An proxy, also called a proxy server, is a program that acts as an intermediary between client and server via the internet. Without proxy servers, a user could send a request for resources directly to a server and it would serve the resource directly back for the client. This method is simple to comprehend and implement, but the addition of proxy servers can bring advantages like increased performance, privacy, security, and a host of other benefits. As an additional layer of pass-through the proxy functions as a security guardian of the internet between clients and servers.




Generally speaking, the bundled system of server hardware coupled with the software for proxy installation is frequently called a proxy server. This article will concentrate on proxies typically described as software and specifically in relation to web servers. The article will provide a detailed discussion of two kinds of proxies. One being a forward proxy and reverse proxy. reverse proxy. Each type has its own application and can be confusing due to the similar namesake convention.




This article will give you an idea of the what proxies and subtypes are and their importance for the common setups. If you've read this article, you'll understand the situations when using proxies can be beneficial, and you can then select the best choice between reverse proxy and forward proxy, based on the circumstances.



Understanding Forward Proxies



Forward proxy, also known as an open proxy is the agent of a customer who wants to forward a request via the internet to an the server that made it. In this scenario any attempts to send requests from the client's end will instead be directed through the forward proxy. The forward proxy, instead of the client, will look into the request. The first step is to find out if the client is authorized to receive requests from this specific forward proxy. It will then deny any request or forward it to the origin server. The client is not able to have direct connection to the internet It can only access what the forward proxy allows it to access.




The primary reason for people to use forward proxies is the increased privacy or anonymity when surfing the web. A forward proxy accesses the internet through clients and in this way it may utilize an IP address different from the IP of the user.




Depending on how it's been configured, forward proxy will provide a variety of functions as well as the ability to:




Beware of ad-tracker.


Circumvent surveillance.


Find restrictions that are based on your location.




Forward proxies can also be used in systems that provide centralized security as well as permission-based access, like in a workplace. When all internet traffic flows through a forward proxy, an administrator is in a position to grant only specific clients to access the internet using a common firewall. Instead of having firewalls for the client layer, which could include multiple machines that have different settings and users and environments the firewall is put in an forward proxy layer.




It is crucial to keep in mind that forward proxy settings need to be manually set up to permit them to be used in order to use them, while reverse proxy servers are unable to be detected by the user. Based on whether or not the IP address of a user is passed on to the origin server through the forward proxy, privacy and security settings, it can be granted or kept in the dark.




There are a variety of alternatives to take into consideration when considering forward proxy options:




Apache An open source well-known web server with forward proxy functions.


Nginx Another well-known open-source server for web hosting with forward proxy functions.


Squid is a free forward proxy that uses it's HTTP protocol. It's not the complete Web Server System. You can refer to our article on the most efficient method of configuring Squid proxy to allow connection to private networks in Ubuntu 20.04.


Dante Forward proxy that makes use of the SOCKS protocol instead of HTTP and HTTP, making it better suited to scenarios like peer-to-peer traffic. It is also possible to learn how to set up Dante proxy to allow connection to private networks in Ubuntu 20.04



Understanding Reverse Proxies



Reverse proxy functions as an intermediary between web servers, and is able to handle requests from customers for the web server. Web servers can function as a single server or multiple servers. It could also function as an app server, such as Gunicorn. In any event, an application request comes through the internet in general. Typically, the request will directly go to the server that hosts the content that the client is trying to find. Reverse proxy, however, acts as an intermediary to isolate your website server from communication via the web's public.




From a consumer's point of perspective, using reverse proxy isn't any different than connecting to Web server in direct contact. It is functionally identical, but the user isn't able to tell the distinction. Client requests an item and is given it, without requiring any additional configuration by the client.




Reverse proxy providers provide features like:




The web server is secured centrally.


The sending of traffic according to the rules you establish.


A new feature for caching has been added.




While centralized security is a benefit of both reverse and forward proxy, reverse proxy applications apply this only for the web server layer but not the client layer. Instead of maintaining security firewalls in Web server layers, which could include multiple servers with different configurations, the majority protection of the firewall is aimed to the reverse proxy layer. In addition, taking the burden of interacting with firewalls and interfacing with requests from clients off of web servers allows them to focus on serving resources.




In the case of multiple servers with a reverse-proxy, the reverse proxy is also accountable for deciding which requests are routed to the server. There may be several web servers that are running on the same server, each offering different types of resources or a combination of the two. They could be using the HTTP protocol similar to a conventional web server. They can also include protocols for application servers like FastCGI. You can also configure reverse proxy settings to redirect clients to specific servers in accordance with the service being requested or to adhere to certain guidelines regarding traffic load.




Reverse proxies can also make use of their location over web servers with the help of caching. The large static files can be set up with caching rules in order to avoid getting into web servers for every request, with some options even allowing the provision of static files directly without connecting directly to the website server. Additionally, reverse proxy can handle compression of these assets.




The well-known Nginx web server is an extremely popular reverse proxy service. While it is a reverse proxy solution, the Apache web server comes with the reverse proxy feature as an added feature that is available to Apache whereas Nginx was initially designed for and specifically designed for the reverse proxy function.



Distinguishing Forward Proxy from Reverse Proxy Use Situations



Because "forward" along with "reverse" are both associated with an impression of directionality, and also misleading comparisons with "incoming" in addition to "outgoing" traffic, these terms can be confusing as both types of proxies are able to handle requests as well as responses. Another method of separating between forward and reverse proxy servers is to analyze the needs of the application you're developing.




Reverse proxy is a useful tool when you are developing a solution to serve websites on the internet. They represent your web servers in any interaction with the Internet.




Forward proxy is a great tool to use when you are in front clients for personal usage, or even in a business environment. They can be used to represent the traffic of your clients whenever you connect to the internet.




A distinction based on usage cases instead of using the standard name conventions can aid you in getting rid of confusion.



Conclusion



The article described what a proxy is as well as two types of them: the forward proxy and reverse proxy. Practical examples of its use as well as a discussion of most useful features were used to differentiate forward proxies from reverse proxies. If you're interested in learning the ways to use proxies, we recommend you read our tutorial on how to configure Nginx as an reverse proxy and internet server for Apache on and Ubuntu 20.04 server.



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