A proxy, also known as a proxy is also referred to for its role as a proxy, is software that functions in the role of intermediaries between client and server on the internet. Without the proxy, a client would send a request for any resource directly to the server, and servers would serve the requested resource directly to the user. Although this method is easy to understand and use, however the addition of proxy servers may provide benefits such as more performance, privacy and security, and so on. As an additional layer of protection, proxies act as a gatekeeper for the internet, separating clients from servers.

The consensus is that the system of server hardware coupled with installed proxy software is also often called proxy servers. This article will concentrate on proxies traditionally defined as software, specifically in relation to servers on the internet. This article will provide a brief overview of the two primary types of proxy that are a forward proxy and a reverse proxy. Each kind has a distinct usage, which can be confusing because of the identical namestamp.

This article will give you an idea of the different types of proxy and subtypes, and their value in common configurations. After reading this article you'll know the scenarios where you can benefit from a proxy and make the right option between reverse proxy and forward proxy for any situation.

Understanding Forward Proxies

Forward proxy sometimes called open proxy, sometimes referred to as open proxy serves as an agent for users who wish to make a request over the internet to a source server. In this scenario, every request made by the user will be directed via this forward proxy. A forward proxy that is in instead of the user will examine the request. It first will determine if the client is authorized to accept requests through this specific forward proxy. Then, it can either deny any request, or redirect it to the source server. The client will not be allowed direct access to the internet. it can only be allowed access to the information that forward proxy grants the access.

The most common reasons for forward proxy is greater privacy or security on internet. A forward proxy accesses the internet instead of a specific client and during that process it may use a different IP address as opposed to the IP address that is used by the user.

Depending on how it's been configured depending on how it's configured, forward proxy may offer many options and let you:

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  Do not click on ads that track you.
  
  
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  Circumvent surveillance.
  
  
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  Find restrictions based on the location.
  
  

Forward proxies are also used in systems that provide central security and permission based access, like at a workplace. If all internet traffic is routed through a common forward proxy layer administrator can restrict access to only certain clients to the internet, which is controlled by a standard firewall. Instead of putting firewalls in place for the client layer which may involve many machines with varying user configurations, firewalls may be placed on an intermediary layer.

Be aware that forward proxies should be manually set up to use while reverse proxies could be not recognized in the eyes of the user. Based on the kind of IP address a client is sent to the server which originated it by the forward proxy security and privacy can be made transparent.

There are a myriad of options to take into consideration in determining forward proxy:

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  Apache is a well-known open source web server which provides forward proxy capability.
  
  
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  Nginx is another well-known open-source webserver that includes forward proxy capability.
  
  
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  Squid is an open source forward proxy that makes use of the HTTP protocol. This option doesn't include the entire web server. We recommend you read our guide on the best method for installing Squid proxy to permit private connections on Ubuntu 20.04.
  
  
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  Dante is an forward proxy that utilizes the SOCKS protocol instead of HTTP which makes it more suitable for scenarios such as peer-to-peer communication. You can also check out how to set up a Dante proxy for private connections in Ubuntu 20.04
  
  

Understanding Reverse Proxies

Reverse proxy is the web server, which takes care of requests from customers on behalf of the server. It can be used as a single server or as a series of servers. Additionally, it can include an application servers, such as Gunicorn. In all of these scenarios it is possible to send a request via the web at large. In the majority of cases the request will be sent directly to the web server along with all the information the user requires. A reverse proxy functions as an intermediary and separates your server from communications with the internet's users.

From the point of viewpoint from the perspective of a client, using reverse proxy is not different from connecting to an internet server direct. It's functionally the same but the client isn't able to discern the distinction. The client requests the resource, and it is then granted access without any further configuration required from the client.

Reverse proxies provide various features, including:

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  A centralized layer of security to protect the server.
  
  
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  The direction of traffic that is using rules that you set up.
  
  
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  A new feature to cache is now available.
  
  

Although central security is an advantage of both reverse and forward proxy service, reverse proxies provide this benefit only to the server layer, not the client layer. instead of maintaining firewalls at the server layer which could include multiple servers and different configurations, the majority of firewall security could be focused at the reverse proxy layer. Additionally, removing the responsibility of dealing with firewalls and responding to requests from clients outside of web servers allows them to focus solely on meeting the requirements of their customers.

If there are multiple servers hosted by a reverse proxy the reverse proxy handles the routing of requests to the servers. Multiple web servers could be operating on the same server, serving different types of resources or a combination of the two. They can utilize their HTTP protocol as a normal web server, however they may also include applications server protocols like FastCGI. It is possible to set up reverse proxy servers to direct clients to particular servers based on the request for service, or observe certain guidelines for traffic volume.

Reverse proxies may also utilize their position prior to web servers by providing caching capabilities. Large static assets can be set using caching rules to prevent getting to web servers for every time you request. There are options that provide the option of serving static content without needing to connect with the webserver at all. In addition, reverse proxy is able to manage compressing these files.

The renowned Nginx webserver is known as a wildly popular reverse proxy option. While it is true that the Apache web server is able to use reverse proxy capabilities, it is an additional feature that is available to Apache however Nginx was initially designed focus on reverse proxy functionality.

Differentiating Forward Proxy and Reverse Proxy Use Examples

Because "forward" and "reverse" are both associated with the perception of directionality, they can lead to false comparisons with "incoming" and "outgoing" traffic and could be confusing because both kinds of proxies handle requests and respond. A better approach to differentiate between reverse and forward proxy servers is to analyze the requirements of the application you're creating.

Reverse proxy is a crucial element in the creation of a method to run web-based applications via the internet. They serve as servers when you interact with the Internet.

Forward proxy can be helpful in displaying customer information for personal use or in a work environment. They represent the client's information whenever you interact on the internet.

A distinction based on use case rather than focusing only on naming conventions that are similar will help avoid confusion.

Conclusion

This article clarified the meaning of a proxy with two types of them being the reverse and forward proxy. Practical applications and an examination of the beneficial attributes were utilized to determine forward proxies as well as reverse proxy. If you're interested exploring the role in proxy server, follow our tutorial on how you can configure Nginx as web server and reverse proxy within Apache in the Ubuntu 20.04 Server.

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