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An proxy is also known as proxy server software that serves as a mediator between a client and server over the internet. Without an intermediary the client would an attempt to request the resource directly to the server and the server will serve the resource directly back for the client. Although this is a simple process to comprehend and implement, adding proxies provides advantages such as more speed, privacy and security, and many more. Apart from providing a layer of security, proxies act as a guardian for the internet between clients and servers.




The packaged server hardware that includes proxy software is commonly referred to as proxy servers. But, this article will concentrate on proxies traditionally defined as software, but also in the context of web servers. We will present a summary of the two principal kinds: one being one that is a forward proxy and the other a reverse proxy. reverse proxy. Each type has a different use, which could be difficult due to the similar name-based convention.




This article will provide you with the understanding of what proxy services and their subtypes, and ways they can be useful in common configurations. In this article you'll be able to discern the scenarios where you could benefit by a proxy, and select the best option the case of forward or reverse proxy for any scenario.



Understanding Forward Proxies



Forward proxy, also referred to by the name of an open proxy serves as the representative of a customer who wishes to send requests via the internet to the server that created it. In this case, it's the situation that all requests received from the client will be directed directly into the forward proxy. The forward proxy, acting in place that of the customer, is able to examine at the request. In the beginning, it will decide whether the client is allowed to send requests through this specific forward proxy. Then, it will either refuse requests or redirect it to the origin server. The client is not capable of having directly access to internet; it can only be able to access the details that the forward proxy allows it to connect to.




One popular reason to use forward proxy is the need for greater privacy or security online. Forward proxy can access the internet as the client, and in this way, it is using another IP address, in contrast to the IP address of your client.




Depending on how it has been set up, and the configuration, forward proxy may provide a variety of functions as well as the ability to:




Beware of ads-trackers.


Circumvent surveillance.


You can determine limitations based on your geographic location.




Forward proxies also are employed in systems that provide central security and access based on permissions, such as, in a workplace. In the event that all internet traffic goes by an open forward proxy an administrator could restrict access to only certain users on the internet using the common firewall. Instead of implementing firewalls on the client layer, which can include multiple machines with different configurations and users, a firewall can be placed at the forward proxy layer.




Remember that forward proxies need to be manually configured to use the reverse proxy, while forward proxies may not be noticed by the user. The type of IP address a client is transferred to the server that originated it via forward proxy, privacy and anonymity could be granted or left transparent.




There are numerous options to investigate for forward proxy services:




Apache: A popular open-source web server, which offers forward proxy options.


Nginx A renowned open-source web server that has forward proxy capability.


Squid: An Open Source Forward Proxy that utilizes an HTTP protocol. This doesn't offer an entire website server program. We have instructions for setting up Squid proxy to permit private connections on Ubuntu 20.04.


Dante Forward Proxy that uses the SOCKS protocol in place of HTTP which makes it more suited to use cases such as with peer-to-peer traffic. You can also learn how to configure Dante proxy to allow private connections on Ubuntu 20.04



Understanding Reverse Proxies



Reverse proxy functions in the capacity of an agent to a server on the internet and manages the incoming requests of clients. The web server could serve as a single server, or multiple servers. Furthermore, it could be used as an app server, such as Gunicorn. In any of these scenarios it is possible to receive a request from a user on the internet generally. In most cases, the request would be directed directly to a web server which has all the resources the client would be looking for. However, a reverse proxy serves as an intermediary, protecting this webserver from direct interaction with the open internet.




From the perspective of the user's point of view, the process of using reverse proxy isn't any different than working with the website server in direct contact. It's functionally the same however the client is unable to tell the difference. Client makes a request for an item, and it is then received with no further configuration required from the client.




Reverse proxy proxies may offer some features, including:




Centralized security for the web server layer.


The direction of traffic that is using rules that you create.


The caching feature is now available to users.




While centralized security is an advantage of both reverse and forward proxy service, reverse proxies provide this benefit only to Web server layers and not to the client layer. instead of the maintenance of firewalls on Web server layers which could contain multiple servers with various configurations, the bulk of firewall security is focused at the reverse proxy layer. Additionally, the absence of interfacing with a firewall and responding to requests made by clients through web servers enables them to concentrate on delivering resources.




In the case of multiple servers operating behind a reverse proxy, it also controls how requests are routed the correct server. There are many web servers providing the exact identical service, but each one serving various kinds of resources or some combination of both. These servers could use their HTTP protocol to function as an ordinary web server but can also include application server protocols like FastCGI. It is possible to set up a reverse proxy to route clients to certain servers based on the requested resource or to adhere to specific rules regarding traffic load.




Reverse proxies also can benefit from their positioning in front of web servers through the capability of caching. The large static files can be configured by caching rules so that they don't have to connect to web servers for every request. There are solutions providing the possibility of serving directly static assets, without needing to connect to the web server at all. In addition, the reverse proxy can be used to handle compression of these assets.




The popular Nginx web server can be described as an efficient reverse proxy solution. Although you can utilize Nginx, Apache web server, it also has a reverse proxy as an added feature of Apache which is in contrast to Nginx was originally designed to and concentrates on the reverse proxy function.



The difference between Forward Proxy and Reverse Proxy Use Differentiating Forward Proxy and Reverse Proxy Utilization



Since "forward" or "reverse" are associated with directionality, and false comparisons to "incoming" and "outgoing" traffic, the labels could be confusing since both types of proxies can handle requests as well as respond. Instead, a better way to differentiate between reverse and forward proxy is to consider the requirements of the app you're creating.




Reverse proxy can be useful when you are developing a solution to serve websites on the internet. They act as your web server in any interactions on the web.




Forward proxy applications can be advantageous when they are used to block clients for personal use or in a work setting. They represent the client's web traffic in any online interaction.




Utilizing case-based differentiation instead of focusing on the similar naming conventions will make it easier to avoid confusion.



Conclusion



In this article, we clarified the definition of a proxy and the two most common kinds of them being the forward and the reverse proxy. Practical applications and a look at beneficial characteristics were used in defining forward proxy and reverse proxy. If you're interested to learn more about implementation of proxies, look into our tutorial on how to configure Nginx as an internet server and reverse proxy for Apache on an Ubuntu 20.04 Server.



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