An proxy can also be referred to as a proxy server, is software that functions as an intermediary between a client and server over the internet. If there was no proxy in place, the user could send a request for every resource straight to server, and servers would provide direct to users who requested the resource. While this approach is straightforward to grasp and use however, the addition of proxy servers could provide advantages such as more speed, privacy and security, among others. In addition to providing a layer of pass-through, proxies act as a security guard for the internet between clients and servers.

The general consensus is that the system of server hardware coupled with installed proxy software is commonly referred as proxy servers. However, this article will concentrate on proxy servers that are typically categorized as software, and more specifically with respect with web server. We will give a synopsis of the two primary types of proxies that are a forward proxy and a reverse proxy. Each type has a different use, which could be confusing because of the same name convention.

This article will give you an idea of types of proxies, their subtypes are, as well as their importance in common configurations. Through this article you'll know the scenarios where you could benefit by a proxy and determine the best option between reverse proxy and forward proxy depending on the situation.

Understanding Forward Proxies

Forward proxy sometimes called open proxy, sometimes referred to as open proxy serves as an agent for a user who wants to make a request over the internet to an source server. In this case every attempt to send requests made by the user will be handled by the forward proxy. A forward proxy in the place of the client will review the request. It will first determine whether the client is legally authorized to accept requests from this specific forward proxy. Then, it will either refuse requests or send it back to source server. The client is not capable of having directly access to internet. it can only be able to access the information that the forward proxy allows its access.

The most frequent reasons for forward proxy is greater security or privacy on the internet. Forward proxy connects to the internet instead of a client's individual account, and can use another IP address as opposed to the IP address used by the user.

Depending on how it's been configured, based on the way it's set up forward proxy can provide a range of options and let you:

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  Do not click on ads that track you.
  
  
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  Circumvent surveillance.
  
  
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  Determine restrictions based on location.
  
  

Forward proxies can also be used in systems that provide central security and permit-based access, such as in a workplace. In the event that all internet traffic flows through a common forward proxy layer administrators are able to restrict access to only certain clients to the internet. The web is filtered by an common firewall. Instead of putting firewalls for the client layer, which could include multiple machines with different configurations and users, a firewall may be placed at on an intermediary layer.

Remember that forward proxies must be set up manually for use while reverse proxies could be not recognized from the clients. According to the kind of IP address a client is sent to the server that originated it through the forward proxy, privacy and security can either be provided or rendered transparent.

There are many choices to be considered when deciding on forward proxy options:

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  Apache is a well-known open source web server which provides forward proxy capabilities.
  
  
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  Nginx is another popular open-source webserver that includes forward proxy functionality.
  
  
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  Squid is an open forward proxy open source that uses an HTTP protocol. The option does not include the entire web server. It is possible to refer to our article about the best method to set up Squid proxy to allow private connections on Ubuntu 20.04.
  
  
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  Dante is an forward proxy that utilizes the SOCKS protocol instead of HTTP this makes it suitable for scenarios like peer-to-peer traffic. You can also learn how to setup an Dante proxy to allow secure connections within Ubuntu 20.04
  
  

Understanding Reverse Proxies

Reverse proxy is the web server that handles requests from customers on its behalf. The server could function as a one server, or as a series of servers. In addition, it could include an application servers, such as Gunicorn. In any of these situations, a request would come through the internet at large. Most of the time the request is made directly to the web server, along with the resources the user requires. A reverse proxy serves as an intermediary, separating your web server from communication with the internet's public.

From a consumer's point of view from a client's perspective reverse proxy isn't different from connecting to an internet server direct. It's functionally the same but clients aren't aware of the difference. The client requests the resource and receives it, with no additional configuration required by the client.

Reverse proxies provide various features, including:

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  A centralized layer of security to protect the server.
  
  
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  The direction of traffic that is based on rules that you can establish.
  
  
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  A new feature to cache has been added.
  
  

Although central security is a benefit of both reverse and forward proxy solutions, reverse proxy providers provide this benefit only to the server layer and only the layer that clients use. In lieu of the maintenance of firewalls on the server level which might contain many servers with different configurations, the bulk of firewall security is focused at the reverse proxy layer. Additionally, removing the responsibility of dealing with firewalls and interacting with requests from clients outside of web servers permits them to focus solely on meeting the requirements of their customers.

In the case of multiple servers hosted by a reverse proxy the reverse proxy manages the routing of requests towards which servers. Multiple web servers could be operating on the same server, serving different kinds of resources or a mix of both. They can utilize the HTTP protocol as a normal web server, however they can additionally include application server protocols such as FastCGI. You can set up a reverse proxy to route clients to specific servers based on the request for source, and to follow specific rules regarding traffic volume.

Reverse proxies can also benefit from their positioning before web servers by providing caching capabilities. Large static files can be set by caching rules to avoid getting to web servers for every request. There are solutions that offer the possibility of serving static content directly without having to connect with the webserver in any way. Additionally, reverse proxy can help compress these assets.

The well-known Nginx web server has become a well-known reverse proxy choice. While it is true that it is true that the Apache web server has a reverse proxy capabilities as an added feature for Apache but Nginx was designed originally to and focuses on reverse proxy functionality.

Differentiating Forward Proxy and Reverse Proxy Use Examples

Since "forward" as well as "reverse" are associated with the perception of directionality, they can lead to false comparisons with "incoming" and "outgoing" traffic can confuse because both types of proxies process requests and respond. The best way to differentiate between reverse and forward proxy servers would be to look at the needs of the application that you are building.

Reverse proxy is an important aspect in the design of a system to support web applications on the internet. They act as your servers during any interaction through the Internet.

Forward proxy is useful to display customers' information to your personal use or for use in a working environment. The forward proxy is a representation of the information of the customer every time you interact with them on the internet.

A distinction based on usage case rather than focusing only on similar naming conventions can help avoid confusion.

Conclusion

The article clarified definition of a proxy. There are two types of them being the reverse and forward proxy. Practical applications and an examination of beneficial attributes were used to determine forward proxies as well as reverse proxies. If you're interested in exploring the role of proxy servers, learn how to set up Nginx as an internet server as well as reverse proxy in Apache on an Ubuntu 20.04 Server.

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