It is proxy is proxy is also referred to a proxy server is software that sits acting as an intermediary between server and a client on the internet. Without the use of a proxy, users will send a request for an item directly to a server and it would deliver that resource to its user directly. While this approach is straightforward to grasp and implement, the addition of proxies can provide benefits in terms of more performance as well as privacy, security and much more. As an additional layer for passing through, a proxy acts as a gatekeeper for the internet, separating clients and servers.




The majority of people agree that the combination of server hardware and installed proxy software is often called proxy servers. For this post, we will examine proxies commonly described in terms of software as and those used to work in conjunction to web server. This article will present an in-depth description of two types of proxy which are the forward proxy and one called a reverse proxy. Each is unique in its use, often confused because of the similar namesake convention.




This article will provide you with an understanding of what proxies are and what their subtypes, and the ways in which they can be beneficial for common setups. By reading this article you'll be able determine the situations that a proxy could be beneficial, and decide on the most appropriate reverse or forward proxy for any particular situation.



Understanding Forward Proxies



The forward proxy sometimes known in the form of an open proxy is the agent of a customer that is trying to send requests via the internet to an origin server. In this scenario, it's the situation that all requests coming from the client are sent to through the forward proxy. In this case, the forward proxy instead of the client will examine the request. In the beginning, it will decide whether the client is allowed to send requests via this specific forward proxy. It then decides whether to deny the request or send it back to its origin server. It's not able to connect directly via the Internet. It is only able to access the information the forward proxy permits it access to.




A common reason for using forward proxies is for more privacy or protection on the internet. Forward proxy utilizes the internet as a personal client, and during this process, it can utilize a different IP address in opposition to the IP address used by the client.




Depending on how it's been established in the past, forward proxy servers can give you a variety of options, allowing you to:




Beware of ads that track you.


Circumvent surveillance.


Determine restrictions based on place of residence.




Forward proxies are also employed in systems to provide central security and permit-based access, for example, in a workplace. If all internet traffic passes by an open forward proxy, an administrator is able to grant only a handful of users access to the internet, which is filtered by a firewall that is common to all. Instead of establishing firewalls at the level of client that could include multiple computers that are different in terms of user and environment the firewall could be installed at the layer that is responsible for forwarding proxy data.




Keep in mind that forward proxy servers have to be set up manually for use, whereas reverse proxy can be not recognized by clients. Depending on whether the IP address of the client is passed on to the server that originated it via the forward proxy, privacy and anonymity may be granted or made clear.




There are a myriad of options to be considered when it comes to forward proxy options:




Apache A well-known, open-source web server that provides forward proxy capabilities.


Nginx A renowned open-source webserver with forward proxy functionality.


Squid is an open-source forward proxy which utilizes it's HTTP protocol. It doesn't provide the entire web server service. Take a look at our guide on the best method of setting up Squid proxy for connection with private networks in Ubuntu 20.04.


Dante forward proxy which makes use of the SOCKS protocol rather than HTTP, making it better suited for scenarios like peer-to-peer communication. You might also want to know how to configure an Dante proxy for private connections within Ubuntu 20.04



Understanding Reverse Proxies



Reverse proxy is a representative of a web server that handles requests by customers on its behalf. The web server may represent one or more servers. It could also be an application server, such as Gunicorn. For any one of these scenarios, it is possible to receive a request via a user on the internet at large. In most cases the request is directed directly to the web server, along with the information the user is looking for. A reverse proxy is a intermediary to isolate your web server from interaction with the open internet.




From a client's perspective from the perspective of a customer using a reverse proxy is no different from communicating directly with your webserver directly. It's basically the same, and the client cannot discern the difference. Client requests resources, that is then followed by receiving it, with no additional configurations required for the end user.




Reverse proxy proxies are able to provide some features, including:




Centrally secured for Web Server Layer.


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


Additional features for caching.




Although central security can be a benefit of both forward and reverse proxy service, reverse proxy provides this benefit to only the server layer, and not to the layer that connects to the client. Instead of the maintenance of firewalls in the web server layer which may include multiple servers that have different configurations, the bulk of firewall security is concentrated in the reverse proxy layer. Furthermore, removing the obligation of interacting with firewalls and connecting with requests from clients who aren't connected to web servers allows firewalls to focus on meeting the needs of their clients.




If there are several servers connected to a reverse proxy the reverse proxy is also in charge of the way requests are handled to which server. There could be multiple web servers operating on the same server, providing various kinds of resources or a mix of the two. These servers may use the HTTP protocol as a conventional web server. They can also use applications server protocols such as FastCGI. You can set up a reverse proxy to direct clients to specific servers according to the kind of resource they're looking for, or to comply with certain rules regarding traffic load.




Reverse proxies also profit from their placement prior to web servers, by providing the capacity of caching. Large static assets can be set up using caching rules to prevent hitting web servers on each request, with certain solutions giving the option to serve static files directly without needing to connect to the internet server for even one time. In addition reverse proxy is able to manage the compression of these assets.




The well-known Nginx web server is also a well-known reverse proxy feature. You can also use Nginx, the Apache web server, it is equipped with a reverse proxy feature it's a distinct feature that is available for Apache however Nginx was initially developed for and specifically designed for reverse proxy functionality.



Differentiating Forward and reverse proxy Utilizing Differentiation of Forward Proxy and Reverse Use



Since "forward" and "reverse" have connotations of directionality and false connections to "incoming" in addition to "outgoing" traffic. The labels can be confusing as both types of proxies can be used to handle requests as well as responses. A better approach to distinguish between forward and reverse proxy is to look at the requirements of the application you're developing.




Reverse proxy is helpful in the development of a system to deliver web-based applications on the internet. They function as servers whenever you connect to the internet.




Forward proxy are beneficial when they are used by the client for personal use or in the workplace. They can be used to represent the traffic of your clients when you are on the internet.




A distinction based on usage case instead of focusing solely at similar names will aid in avoiding confusion.



Conclusion



This article provides the definition of a proxy that includes two major types that are forward proxy and the reverse proxy. Practical scenarios for application and a review of the advantageous features were utilized to distinguish forward proxies and reverse proxy. If you're interested exploring the possibilities of proxies then take a look at our guide on how to set up Nginx as reverse proxy and web server proxy on Apache on an Ubuntu 20.04 server.



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