directly to web servers in any form. In addition, the reverse proxy can manage compressing these assets.




The well-known Nginx web server can also function as an effective reverse proxy solution. Even though Apache is also a reverse proxy solution however, the Apache web server is equipped with a reverse proxy functionality which is a feature available to Apache but Nginx was designed originally to and concentrates specifically on reverse proxy capabilities.



The distinction in Forward Proxy and Reverse Proxy Use Situations



Because "forward" as well as "reverse" come with connotations of directionality as well as misleading analogies to "incoming" as well as "outgoing" traffic These labels could be confusing because both kinds of proxies deal with requests and responses. An alternative method to distinguish between reverse and forward proxy is to study the specifications of the application you're creating.




Reverse proxy can be useful when you're developing a solution to deliver web-based applications on the internet. They serve as your web servers whenever you interact using the internet.




Forward proxy is useful when used before customers to use for personal purposes or in a professional setting. They serve as the proxy for your client for interactions on the internet.




Distinguishing by use case instead of solely focusing on naming conventions that are commonplace can aid in avoiding confusion.



Conclusion



This article will explain what a proxy is and provides two kinds: forward proxy and reverse proxy. Examples of how to use it as well as a look at the beneficial characteristics were used to differentiate forward proxies from reverse proxies. If you're looking to know more about proxy servers, you should check out our tutorial on how you can configure Nginx as a reverse proxy by using Apache on an Ubuntu 20.04 server.



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