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The term "proxy" refers to the fact that a proxy or proxy server. It is a software that sits in the middle between client and a server on the internet. Without a proxy, a client would make a request for a service direct to a server and it would serve the resource directly back to the user. It is easy to understand and implement, using proxies can provide benefits in the form of increased security, performance, privacy, and much more. As a pass-through layer proxies act as a gatekeeper on the internet, separating servers and clients.




It is generally accepted that the collection of hardware used by servers and proxy software installed is commonly called proxy servers. This article will concentrate on proxy servers which are generally described as software, as well as the ones used together with web servers. The article will provide an explanation of two types of proxy servers, specifically forward proxy and reverse proxy. forward proxy and reverse proxy. reverse proxy. Each kind has its own terminology that could be confusing due to the use of overlapping terms.




This article will provide you with an idea of the nature of proxies and their subtypes and their importance in typical setups. After reading this article, you'll be able to identify scenarios where an effective proxy is advantageous, and decide on the best option for you between forward and reverse proxy, in any scenario.



Understanding Forward Proxies



In other words forward proxy, also referred to as open proxy open proxy is an agent of the user trying to transmit the request online an server. In this situation every attempt to send requests made by the client will rather be sent through the forward proxy. In this case, the forward proxy acting on behalf of the client will review the request. At first, it will decide whether clients are authorized send requests via this particular forward proxy. It will then either refuse requests or redirect it to its origin server. The client does not have direct connection to the internet; it is only able to access what the forward proxy permits the client to access.




The most common reason for using forward proxy servers is for more privacy or security online. A forward proxy uses the internet for the individual client. And in this way it could use an IP address distinct from the IP address of the client.




Depending on how it's been setup depending on the way it's set up, forward proxy could offer a range of features and the capability to:




Beware of ad-tracker.


Circumvent surveillance.


You can determine restrictions based upon your location.




Forward proxies can also be utilized in systems that provide central security, as well as permission-based access, for example in the workplace. When all traffic on the internet flows through a common forward proxy layer, admins are able to restrict only a small number of users online access which is filtered by an common firewall. Instead of establishing firewalls for this layer that may be utilized by multiple computers with various configurations and environments, a firewall can be added to this forward proxy layer.




Be aware the fact that forward proxy servers must be manually configured before they can be used while reverse proxies could be ignored by clients. Depending on whether the IP address of the client has been sent to the origin server through the forward proxy, privacy and anonymity can be granted or kept secret.




There are a variety of possibilities to think about when it comes to forward proxy options.




Apache The Apache is a well-known open-source web server that provides forward proxy features.


Nginx: Another popular open-source web server with forward proxy capabilities.


Squid is an open source forward proxy using the HTTP protocol. This doesn't offer the complete web-based server. You can check out our guide on the most efficient method to install Squid proxy for private connections on Ubuntu 20.04.


Dante forward proxy that runs using the SOCKS protocol rather than HTTP this makes it better suited for scenarios such as peer-to-peer traffic. It is also possible to look into how to set up Dante proxy to allow secure connections within Ubuntu 20.04



Understanding Reverse Proxies



Reverse proxy acts to act as an agent of a web server. It takes care of incoming requests from clients on behalf of the server. The web server could function as a single server or multiple servers. In addition, it could contain an application server like Gunicorn. In either case, a request could come from a user on the internet in general. Typically, the request will be directly sent to the web server that holds the data the user is seeking. Contrarily, a reverse proxy acts as an intermediary that isolates the web server from direct interaction with the internet's open.




From the viewpoint of the client, interacting using reverse proxy isn't any different from interacting with an internet server direct. It's exactly the same, but the client doesn't see the distinction. The client asks for the resource, and is then provided with it, with no further configuration required for the customer.




Reverse proxy providers provide features like:




Security centralized on webservers.


Incoming traffic is directed by rules you set up.


Additional features to cache data.




While central security is an advantage of both reverse and forward proxy, reverse proxies add this benefit to the layer on the webserver and not the client layer. Instead of focusing on maintaining firewalls at the server level which may include multiple servers that have various configurations, the bulk of firewall security can be focused at the reverse proxy layer. Furthermore, taking the burden of interacting with firewalls as well as communicating requests by clients away from web servers allows firewalls to focus on providing resources.




In the case of multiple servers running in a reverse proxy the reverse proxy may be also responsible for directing which requests are directed to which servers. Multiple web servers might be running on the same server, each providing different types of resources or a mixture of both. The servers employ their HTTP protocol to serve as a standard web server. They can also be equipped with application server protocols like FastCGI. You can set up reverse proxy that directs the clients towards specific servers in accordance with the resource requested or to comply with certain guidelines regarding the traffic load.




Reverse proxies can also be able to benefit from their location ahead of web servers by using caching capabilities. Massive static resources can be set up with caching policy to prevent the web server from being hit with every request, with certain solutions allowing you to serve static content directly, without having to connect to a servers in any manner. Additionally, the reverse proxy can be capable of handling compression of these assets.




The well-known Nginx web server also functions as an effective reverse proxy solution. Even though Apache is also an alternative to reverse proxy however, the Apache website server additionally has reverse proxy functionality, it is a different option to Apache however Nginx was originally designed to and concentrates specifically on the reverse proxy features.



Differentiating Forward Proxy from Reverse Proxy Use Cases



Since "forward" and "reverse" are both associated with an impression of directionality and false connections with "incoming" or "outgoing" traffic, the labels can be confusing since both types of proxy can manage both requests and responses. Better yet, the best method to differentiate between both forward and reverse proxy is to take into account the requirements of the application that you're developing.




Reverse proxy is beneficial when you're developing a solution to serve web-based applications via the internet. They serve as your web servers for any interaction on the Internet.




Forward proxy can be useful when presented to clients for personal use or in a professional setting. They are your client's representative in any interactions on the internet.




A case-based distinction instead of focusing solely on similar naming conventions can assist you in avoidance of confusion.



Conclusion



This article will explain what a "proxy" is with the two main types being the forward proxy and reverse proxy. Practical scenarios to use them and a look at advantageous features were used to distinguish between two kinds of proxies: forward and reverse. If you're interested exploring how to set up proxies, check out our guide on how to set up Nginx as a web server and reverse proxy on Apache on one Ubuntu 20.04 Server.



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