An proxy is also referred to as a proxy server, is software that acts to act as an intermediary for client and server on the internet. If there was no proxy in place, the user could send a request for anything directly to the server and servers would deliver the requested resource directly to the user. This is a simple method to understand and use, however the addition of proxy servers could provide advantages like increased performance, privacy and security, and so on. As an additional layer of pass-through proxy servers act as a guardian for the internet between clients and servers.

The consensus is that the system of server hardware coupled with installed proxy software is commonly referred as proxy servers. This article will focus on proxy servers that are typically categorized as software, and more specifically with respect with web server. We will present a summary of the two primary types of proxy: a forward proxy and reverse proxy. reverse proxy. Each has its own use, which could be confusing due to the identical namestamp.

This article will give you an idea of the what proxies and their subtypes, and what they can do for common setups. By reading this article, you'll be able to understand the situations when you can benefit from a proxy and make the right option between reverse proxy and forward proxy depending on the scenario.

Understanding Forward Proxies

Forward proxy, also known as open proxy, sometimes referred to as open proxy is a proxy for users who wish to make a request over the internet to an source server. In this instance, any request sent by the client will be handled by this forward proxy. A forward proxy in the place of the client will examine the request. It first decides if the client is authorized to accept requests through this particular forward proxy. Then, it can either refuse the request or forward it to the server from which it originated. The client will not be allowed direct access to the internet. it will only be allowed access to the information that forward proxy grants its access.

A very frequent applications for forward proxy servers is greater security or privacy on the internet. Forward proxy connects to the internet in lieu of an individual client, and in the process, it may use a different IP address, in contrast to the IP address used by the client.

Based on the way it's configured depending on how it's configured forward proxy could provide a range of features and allow you to:

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  Beware of tracking ads.
  
  
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  Circumvent surveillance.
  
  
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  Find restrictions based on the your location.
  
  

Forward proxies are also used in systems that provide central security and permit-based access to the internet, for instance in a workplace. If all internet traffic flows through a common forward proxy layer administrator can restrict access to only certain clients to the internet. This is blocked by a common firewall. Instead of keeping firewalls in place for the client layer which may include multiple machines with different settings and types of users, the firewall could be placed at on an intermediary layer.

Remember that forward proxies must be manually set up to use, while reverse proxy servers could be ignored by the client. According to the kind of IP address the client's connection to the server that generated it through the forward proxy, security and privacy can be made clear.

There are a myriad of possibilities to consider in determining forward proxy:

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  Apache is a well-known open source web server which provides forward proxy capabilities.
  
  
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  Nginx is a popular open-source webserver which has forward proxy functionality.
  
  
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  Squid: An open source forward proxy that utilizes an HTTP protocol. This option doesn't include the entire web server. You can refer to our guide on how to set up Squid proxy to permit private connections in Ubuntu 20.04.
  
  
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  Dante is an forward proxy that utilizes the SOCKS protocol instead of HTTP which makes it more appropriate for situations such as peer-to-peer communication. You can also check out how to set up a Dante proxy to allow secure connections within Ubuntu 20.04
  
  

Understanding Reverse Proxies

Reverse proxy is the web server, which takes care of the requests of customers on behalf of the server. It can be used as a one server, or a number of servers. It could also include an application servers, such as Gunicorn. In all of these scenarios it is possible to send a request via the web in general. In the majority of cases, the request is sent directly to the web server along with all the information the user requires. A reverse proxy functions as an intermediary and separates your web server from communication with the web's public.

From a consumer's point view from a client's perspective reverse proxy use is not any different than connecting to an internet server direct. It's basically the same, but clients aren't aware of the difference. The client makes a request for the resource, and it receives it without any further configuration needed on the part of the client.

Reverse proxies offer various features, including:

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  A central layer of security to guard the server.
  
  
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  The direction of traffic that is using rules that you set up.
  
  
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  A new feature for caching has been added.
  
  

Although central security is an advantage of both reverse and forward proxy solutions, reverse proxy providers provide this feature only to only the server layer, it is not available to the client layer. In lieu of the maintenance of firewalls at the server level that could contain multiple servers and different configurations, the majority of firewall security is directed at the reverse proxy layer. Furthermore, taking the burden of communicating with firewalls and responding to requests from clients not connected to web servers lets them concentrate solely on delivering the requirements of their customers.

In the case of multiple servers hosted by a reverse proxy the reverse proxy handles the routing of requests towards the servers. There could be multiple web servers providing the exact same service, serving different kinds of resources or a mixture of both. They can utilize the HTTP protocol to function as a standard web server, but they could also incorporate applications server protocols like FastCGI. It is possible to set up reverse proxy that routes clients to specific servers based on the request for resource, or to follow certain rules for traffic volume.

Reverse proxies may also make use of their positioning before web servers by providing caching capabilities. Large static assets can be set by caching rules to avoid getting to web servers for every request. There are options that provide the possibility of serving static content directly, without having to communicate with the webserver in any way. Furthermore, reverse proxy can handle compressing these assets.

The renowned Nginx web server has become a well-known reverse proxy option. Although Apache web server does have reverse proxy capabilities, Apache web server is able to use reverse proxy capabilities, it is an additional feature that is available to Apache however Nginx was designed originally to focus on the reverse proxy function.

Distinguishing Forward Proxy from Reverse Proxy Examples

Because "forward" as well as "reverse" are both associated with the perception of directionality, they can lead to false comparisons with "incoming" and "outgoing" traffic. They can be confusing since both kinds of proxy servers process requests and response. A better approach to differentiate between reverse and forward proxy servers is to look at the requirements of the application you're creating.

Reverse proxy is a crucial element in the creation of a system to support web applications on the internet. They act as your servers during any interaction through the Internet.

Forward proxy can be useful to display customers' information for your own use, or for use in a working environment. They represent the client's information whenever you interact on the internet.

A distinction based upon use cases instead of focusing on similar naming conventions can help avoid confusion.

Conclusion

The article clarified meaning of a proxy. There are two types, the forward and the reverse proxy. Practical applications and an examination of beneficial attributes were used to identify forward proxies and reverse proxy. If you're interested in exploring the benefits for proxy servers you can follow our tutorial on how to configure Nginx as a web service and reverse proxy within Apache using the Ubuntu 20.04 Server.