proxy, also known as a proxy or proxy server, is a server software that sits as a mediator between client and server on the internet. In the absence of an intermediary a user could send a request for something directly to a server, and servers would then serve the requested resource directly back to the client. Although this method is easy to comprehend and implement, proxies can provide advantages such as increased speed, privacy, security and more. A pass-through layer proxy acts as a gatekeeper of the internet between servers and clients.




Generally speaking it is the bundled set of server hardware and proxy software is also often called proxy servers. But, this article will focus on proxy servers that are usually referred to as software, as well as ones that work in conjunction with web servers. We will present a summary of the two primary kinds of proxy servers, which are the forward proxy and reverse proxy. reverse proxy. Each has its own usage scenario, which is often misunderstood because of the similar terms.




This article will provide you with an understanding of different types of proxy services and the subtypes are as well being able to explain how they can be useful for the most common configurations. Through this article, will be able to identify the situations where you can benefit from a proxy and identify the most suitable option in between forward and reverse proxy for any particular situation.



Understanding Forward Proxies



The forward proxy also called the open proxy is an agent of the user who wants to make a request via the internet to the server that made the request. In this case, it's the situation that all requests made by the user would prefer to be routed direct to the forward proxy. Forward proxy acting in place of the client will look over the request. It will decide whether this client is able to handle requests via this particular forward proxy. It then decides whether to decide whether to reject requests or redirect them to the server that originated it. The client is not able to have an internet connection directly; it can only access the information that the forward proxy gives to access.




The primary reason for people to use forward proxies is to improve privacy or anonymity online. Forward proxy allows you to browse the internet in place of clients, and in the process, it will use an alternative IP address to the IP address originally used by the client.




Based on the way it was configured in accordance with the way it was set up, a forward proxy could provide you with a variety of features and the capability to:




Avoid tracking ads.


Circumvent surveillance.


You can determine restrictions based upon your geographic area.




Forward proxies are also employed in systems that offer central security and permission-based access, like at work. In the event that all internet traffic flows via an open forward proxy, administrators can allow access only to a few individuals to access the web. The web is blocked by a standard firewall. Instead of putting firewalls in place for the client layer which may comprise several devices that are different in terms of user and environment A firewall can be placed on top of an forward proxy layer.




Be aware that forward proxies need to be set up manually before they can be utilized in order to be used, while reverse proxy's are able to be seen by users. Depending on whether the IP address of the user is sent to the server that generated it through the forward proxy Privacy and anonymity could be granted or left transparent.




There are many options to take into consideration when it comes to forward proxy options:




Apache An open-source, well-known web server that provides forward proxy capability.


Nginx: Another well-known open source server for hosting websites with forward proxy capability.


Squid: A free forward proxy that utilizes the HTTP protocol. It's not an entire Web server. Take a look at our guide on how to configure Squid proxy for private connection on Ubuntu 20.04.


Dante Forward proxy that uses the SOCKS protocol instead HTTP to allow it to be more suitable for scenarios such as peer-to -peer traffic. It is also possible to know how to set up Dante proxy for private connections using Ubuntu 20.04



Understanding Reverse Proxies



A reverse proxy acts as a representative of a web server that handles the incoming requests of clients on its behalf. Web servers can represent a single or multiple servers. It could also be an application server, such as Gunicorn. In any of these situations an application request is made by a user who is on the internet in general. In most cases the request will go directly to the web server that hosts the information the user is looking for. In contrast reverse proxy acts as an intermediary in order to shield Web servers from direct contact with the open internet.




From the perspective of a user that is a user's view, working via reverse proxy is any different from working with Web server in direct communication. It works identical to the web server and the client is unable discern the difference. Clients can make a request for the resource and it is then provided with the resource without any additional configuration needed by the user.




Reverse proxy proxies provide certain features, such as:




Secured centrally to protect Web Server Layer.


Controlling traffic that is incoming by implementing rules that you establish.


Added functionality for caching.




While central security is an advantage of both reverse and forward proxy services, reverse proxies provide this for their web server layer not the client layer. In lieu of the maintenance of firewalls in the layer of web servers which may contain multiple servers that have different configurations The majority of firewall security is focused on the reverse proxy layer. Additionally, the elimination of the responsibility of interfacing with a firewall and communicating with requests from clients from web servers enables them to concentrate entirely on satisfying the requirements of their clients.




If there are more than one servers operating through a reverse proxy, the reverse proxy can be also responsible for the direction of which requests are directed through which server. There could be multiple web servers serving the same resource, but each one offering a different type of resources or a combination of both. These servers can be using their own HTTP protocol to function as a standard web server, but they also include applications server protocols like FastCGI. You can create a reverse proxy to direct visitors to a specific servers based on the kind of resource they're searching for, or follow specific rules for traffic load.




Reverse proxies are also able to benefit from their position before web servers through the capacity of caching. Large static assets can be able to be configured using rules for caching to avoid the web server from being hit on every request. There are solutions offering the possibility of providing static files directly without connecting directly to the website server. Furthermore, the reverse proxy can manage compression of these files.




The renowned Nginx webserver is a well-known reverse proxy choice. Although Apache is also a reverse proxy option it is not the only one. Apache web server is also equipped with a reverse proxy function, it is an additional option in Apache but Nginx was designed originally for and primarily focused on the reverse proxy function.



The difference in Forward Proxy and Reverse Proxy Use Examples



Since "forward" as well as "reverse" are both associated with directionality as well as inaccurate comparisons to "incoming" or "outgoing" traffic and can cause confusion since both types of proxies can respond to requests as well as responses. The best method to distinguish between reverse and forward proxies is to examine the requirements of the app you're creating.




Reverse proxy is helpful when building an approach to connect web-based applications to the internet. They act as your servers when you are on the internet.




Forward proxy are beneficial when they are placed before the user for personal use or in a work setting. They act as your client's proxy whenever you interact on the internet.




Differentiating by case of use instead of focusing on the same naming conventions will ensure that you don't get confused.



Conclusion



This article explains what a proxy is along with two types of proxy, namely the forward proxy as well as the reverse proxy. Practical applications and an examination of useful features were utilized to distinguish between forward and reverse proxy. If you're interested in learning more about how to implement proxy servers, then you must read our tutorial on how to set up Nginx as an internet service and reverse proxy in Apache on one Ubuntu 20.04 server.



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