An proxy often referred to as a proxy server is software that functions as mediator between a client and server on the internet. Without the use of a proxy, clients will send a request directly to a server and it would serve the requested resource directly to the user. While this procedure is easy to comprehend and implement using proxies, it can bring benefits in the form of improved performance, privacy, security, and many more. In addition to providing a layer of security proxy functions as a security guard for the internet, separating servers and clients.




The general combination of server hardware and proxy software is generally known as proxy servers. In this post, we'll focus on proxy servers, which are generally classified as software and also in the context of web servers. We will provide a description of the two major kinds of proxy servers: a forward proxy and the reverse proxy. Each has its own use case, often confused due to a similar the naming convention.




This article will give you an understanding of what proxy services and their subtypes are as well as their value in standard setups. By reading the article you'll know what circumstances where a reliable proxy is beneficial and select the best alternative between forward and reverse proxy, based on the circumstances.



Understanding Forward Proxies



A forward proxy also called an open proxy serves as an intermediary for a client that is trying to transmit a request over the internet to an source server. In this case every request sent by the client will be sent directly to forward-proxy. A forward proxy, acting in the client's stead, will scrutinize the request. The first step is to determine whether the client is permitted access to requests made by this specific forward proxy. It will then reject any request, or send it to the original server. The client is not able to have direct access to the internet. It is able to access only what forward proxy gives its access.




The most frequent applications of forward proxies is to gain greater privacy and security when surfing the internet. Forward proxy utilizes the internet as the client, and in that process, it will use an alternative IP address to the client's original IP address.




Based on the way it has been configured depending on the way it's configured forward proxy can provide a range of features depending on how it is configured and allows you to:




Avoid tracking ads.


Circumvent surveillance.


You will be able to identify any limitations based on your geographic location.




Forward proxies are also utilized in systems that provide centralized security as well as permission-based access, like at a workplace. All internet traffic can pass via an open forward proxy, administrators can restrict access to certain clients to the internet that is protected by a standard firewall. Instead of having firewalls in place for the client layer that can include multiple devices that have different configurations and users it is possible to install a firewall at the forward proxy layer.




Be aware to note that settings for forward proxy should be manually configured for use however reverse proxies will be not considered from the clients. Depending on whether your IP address the user is sent to the server where it came from by the forward proxy privacy and anonymity may be granted or hidden.




There are a variety of alternatives to think about when it comes to forward proxy options:




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


Nginx: Another popular open-source web hosting server that has forward proxy features.


Squid: A free forward proxy that uses the HTTP protocol. It's not the entire web server. Take a look at our tutorial on how to install Squid proxy to connect privately on Ubuntu 20.04.


Dante is a forward proxy that uses the SOCKS protocol instead of HTTP to make it more suitable for peer-to-peer communication. It is also possible to know how to configure Dante proxy for connection to private networks in Ubuntu 20.04



Understanding Reverse Proxies



A reverse proxy is the web server, which takes care of all requests received from customers on its behalf. The web server may represent a single, or a number of servers. It may additionally be an app server such as Gunicorn. In any of these cases, an application request comes by a user on the internet. In most cases the request will be sent directly to the server with the resources the user is seeking. However, a reverse proxy functions as an intermediary and isolates your server from interaction with the open internet.




From the viewpoint of the user's perspective, the process of using reverse proxy is similar to connecting to a Web server through direct communication. It's the same process and the client is unable to discern the difference. Client requests the resource, which is then followed by the receipt with no additional configurations required for the end-user.




Reverse proxies provide functions like:




A central layer of security to protect the server.


The direction of traffic coming in is based upon rules that you can define.


New caching functionality has been added.




Although centralized security is a benefit of both reverse and forward proxy, reverse proxies do this feature to the web server layer, but not the client layer. instead of being focused on the maintenance of firewalls at the layer of web servers, which can contain a variety of servers and various configurations, the majority of the firewall security is targeted at the reverse proxy layer. Also, the removal of the responsibility of communicating with firewalls as well as communicating with clients who are far from web servers allows them to focus on serving the requirements of their clients.




In the event of multiple servers that are connected via a reverse proxy, the reverse proxy is also responsible for directing what requests go through which server. There may be several web servers that provide the same content, and each offering different kinds of services, or a mix of both. These servers can be using the HTTP protocol that is the standard web server, but they can also incorporate other protocols used by application servers, such as FastCGI. You can also set up reverse proxy servers to redirect users to a specific server based on the resource requested, or to follow specific guidelines on the volume of traffic.




Reverse proxies also take advantage of their position on top of web servers, by providing the ability to store information. Massive static resources can be configured using caching rules to prevent hitting web servers with each request. Some solutions providing the option to directly serve static assets without connecting to servers on the internet in any manner. Additionally the reverse proxy is able to manage compressing these assets.




The well-known Nginx web server can also function as a well-known reverse proxy solution. However, an equivalent feature available that is available in Apache web server does have a reverse proxy features as an additional option that is accessible for Apache whereas Nginx was originally designed for and is specifically designed for reverse proxy functions.



Differentiating Forward Proxy and Reverse Proxy Use Situations



Because "forward" in addition to "reverse" conveys the notion of directionality, and false comparisons with "incoming" and "outgoing" traffic The labels can be confusing as both kinds of proxies process requests and responses. In addition, the most effective method to distinguish between forward and reverse proxy is to look at the specifications of the application that you're building.




Reverse proxy is useful when designing an application that can serve web applications via the internet. They represent your web servers when you use the internet.




Forward proxy can be helpful when displayed before customers for the purpose of your own use, or even in a work environment. They are a representation of your customer's traffic when they interact on the internet.




A case-based distinction instead of focusing solely on commonly used naming conventions can help in avoiding confusion.



Conclusion



The article clarified the meaning of aproxy is and the two primary kinds of proxy: the forward proxy and the reverse proxy. Practical applications and a discussion of the benefits were used to identify forward proxies as well as reverse proxies. If you're interested to learn more about implementation of proxies then you should check out our guide on how to set up Nginx as a reverse proxy and web server proxy on Apache on one Ubuntu 20.04 Server.



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