The term "proxy" refers to a proxy is also known as a proxy server, is a software that acts as an intermediary between a client and server over the internet. Without proxy servers, a user could send a request for resources directly to a server, and it would serve the resource directly back towards the customer. Although this method is easy to grasp and implement but the addition of proxy servers can offer benefits such as increased speed and privacy, security and more. In addition to providing pass-through, the proxy serves as a guardian for the internet between clients and servers.

The combined system of server hardware that is paired with the software for proxy installation is commonly referred to as proxy servers. This article will concentrate on proxy servers that are typically considered to be software, and specifically in relation to web servers. We will discuss of the two major types of proxies, one being one that is a forward proxy and the reverse. reverse proxy. Each type has its own application and can be confusing due to the similar namesake convention.

This article will give you an understanding of types of proxies and subtypes in terms of their benefits for setups that are common. If you read the article carefully, you'll understand the situations when using proxies can be beneficial, and you can then select the best option between reverse proxy and forward proxy based on the situation.

Understanding Forward Proxies

Forward proxy, also known as open proxy. An open proxy is the agent of a client who wishes to make an internet-based request to an the server which originated it. In this situation any attempts to send requests made by the client's end will instead be sent directly to forward proxy. Forward proxy in lieu of the client, will look into the request. It will first verify if the client is authorized to receive requests from this particular forward proxy. It will then deny any request, or send it to its origin server. The client is not able to have an internet connection directly and can only access what forward proxy permits it to access.

The most popular reason for using forward proxy servers is the increased privacy or anonymity on the internet. Forward proxy's access to the internet as clients, and, in this manner, it could make use of an IP address different from the IP of the client.

Depending on the way it's set up, the forward proxy can give you a range of options and the capability to:

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  Beware of Ad-trackers.
  
  
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  Circumvent surveillance.
  
  
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  Find restrictions that are based on your location.
  
  

Forward proxies can also be utilized in systems that provide central security and access based on permissions, such as in a workplace. When all internet traffic flows through a forward proxy and administrators are capable of allowing only certain clients access to the internet using a common firewall. Instead of having firewalls installed for the client layer, which may include multiple computers with varying settings and environment A firewall could be put in an forward proxy layer.

It is crucial to keep in mind that forward proxy settings have to be set up manually to permit the forward proxy to function in order to be used in reverse proxies, whereas forward proxies are able to not be noticed by the user. Based on an IP address belonging to the user is transmitted to the server that originated it via forward proxy, privacy and security can be granted or left transparent.

There are many alternatives to take into consideration when considering forward proxy choices:

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  Apache A well-known open source web server with forward proxy features.
  
  
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  Nginx Another well-known open-source web hosting server with forward proxy capabilities.
  
  
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  Squid: A no-cost forward proxy that runs on the HTTP protocol. It's not the complete Web Server System. We recommend our article on the best method to set up Squid proxy to allow secure connections within Ubuntu 20.04.
  
  
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  Dante Forward proxy that makes use of the SOCKS protocol instead of HTTP and HTTP, making it better suited for scenarios such as peer-to-peer communication. You can also check out how to configure Dante proxy for connection to private networks in Ubuntu 20.04
  
  

Understanding Reverse Proxies

Reverse proxy functions as an intermediary to web servers, and handles requests from clients for the web server. Web servers can function as a one server or a number of servers. In addition, it could serve as an application server such as Gunicorn. In all cases, the request for an application comes from a user via the internet in general. The request will typically directly go to the web server that hosts what the client is searching for. The reverse proxy serves as an intermediary in order to block your server from interaction to the open internet.

From a consumer's point perspective, using reverse proxy isn't any different than communicating with Web server in direct contact. It's functionally identical, but the user isn't able to tell the difference. Client makes a request for an item, and receives it, without any extra configuration required from the user.

Reverse proxy providers provide features like:

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  The web server is secured centrally.
  
  
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  Directing traffic according to rules you set.
  
  
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  The caching functionality was added to the application.
  
  

While central security is a benefit of both forward and reverse proxy, reverse proxies do this feature only to just the Web server layer and not the client layer. instead of maintaining firewalls on Web server layers, which could comprise multiple servers that have different configurations, the majority protection of the firewall is directed to the reverse proxy layer. In addition, taking the responsibility of connecting to firewalls and responding to requests from clients off of web servers lets them focus on serving resources.

If there are multiple servers existing with a reverse-proxy, the reverse proxy is also accountable for deciding which requests go at which server. There could be multiple web servers that are running on the same server, all serving different types of resources or a combination of both. They could be using the HTTP protocol like a traditional web server. They may also use protocols for application servers like FastCGI. You can also configure a reverse proxy to route clients to specific servers depending on the service being requested or to adhere to certain guidelines regarding traffic load.

Reverse proxies are also able to make use of their location on top of web servers with the help of caching. The large static files can be configured using caching rules to prevent the web server from being hit with each request, with some solutions even allowing you to provide static files in a direct manner without linking directly to the website server. In addition, the reverse proxy can manage compression of these assets.

The well-known Nginx web server is an extremely popular reverse proxy solution. Although it's not a reverse proxy, the Apache web server also comes with the reverse proxy feature as an additional function that is available for Apache while Nginx was designed initially for and focused on reverse proxy functions.

Distinguishing Forward Proxy from Reverse Proxy Use Cases

Since "forward" in addition to "reverse" are associated with a sense of directionality as well as misleading comparisons with "incoming" as well as "outgoing" traffic. These labels can be confusing because both types of proxies can respond to requests and responses. An alternative method to differentiate between reverse and forward proxy servers is to look at the requirements of the application that you are developing.

Reverse proxy is an effective tool when you're developing a solution to serve websites on the internet. They are your web servers during any interaction through the Internet.

Forward proxy can be useful to have in front clients to use for personal purposes or even in a work environment. They represent your client traffic whenever you connect to the internet.

A distinction based on usage cases instead of looking at the common naming conventions can assist you in avoiding confusion.

Conclusion

The article clarified what a proxy was along with two types being the reverse proxy and forward proxy. Practical examples of use as well as a discussion of most beneficial features was used to distinguish forward proxies from reverse proxies. If you're interested in learning how to set up proxies, we recommend you read our guide on how to configure Nginx as an internet server and reverse proxy on Apache on and Ubuntu 20.04 server.

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