No More Mistakes With Proxy Sites

A proxy also referred to a proxy server software which serves as an intermediary between a client and server via the internet. Without the need for proxy servers, a user could make a request for servers directly and servers would provide direct to users. It is an easy procedure to comprehend and use, the addition of proxies can provide benefits like improved performance as well as privacy, security and much more. As an additional layer of pass-through proxy servers act as a gatekeeper of the internet between clients and servers.

Generally speaking, the bundled set of server hardware along with installed proxy software is often called proxy servers. This article will focus on proxy servers that are usually regarded as software as being used in conjunction with web servers. This article will give an explanation of the two primary kinds of proxy servers, which include a forward proxy and the reverse proxy. Each type has a distinct application, and is frequently confused due to the identical namesake convention.

This article will provide an understanding of types of proxy services, what their subtypes are, as well as how they can be useful for common setups. If you read the article carefully, you'll understand the situations when it's beneficial to utilize the proxy service and determine the best option between forward and reverse proxy, in any situation.

Understanding Forward Proxies

The forward proxy also referred to in the context of the open proxy serves as the agent of the client, in making an internet request to an the server that originated it. In this case the attempts to make requests from the user will be routed directly to the forward proxy. In this case, the forward proxy in the client's stead, will scrutinize the request. It first will determine if this client is able to send requests through this particular forward proxy. Then, it will either refuse requests or redirect them to the original server. The client is not capable of having directly access to internet. It can access only what the forward proxy permits for it to link to.

The primary reason for people to use forward proxies is to gain greater privacy or security on the internet. A forward proxy utilizes the internet instead of a client on its own, and, in doing so it can utilize an alternate IP address in place of the primary IP address that is used by the client.

Based on the way it's configured the forward proxy will offer a variety of features and let you:

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  Beware of ads that track you.
  
  
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  Circumvent surveillance.
  
  
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  Find restrictions based on the place of residence.
  
  

Forward proxies may also be utilized in systems that provide central security and access based on permissions, for instance in workplaces. If all traffic on the internet flows through a common forward proxy layer, the administrator can grant only a handful of users access to the internet through an ordinary firewall. Instead of establishing firewalls on the client layer, which could involve a number of computers that have different settings and users there is a way to set up a firewall set up at an intermediary layer.

Be aware that forward proxy servers must be manually set up in order to permit the use of these proxies while reverse proxies may be omitted by clients. Based on the type of IP address of a user is passed to the original server via the forward proxy security and privacy can be granted or kept in the dark.

There are several possibilities to think about when it comes to forward proxies.

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  Apache is an incredibly well-known open source web server that provides forward proxy functions.
  
  
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  Nginx: Another popular open-source webserver, which includes forward proxy functions.
  
  
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  Squid: A free and Open Source Forward Proxy which uses the HTTP protocol. This option doesn't include the complete website server program. You can read our tutorial on how to install Squid proxy to permit private connections within Ubuntu 20.04.
  
  
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  Dante: A forward proxy that uses using the SOCKS protocol rather than HTTP in order to be better suited for cases such as with peer-to-peer traffic. You may also want to know how to build an Dante proxy to allow private connections on Ubuntu 20.04
  
  

Understanding Reverse Proxies

Reverse proxy is a representative of a web server, handling any requests that come in from clients on its behalf. The web server can comprise an individual server or a number of servers. Additionally, it can serve as an app server like Gunicorn. In any of these situations a request could originate from a user on the web at large. In the majority of cases it is transmitted directly to the web server hosting the information that the user wants. A reverse proxy acts as an intermediary to shield Web server from direct communication with the public internet.

From the point of view from a client's perspective, using a reverse proxy is no any different from working with web servers in direct contact. It's functionally the same but clients aren't able distinguish between the two. Client requests the resource, and it gets it, with no additional configuration needed by the client.

Reverse proxies provide features like:

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  A central layer of security that guards the server.
  
  
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  Controlling traffic inbound based on rules you can define.
  
  
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  New functionality added for caching.
  
  

While central security is a benefit for both reverse and forward proxy servers, reverse proxy providers offer this benefit to the layer on the webserver rather than the client layer. Instead of coordinating firewalls at the server level that may contain multiple servers with various configurations, the majority of firewall security is placed in the reverse proxy layer. Also, the removal of the responsibility of interfacing with firewalls as well as interfacing with client requests off of web servers allows the firewall to focus on providing the resources.

In the case of multiple servers that are connected to a reverse proxy, the reverse proxy also determines the requests to the server. There could be multiple web servers that provide the same content, providing different types of services or a combination of both. These servers could be running the HTTP protocol exactly the same way as the traditional web server. However, they could be equipped with applications server protocols like FastCGI. There is the possibility to configure a reverse proxy to send visitors to specific server depending on the service being requested or to comply with specific rules regarding traffic load.

Reverse proxies also benefit from their position before web servers by providing the ability to cache data. The large static files can be created with caching rules in order to avoid having to call web servers for every request. There are some solutions even allowing users to serve static files directly without having to connect to the server once. In addition, the reverse proxy can deal with compression on these resources.

The popular Nginx web server also functions as a reliable reverse proxy option. However, Apache can also be a reverse proxy option, the Apache web server also comes outfitted with a reverse proxy feature as an additional feature for Apache as opposed to Nginx was originally designed to and focuses on reverse proxy functions.

Distinguishing Forward Proxy from Reverse Proxy Use Cases

Since "forward" and "reverse" come with connotations of directionality, as well as false comparisons to "incoming" as well as "outgoing" traffic These labels can be confusing because both types of proxies handle the process of responding to requests. The most effective way to differentiate between forward and reverse proxies is to examine the specifications of the application you're creating.

Reverse proxy is an effective tool when you're designing a solution to deliver web-based applications over the internet. They represent your web servers every time you use the web.

A forward proxy can be helpful when it is displayed in front of clients for personal use and in professional setting. They serve as a representation of your client's web traffic during any online interaction.

The practice of separating by use case instead of using the same naming conventions will assist you in making sure that there is no confusion.

Conclusion

This article clarifies the meaning of a proxy that has two types: the forward proxy as well as the reverse. Practical scenarios for application and an exploration of beneficial attributes were used to identify forward proxies and reverse proxy. If you're interested in learning more about implementation of proxies, you can read our guide on how to set up Nginx as an internet server and reverse proxy for Apache in Ubuntu 20.04 Server. Ubuntu 20.04 Server.

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