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A proxy, also known as a proxy is also referred to for its role as a proxy. is software that acts to act as an intermediary for a client and server via the internet. Without the proxy, a user could send a request for any resource directly to the server, and servers would deliver the requested resource directly to the user. Although this method is easy to grasp and use however, the addition of proxy servers can offer advantages like increased performance, privacy and security, among others. In addition to providing a layer of security, proxies act as a gatekeeper for the internet between clients and servers.




There is a general consensus that the server hardware coupled with installed proxy software is commonly referred as proxy servers. However, this article will concentrate on proxies that are traditionally referred to as software, and more specifically in relation to web servers. This article will provide a brief overview of the two major types of proxies which are forward proxy and reverse proxy. reverse proxy. Each has its own use, and can be confusing due to the identical name convention.




This article will give you an idea of the what proxies and their subtypes are, as well as their importance for common setups. After reading this article, you'll be able to know the scenarios where you may benefit from a proxy, and make the right alternative between reverse proxy or forward proxy depending on the scenario.



Understanding Forward Proxies



Forward proxy sometimes called the open proxy is a proxy for users who wish to send a request via the internet to a source server. In this instance, any request sent by the user will be handled by the forward proxy. A forward proxy that is in instead of the user will look into the request. It first will determine if the client is legally authorized to accept requests from this particular forward proxy. Then, it will either reject requests or send it back to server from which it originated. The client will not be able to have directly access to internet; it is only able to access the information that the forward proxy allows its access.




The most frequent applications for forward proxy servers is to provide greater privacy or security on the internet. Forward proxy connects to the internet in lieu of a specific client and during that process it could use an alternative IP address in comparison to the IP address used by the user.




Depending on how it's configured depending on how it is configured forward proxy could provide a range of options and let you:




Do not click on ads that track you.


Circumvent surveillance.


Establish restrictions based upon your location.




Forward proxies can also be used in systems that provide central security and permission based access, like in a workplace. If all internet traffic flows through a common forward proxy layer administrators are able to permit only certain users access to the internet. The web is controlled by a standard firewall. Instead of having firewalls in place for the client layer, which could include multiple machines with different user configurations, firewalls could be placed at the proxy layer that is in front.




Remember that forward proxies must be manually configured for use, while reverse proxy servers could be not recognized by the client. Depending on the type of IP address of the client's connection to the server that generated it through the forward proxy, privacy and security may be made transparent.




There are many options to take into consideration in determining forward proxy:




Apache is a well-known open-source web server that offers forward proxy capabilities.


Nginx is another well-known open-source webserver, which comes with forward proxy capability.


Squid: A free and open forward proxy open source that uses an HTTP protocol. The option does not include the whole web server. It is possible to refer to our guide on the best way to set up Squid proxy to allow private connections in Ubuntu 20.04.


Dante is a forward proxy that uses the SOCKS protocol instead of HTTP this allows it to be more suitable for scenarios such as peer-to-peer connections. It is also possible to learn how to set up a Dante proxy for private connections in Ubuntu 20.04



Understanding Reverse Proxies



Reverse proxy is a web server, which takes care of the requests of customers on behalf of the server. This server can serve as a single server or a number of servers. Additionally, it can comprise an application server, such as Gunicorn. In any of these instances the request will be made via the web at large. In most cases the request is made directly to the server, along with the resources the client in need of. Reverse proxy acts as an intermediary and separates your website server from communicating with the web's public.




From the point of the client's point of, using reverse proxy is not different from connecting to an internet server direct. It's functionally identical, however the client isn't able to discern the distinction. The client makes a request for the resource, and it receives it without any further configuration required by the client.




Reverse proxies offer various features, including:




A central layer of security to guard the server.


Directing incoming traffic using rules that you can establish.


A new feature to cache is now available.




Central security is an advantage of both forward and reverse proxy services, reverse proxies provide this benefit only to the server layer, only the layer that clients use. In lieu of maintaining firewalls at the server level which might contain many servers with different configurations, the bulk of firewall security is directed at the reverse proxy layer. Furthermore, taking the burden of interacting with firewalls and responding to requests from clients not connected to web servers lets them concentrate solely on delivering the requirements of their clients.




In the event of multiple servers hosting through a reverse proxy it also manages the routing of requests to the servers. Multiple servers may be operating on the same server, serving different kinds of resources or a mix of both. They can utilize an HTTP protocol to function as a normal web server, however they can additionally include applications server protocols like FastCGI. You can create reverse proxy servers to direct clients to specific servers based on the request for resource, or to follow certain guidelines for traffic volume.




Reverse proxies also can utilize their position prior to web servers by providing caching capabilities. Large static assets can be managed using caching rules to prevent getting to web servers for every request. There are solutions that offer an option to serve static content without needing to interact with the webserver in any way. In addition, reverse proxy is able to handle compressing these assets.




The well-known Nginx webserver is known as a well-known reverse proxy choice. It is true that it is true that the Apache web server does have a reverse proxy capabilities as an added feature for Apache However, Nginx was originally designed to and focuses on reverse proxy functionality.



Differentiating Forward Proxy and reverse Proxy Use Examples



Since "forward" and "reverse" are both associated with a sense of directionality and inaccurate comparisons to "incoming" or "outgoing" traffic. They could be confusing because both kinds of proxies handle requests and response. The best way to differentiate between reverse and forward proxy servers would be to study the requirements of the application you're creating.




Reverse proxy is a crucial element in the creation of a system to support websites on the internet. They act as your servers whenever you connect to the Internet.




Forward proxy is useful to display customers' information for personal use or even in a workplace. They represent the client's information when you connect to the internet.




A distinction based upon use case rather than focusing only on similar naming conventions will help avoid confusion.



Conclusion



This article clarified the meaning of a proxy with two types of them being the reverse and forward proxy. Practical applications and an examination of the beneficial attributes were utilized to distinguish forward proxies from reverse proxy. If you're interested in the benefits for proxy servers you can read our guide on how to set up Nginx as an internet server as well as reverse proxy in Apache on Ubuntu 20.04 Server. Ubuntu 20.04 Server.



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