It is an proxy, also called a proxy server. It's a software which acts as an intermediary between a client and server over the internet. In the absence of a proxy server, a client can send a request to the server directly, and the server will provide the requested resource directly to the client. While this approach is straightforward to understand and implement with proxy servers, it could offer advantages in terms of more performance and privacy, security and many more. As an additional pass-through layer proxy is a security guardian for the internet between clients and servers.




The general entire set of server hardware along with installed proxy software is frequently referred to as proxy servers. This article will focus on proxy servers that are typically described as software and also within the context of web servers. This article will present a detailed breakdown of the two types of proxies: forward proxy and reverse proxy. reverse proxy. Each type has its own usage situation, however they are often confused due to the same namesake convention.




This article will provide you with information about what proxies are and what subtypes they are, and how they work in the most common configurations. In this article, you'll be able identify situations in which you can make use of a proxy, and choose the best solution from forward proxy and reverse proxy in any circumstance.



Understanding Forward Proxies



The forward proxy, also known as an open proxy serves as a representative for a client who wants to make a request via the internet to a source server. In this scenario it is the case that all requests made by the user would prefer to be handled by this forward proxy. A forward proxy acting in instead of the customer will scrutinize the request. First, it must decide if the client is allowed to make requests through this particular forward proxy. It will then deny any request, or send it on to its server that originally sent it. The client doesn't have direct access to the internet. It can only reach what the forward proxy allows the client to access.




One of the most frequent applications of forward proxies is to improve privacy or anonymity on the internet. Forward proxy utilizes the internet as the client. In this way, it can use an alternative IP address to the client's original IP address.




Depending on how it's been set up depending on how it is configured forward proxy can give you a variety of options. It will allow you to:




Beware of tracking ads.


Circumvent surveillance.


You will be able to identify any restrictions based upon your geographical place of residence.




Forward proxies can also be used in systems that offer central security and allow access through permissions, such as in workplaces. When all internet traffic passes through a standard forward proxy, an administrator could allow only a handful of clients connection to the web, that is blocked by a standard firewall. Instead of keeping firewalls in place for the client layer which could include multiple computers with different configurations and users the firewall can be placed in the layer which forwards proxy traffic.




Be aware that forward proxy servers must be set up manually to use them, while reverse proxy servers may not be noticed from the customer. Based on the type of IP address of the customer, if it is relayed back to the origin server via the forward proxy, privacy and security could be granted or not noticed.




There are many possibilities to explore when it comes to forward proxy choices




Apache An open source, well-known web server that offers forward proxy features.


Nginx is another popular open-source web server that comes with the ability to forward-proxy.


Squid is an open-source forward proxy which uses the HTTP protocol. It doesn't provide a complete Web server. We recommend that you follow our step-by-step guide on how to set up Squid proxy to allow private connections in Ubuntu 20.04.


Dante Forward Proxy that uses the SOCKS protocol instead HTTP which is more suitable for use cases like peer-to-peer. It's also possible to find out how to set up an Dante proxy to connect private connections on Ubuntu 20.04



Understanding Reverse Proxies



Reverse proxy serves as a representative for a web server, handling incoming requests from clients for. This web server may be a single server or multiple servers. Additionally, it can serve for application servers, such as Gunicorn. In both cases, the request is received from a user via the web in general. In the majority of cases the request will be sent directly to the web server, containing the information that the client is in need of. Reverse proxy, however, acts as an intermediary and is able to block it from directly interacting with the open internet.




From the perspective of a user, interacting with reverse proxy isn't different than interacting with a web server directly. It's the same thing and the client cannot discern the distinction. The client requests this resource and then gets it, with no extra configuration required from the client.




Reverse proxy providers provide features like:




The web server is protected centrally.


Sending traffic to be directed in accordance with rules you can define.


Additional functions to cache data.




Central security is an advantage of both forward and reverse proxy solutions, reverse proxy providers provide this benefit only to Web layer servers, but not to the client layer. Instead of implementing firewalls on the web server layer that may contain several servers that have different configurations, the majority of firewall security is centered at that layer called reverse proxy. Additionally to removing the responsibility of communicating with firewalls and coordinating requests from clients that are not connected to web servers allows them to concentrate solely on providing the needs of their clients.




In the case of multiple servers running behind a reverse proxy the reverse proxy is also responsible to control which requests are routed through which server. Multiple web servers might be hosting the same resources, providing different types of resources or a mixture of both. They can use the HTTP protocol in the same way as an ordinary web server but they could also incorporate application server protocols like FastCGI. There is the possibility to configure reverse proxy servers to redirect clients to specific servers based on the resource requested, or to adhere to certain rules for traffic load.




Reverse proxies can also benefit from their positioning before web servers, by providing caching functions. Massive static images can be configured with caching rules to avoid having to contact web servers every time you request, with some solutions offering an option to directly serve static content without touching the web server for any reason. Additionally, reverse proxy can manage compression of these assets.




The popular Nginx web server is also used as a well-known reverse proxy service. While Apache can also be a reverse proxy solution it is not the only reverse proxy solution. Apache web server comes with a reverse proxy which is an additional feature for Apache but Nginx was initially designed for and is focused exclusively on reverse proxy feature.



Differentiating Forward Proxy and reverse Proxy Examples



Because "forward" as well as "reverse" are associated with a sense of directionality and misleading comparisons with "incoming" in addition to "outgoing" traffic and vice versa, these labels are often confusing because both types of proxy process requests and responses. The best way to differentiate between forward and reverse proxy services is to study the requirements of the app that you are building.




Reverse proxy is an important tool for the creation of a solution to offer web-based services on the internet. They serve as your web servers whenever you interact using the internet.




Forward proxy applications are beneficial to show clients' personal use, and even in a professional setting. They are your client's proxy for any interaction on the internet.




The practice of separating by use case instead of using common naming conventions can make it simpler to avoid confusion.



Conclusion



This article will explain what a proxy is along with the two types of proxy, namely the forward proxy and the reverse proxy. Practical applications as well as a brief overview of the benefits were used to distinguish forward proxies from reverse proxies. If you'd like to discover the possibilities of proxies then read our guide on how to configure Nginx as an internet server and reverse proxy within Apache running the Ubuntu 20.04 server.



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