An proxy also referred to a proxy server, is a software that functions as mediator between client and server over the internet. Without proxy, a user would make a request resources directly to the server and it would serve direct to users who requested the resource. Although this is a simple process to understand and implement using proxy servers, it could bring benefits in the form of increased performance as well as privacy, security and more. As an additional layer of protection proxy, it acts as a guardian to the internet between servers and users.




In general, the bundle of server hardware and proxy software is commonly called a proxy server. In this article, we'll examine proxy servers, which are generally classified as software as well as in the context of web servers. This article will give a detailed breakdown of the two primary types of proxies: the forward proxy as well as a reverse proxy. Each has its own application, and is frequently confused because of a similar name convention.




This article will provide you with an idea of the different types of proxy and what their subtypes are, and their importance in the common configurations. Through the article you'll know what circumstances where a reliable proxy can be beneficial, and choose the correct solution in between reverse and forward proxy, based on the circumstances.



Understanding Forward Proxies



A forward proxy, sometimes known as an open proxy acts 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 made by the client will instead be directed directly via forward-proxy. A forward proxy acting in the client's stead, will scrutinize the request. First, it will determine if the client is allowed be able to accept requests through this particular forward proxy. Then, it will deny any request, or send it to the original server. The client has no direct access to the internet. It is able to access only the information that forward proxy grants the client access.




A very frequent uses for forward proxies is to improve privacy or security when using the internet. Forward proxy utilizes the internet as a client, and in the process it can use an alternative IP address to the client's original IP address.




Based on how it is configured based on the configuration forward proxy could provide a range of features depending upon the configuration, which allows users to:




Avoid tracking ads.


Circumvent surveillance.


You can identify limitations based on your geographic area.




Forward proxies are also used in systems that provide centralized security as well as permission-based access, like at the workplace. The entire internet can be passed via an open forward proxy. an administrator is able to limit access to specific clients on the internet that is protected by an common firewall. As opposed to having firewalls in place on the client layer, which may include multiple computers that have different configurations and users you can install an firewall that is located in the front proxy layer.




Take note that forward proxy settings need to be manually set up to use however reverse proxies will be ignored in the eyes of the user. Depending on whether the IP address of the user is passed to the server from which it came from by the forward proxy privacy and anonymity can be granted or kept secret.




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




Apache is an well-known open-source web server, that offers forward proxy capabilities.


Nginx: Another popular open-source server for web hosting with forward proxy capabilities.


Squid: An open-source forward proxy which uses the HTTP protocol. It's not the entire web server. Check out our guide on how you can 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 better suited for cases like peer-to-peer traffic. It is also possible to examine how you can 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 incoming requests from customers on its behalf. The web server can represent a single or multiple servers. It may even be an application server such as Gunicorn. In all of these scenarios, the request for an application is received through the internet. In most cases the request will be sent directly to a web server along with the information that the user is seeking. However, a reverse proxy serves as an intermediary that isolates your web server from contact with the internet's open.




From the perspective of the client an individual's perspective the procedure of using reverse proxy is similar to using a Web server to communicate in direct contact. It's the same process, and the client cannot tell the distinction. The client requests the resource, which is followed by receiving it without the need for any additional configuration needed for the end user.




Reverse proxies offer functions like:




A centralized layer of security to protect the server.


The direction of traffic coming in is based on the rules you determine.


New caching functionality has been added.




Although centralized security can be a benefit of both forward and reverse proxy, reverse proxy adds this feature to the web server layer but not the client layer. Instead of focusing on the maintenance of firewalls at the web server layer that can contain a variety of servers and different configurations, most of the firewall security is aimed on the reverse proxy level. Additionally, removing the responsibility of communicating with firewalls and communicating with requests from clients far from web servers permits them to focus on meeting the needs of their customers.




In the event of multiple servers running through reverse proxy reverse proxy also is responsible to direct which requests are routed to which servers. There could be multiple web servers providing the same content, each providing different services, or a mix of both. These servers may be using the HTTP protocol that is a standard web server, but they can also incorporate different protocols for application servers, such as FastCGI. You can also configure a reverse proxy to direct users to a specific server based on the service requested, or to follow certain guidelines regarding the load of traffic.




Reverse proxies benefit from their location on top of web servers, by providing the ability to store data. Massive static resources can be set up with caching policies to avoid hitting web servers on every request. Certain solutions allow you to serve static content directly without contacting the web server in any way. In addition, the reverse proxy can handle compressing these assets.




The popular Nginx web server can also function as a well-known reverse proxy option. Although there is an equivalent feature available that is available in Apache web server does have a reverse proxy features as an added option that is accessible for Apache however Nginx was designed originally for and is specifically designed for reverse proxy functions.



Differentiating Forward Proxy from Reverse Proxy Use Situations



Since "forward" along with "reverse" are associated with directionality, and false comparisons with "incoming" as well as "outgoing" traffic These labels could be confusing as both kinds of proxy systems process requests as well as responses. Better yet, the best method to differentiate between the reverse and forward proxy types is to research the specifications of the application you're creating.




A reverse proxy could be helpful when building a solution for serving applications that are online. They act as your web servers when you interact with the internet.




Forward proxy can be helpful when displayed in front of customers to facilitate the purpose of your own use, or even in a business setting. They represent the traffic of your clients when they interact with the internet.




The use of case-based differentiation instead of focusing on the common naming conventions can aid in avoiding confusion.



Conclusion



In this article, we explained what a proxy is with the two main kinds of proxy: the forward proxy and reverse proxy. Practical applications and a review of the benefits were used to identify forward proxies and reverse proxy. If you're interested in learning more about how proxies are implemented then you should check out our tutorial on how you can set up Nginx as reverse proxy and webserver proxy using Apache on one Ubuntu 20.04 Server.



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