The word "proxy" refers to a proxy as well as a proxy server, a software which acts in the role of an intermediary a client and a server on the internet. Without proxy servers, users can send a request directly to a server while the server will then provide the requested resource directly at the requester's expense. This method is simple to comprehend and utilize, using proxies has benefits such as enhanced performance and privacy, security and much more. In addition to providing a pass-through layer, the proxy functions as a security guardian of the internet between servers and clients.




Generally speaking, the combined system of server hardware coupled with proxy software installed is sometimes referred to as a proxy server. This article will focus on the types of proxies that are typically thought to be software, specifically in relation with web server. The article will provide an explanation of the two main types, namely one being a forward proxy and the reverse. reverse proxy. Each type has a distinct usage scenario, which is often misunderstood due to the overlapping terminology.




This article will provide you with the information on what proxies are and which subtypes they belong to and how they work in various configurations. In this article, you'll learn to identify situations in which it is beneficial to use a proxy and select the best option between forward and reverse proxy, in any scenario.



Understanding Forward Proxies



A forward proxy, sometimes referred to as an open proxy, is a means of intermediary to allow a user to make a connection via the internet to an source server. In this scenario, the entire process of sending requests made by the user is transmitted via the forward proxy. Forward proxy that acts on behalf that of the user, would examine into the request. It will decide if this client can accept requests via this particular forward proxy. Then, it will either reject requests or redirect it to the server that originated it. The client isn't allowed directly access to internet. It can access only what the forward proxy allows it to access.




A common use case of forward proxy is to achieve more privacy or security on the internet. Forward proxy connects to the internet using the user and it may use an alternative IP address to that of the client's initial IP address.




Depending on how it has been configured in accordance with the way it was configured forward proxy may offer a range of features and permit you to:




Do not click on ads that track you.


Circumvent surveillance.


Find restrictions based on the geolocation of your home.




Forward proxies also are used in systems of centralized security and permission-based access like at a workplace. If all traffic on the internet flows via an open forward proxy, an administrator can grant access to only a few users to the internet, which is filtered by an common firewall. Instead of creating security firewalls at the user layer which could be used by multiple computer systems with different configurations and environments, a firewall may be added to the proxy layer.




It is crucial to keep in mind that forward proxies need to be manually configured for use and reverse proxies can not be noticed by the user. Based on the type of IP address of a client is transmitted to the server where it was received via the forward proxy, anonymity and privacy could be granted or not.




There are a number of options to think about forward proxy options:




Apache A well-known, open-source web server that offers forward proxy features.


Nginx is another well-known open-source server for hosting websites with forward proxy features.


Squid: An open-source forward proxy using the HTTP protocol. It's not the entire Web Server System. We have a step-by-step instructions to install Squid proxy to enable private connections within Ubuntu 20.04.


Dante Forward Proxy which uses the SOCKS protocol instead of HTTP which allows it to be more appropriate for scenarios such as peer-to-peer traffic. You may also want to learn how to set up an Dante proxy to connect privately in Ubuntu 20.04



Understanding Reverse Proxies



A reverse proxy functions as an intermediary between web servers, which handles incoming requests from customers on its behalf. The web server could function as a single server or multiple servers. Additionally, it can be used as an application server, such as Gunicorn. In any event, a request would come from the Internet at large. Most often the request will be sent directly to the server with what the client is seeking. The reverse proxy acts as an intermediary, shielding the web server from direct contact to the open internet.




From a user's point of view the experience of interacting with reverse proxy isn't any different than using the server by itself. It's exactly the same but the client isn't able to distinguish between the two. Clients can make a request for the resource and it is provided with it, with no further configuration needed on the part of the client.




Reverse proxy providers offer features such as:




Centralized security for the web server layer.


Incoming traffic is directed based upon rules you set.


The caching feature has been added to the app.




While centralized security can be a benefit of both reverse and forward proxy servers, reverse proxies offer this feature at the layer of web servers, but not to the client layer. instead of the maintenance of firewalls on Web server layers that could include several servers that have different configurations, most of the firewall security is concentrated at reverse proxy layers. Additionally, getting rid of the burden of interacting with firewalls as well as interacting with requests from clients outside of web servers lets them concentrate on the needs of their customers.




If there are multiple servers running through a reverse proxy the reverse proxy is responsible for directing the flow of requests to each server. There may be several web servers offering the same service, each offering different types of resource or a combination of both. These servers can be using the HTTP protocol to function as a traditional web server. However, they could also be using application server protocols like FastCGI. You can configure reverse proxy settings to send users to a particular server based on the service being requested or to follow certain rules for traffic load.




Reverse proxies can also be able to benefit from their position prior to web servers by giving them the ability to cache information. Massive static resources can be managed using caching rules, so that they prevent websites from being hit with every request. Certain solutions allow you to provide static files directly without connecting to the web server in any way. Additionally, the reverse proxy could handle the compression of these files.




The well-known Nginx web server can also be a reliable reverse proxy service. Although it, Apache web server has reverse proxy capabilities, it is an additional option for Apache while Nginx was initially designed and is focused specifically on reverse proxy features.



Distinguishing Forward and Reverse Proxy Use Cases



Because "forward" as well as "reverse" have associations with directionality, and false comparisons to "incoming" and "outgoing" traffic the labels could be confusing because both kinds of proxy are able to handle both requests and responses. A different method of distinguishing between reverse and forward proxy is to study the specifications of the application that you are creating.




A reverse proxy can be useful when building an infrastructure to support web-based applications via the internet. They act as your web server for all interactions over the internet.




Forward proxy is useful when it is displayed before customers for personal use, or in an organization. They represent the client's information whenever you interact on the internet.




The ability to differentiate by the use of case instead of focusing solely on standard names can help in avoidance of confusion.



Conclusion



The article explained the meaning of a proxy with two types: forward proxy and the reverse proxy. Practical use cases and an analysis of the most useful attributes were used to identify the two kinds of proxy that are reverse and forward. If you're interested to learn more about the benefits of proxies, we recommend you read our guide on how to install Nginx as an internet server as well as reverse proxy in Apache on an Ubuntu 20.04 Server.



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