It is a proxy is also known as proxy server software that acts acting as an intermediary between a server and a client on the internet. Without the use of a proxy, users could send a request for the resource directly to a server, and it would then serve direct to users who requested the resource. This is a simple method to comprehend and implement, adding proxies offers benefits in terms of better performance, privacy, security, and much more. In addition to passing through, a proxy functions as a gatekeeper for the internet between clients and servers.




There is a general consensus this: the mix of hardware for servers with the software that is installed to make proxy connections is commonly referred too as proxy servers. For this post, we'll examine proxies commonly described as software as and those utilized to work in conjunction to web server. This article will provide a detailed breakdown of two types of proxies: that is one that is a forward proxy and a reverse proxy. Each type has its own use case and is often misunderstood due to the identical namesake convention.




This article will give you some knowledge about what proxies are and what subtypes they have, and what ways they can be useful for the most common setups. Through this article you'll learn to determine the situations that a proxy could be advantageous, and choose the best forward proxy or reverse proxy in any given situation.



Understanding Forward Proxies



The forward proxy also referred to in the form of the open proxy is the agent of a customer that is trying to send requests via the internet to an origin server. In this situation it is the scenario that all requests made by the client will be sent to this forward proxy. In this situation, the forward proxy in place of the client, will scrutinize the request. It will first decides if the client is permitted to send requests via this particular forward proxy. It then decides whether to deny the request or transfer it over to the origin server. It's not able to direct connection via the Internet. It can only access what the forward proxy allows it access to.




A common reason for using forward proxies is for greater privacy or security on the internet. Forward proxy utilizes the internet as an individual client. In this manner, it may use another IP address in contrast to the IP address used by the client.




Based on the way it was set up in the past, forward proxy servers can offer a wide range of options, allowing you to:




Stay clear of tracking ads.


Circumvent surveillance.


Find restrictions based on your location of residence.




Forward proxies are also employed in systems that provide central security and permission based access, for example, in the workplace. If all internet traffic flows through an open forward proxy layer, the administrator can grant only a few clients online access which is then filtered by a standard firewall. Instead of maintaining firewalls for the client layer which could include multiple computers that are different in terms of user and environment the firewall can be placed at the layer which forwards proxy traffic.




Be aware that forward proxies need to be manually setup to use, whereas reverse proxies are often disregarded by clients. Based on the fact that an IP address is transmitted to the origin server via the forward proxy, privacy and anonymity may be made transparent.




There are many choices to think about in the case of forward proxies:




Apache A well-known, open-source web server with forward proxy features.


Nginx A renowned open-source web server with forward proxy capabilities.


Squid is an open-source forward proxy which utilizes an HTTP protocol. It does not include the entire web server service. Read our article on the most efficient way to setup Squid proxy for secure connections on Ubuntu 20.04.


Dante forward proxy which utilizes the SOCKS protocol instead HTTP and HTTP, which makes it better suited for scenarios like peer-to -peer traffic. It is also possible to know how to setup the Dante proxy for private connections in Ubuntu 20.04



Understanding Reverse Proxies



Reverse proxy is a representation of a web server which manages requests from customers on behalf of. The web server could represent one or more servers. It could also be an application server like Gunicorn. In any of these situations it is possible to receive a request via the web at large. Most of the time the request will be delivered directly to the web server, along with the information the user is seeking. A reverse proxy serves as an intermediary to isolate your website server from any interaction with the open internet.




From a client's perspective from a user's point of view reverse proxy isn't any different from communicating directly with the webserver in direct communication. It's basically the same, and the client is unable to discern the difference. Client requests a resource, which is followed by receiving it, with no additional configuration needed for the end user.




Reverse proxy proxies may offer some features, including:




Centrally secured to protect Web Server Layer.


Directing traffic in accordance with rules you set up.


Additional features to cache data.




Although central security is a benefit of both reverse and forward proxy services, reverse proxies give this benefit only to the server layer and not to the client layer. Instead of the need to maintain firewalls on the web server layer which may include multiple servers with various configurations, the bulk of firewall security is centered on the reverse proxy layer. Furthermore, removing the obligation of interacting with firewalls and connecting with requests from clients far from web servers allows firewalls to focus on meeting the needs of their clients.




If there are multiple servers connected to a reverse proxy the reverse proxy will also take care of the way requests are handled to which server. Multiple web servers may be running within the same system and serving different types of resources, or a mix of both. These servers can use the HTTP protocol as a conventional web server. They can include applications server protocols such as FastCGI. You can set up reverse proxy that directs customers to specific servers according to the kind of resource they are seeking, or to adhere to certain rules for traffic load.




Reverse proxies also can profit from their placement prior to web servers, by providing the capability of caching. Large static assets can be set up with caching policies to avoid the web server from being hit on every request, with certain services providing the option to directly serve static resources without connecting to the internet server at all. Additionally reverse proxy is able to be able to handle compression of these assets.




The famous Nginx web server is also a well-known reverse proxy service. Although Nginx, the Apache web server, it is equipped with reverse proxy features however it's a distinct feature available only for Apache however Nginx was initially developed for and specifically designed for reverse proxy functions.



Distinguishing Forward and Reverse Proxy Utilizing Differentiation of Forward Proxy and Reverse Use



Since "forward" as well as "reverse" are associated with the notion of directionality, as well as false connections to "incoming" in addition to "outgoing" traffic. These labels are confusing because both kinds of proxies can be used to manage requests and responses. An alternative method to differentiate between reverse and forward proxy services is to study the requirements of the app you're creating.




Reverse proxy is beneficial in the development of a method to offer web-based services over the internet. They function as servers when you interact with the internet.




Forward proxy can be beneficial when they are used by the client for your personal use or in the workplace. They are a representation of your traffic whenever you use the internet.




A distinction based on usage cases instead of focusing exclusively upon similar conventions for naming can help you avoid confusion.



Conclusion



This article explains the definition of a proxy, which includes two types of proxy: the forward one and reverse proxy. Practical application scenarios and a look at advantageous features were utilized to distinguish forward proxies and reverse proxy. If you're interested in learning more about the possibilities of proxy services, then take a look at our tutorial on how to configure Nginx as reverse proxy and web server proxy for Apache on one Ubuntu 20.04 Server.



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