A proxy, also known as a proxy is also referred to for its role as a proxy, is software that functions to act as an intermediary for client and server over the internet. If there was no proxy in place, the user would be able to send a request to any resource directly to the server, and servers would serve the requested resource directly to the user. This is a simple method to comprehend and use, the addition of proxy servers could provide advantages such as more performance, privacy, security, and so on. In addition to providing a layer of security proxy servers act as a security guard for the internet, separating clients from servers.

The consensus is that the system of servers that are equipped with proxy software is commonly referred as proxy servers. However, this article will concentrate on proxy servers that are typically categorized as software, specifically with respect to servers on the internet. We will present a summary of the two primary types of proxies that are a forward proxy and reverse proxy. reverse proxy. Each has its own use, and can be confusing because of the same name convention.

This article will provide you with an idea of what proxies and their subtypes, and their value in common configurations. By reading this article you'll be able recognize the situations where you could benefit from a proxy and determine the best choice between reverse proxy and forward proxy in any given circumstance.

Understanding Forward Proxies

Forward proxy also referred to as open proxy, sometimes referred to as open proxy is a proxy for users who wish to send a request via the internet to a source server. In this scenario, every request made by the user will be handled by this forward proxy. A forward proxy in the instead of the user will examine the request. It first decides if the client is authorized to accept requests through this particular forward proxy. Then, it can either reject the request or forward it to the server that originated it. The client will not be capable of having directly access to internet. it will only be able to access the information that the forward proxy allows its access.

One of the most common uses for forward proxies is greater privacy or security on internet. A forward proxy is able to access the internet in lieu of an individual client, and can use another IP address as opposed to the original IP address used by the user.

Depending on how it's configured depending on how it's set up forward proxy could provide various options and let you:

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  Beware of tracking ads.
  
  
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  Circumvent surveillance.
  
  
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  Find restrictions based on the location.
  
  

Forward proxies are also employed in systems to provide central security and permission based access to the internet, for instance in workplaces. If all internet traffic flows through a common forward proxy layer an administrator is able to permit only certain users access to the internet, which is blocked by a common firewall. Instead of keeping firewalls on the client layer that could include multiple machines with different user configurations, firewalls can be placed on the proxy layer that is in front.

Be aware that forward proxies should be manually set up to be used, while reverse proxies can be not recognized in the eyes of the user. Depending on the type of IP address of the client, it is transmitted to the server that originated it by the forward proxy security and privacy can either be provided or rendered more transparent.

There are a variety of possibilities to consider for forward proxy:

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  Apache is a well-known open source web server that provides forward proxy capabilities.
  
  
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  Nginx is another well-known open-source webserver, which comes with forward proxy functionality.
  
  
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  Squid: A free and open source forward proxy that utilizes an HTTP protocol. The option does not include the whole web server. You can refer to our guide on how to install Squid proxy to permit private connections in Ubuntu 20.04.
  
  
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  Dante is a forward proxy which uses the SOCKS protocol instead of HTTP this allows it to be more suitable for scenarios like peer-to-peer traffic. You can also check out how to configure the Dante proxy for connection to private networks in Ubuntu 20.04
  
  

Understanding Reverse Proxies

Reverse proxy is the web server, which takes care of the requests of customers on its behalf. It can be used as a one server, or a number of servers. Additionally, it can include an application servers, like Gunicorn. In any of these instances, a request would come through the internet at large. In the majority of cases the request will be sent directly to the server with all the resources the user requires. A reverse proxy serves as an intermediary, separating your server from communications with the internet's users.

From a consumer's point of the client's point of reverse proxy use isn't different from connecting directly to an internet server. It's functionally identical, however the client isn't able to discern the difference. The client requests the resource, and it then gets it, with no additional configuration required by the client.

Reverse proxies provide features such as:

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  A central layer of security to guard the server.
  
  
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  Controlling traffic inbound using rules that you can establish.
  
  
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  A new feature for caching has been added.
  
  

While central security is a benefit of both reverse and forward proxy solutions, reverse proxy providers provide this feature to the server layer and not the client layer. Instead of focusing on maintaining firewalls at the server level that could contain multiple servers and different configurations, the majority of firewall security could be concentrated on the reverse proxy layer. Additionally, removing the burden of communicating with firewalls as well as interacting with requests from clients outside of web servers lets them focus solely on meeting the needs of their customers.

If there are multiple servers hosting through reverse proxy, the reverse proxy also handles the routing of requests to the server that is hosting them. There could be multiple web servers providing the exact same service, serving different types of resources or a mix of both. They may utilize the HTTP protocol as a standard web server, however they may also include application server protocols such as FastCGI. You can create reverse proxy servers to direct clients to specific servers based on the requested service, or follow specific rules regarding traffic volume.

Reverse proxies also can make use of their positioning before web servers by providing caching capabilities. Large static files can be set by caching rules to avoid getting to web servers for every request. There are solutions offering the option of serving static content directly, without having to connect with the webserver at all. Additionally, reverse proxy can manage compressing these files.

The well-known Nginx web server has become a wildly popular reverse proxy choice. It is true that Apache web server does have reverse proxy capabilities, Apache web server has a reverse proxy capabilities as an additional feature that is available to Apache but Nginx was originally designed to and is focused on the reverse proxy feature.

Differentiating Forward Proxy and reverse Proxy Examples

Since "forward" and "reverse" are associated with an impression of directionality and misleading comparisons with "incoming" and "outgoing" traffic could be confusing because both kinds of proxies handle requests and response. The best way to distinguish between reverse and forward proxy servers is to look at the requirements of the application you're building.

Reverse proxy is a crucial aspect in the design of a system to support websites on the internet. They act as your servers whenever you connect to the Internet.

Forward proxy is useful in displaying customer information to your personal use or for use in a working environment. They are a way to display the information of your client when you connect to the internet.

A distinction based on use case instead of focusing solely on naming conventions that are similar will make it easier to avoid confusion.

Conclusion

The article clarified meaning of a proxy with two kinds of proxy being the forward and the reverse proxy. Practical applications and an exploration of beneficial attributes were used to distinguish forward proxies from reverse proxies. If you're interested in exploring the use in proxy server, you can learn how you can configure Nginx as an internet service and reverse proxy within Apache on Ubuntu 20.04 Server. Ubuntu 20.04 Server.

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