proxy, also referred to as a proxy or proxy server, is a server software that sits as a mediator between a client and server over the internet. In the absence of an intermediary users would send a request for an item straight to the server, and servers would serve the item directly to the user. While this is a simple method to understand and implement, proxies can provide advantages such as increased performance, privacy, security and many more. A proxy that is a pass-through layer is a gatekeeper for the internet between servers and users.

In general generally speaking, the bundle of server hardware and proxy software is referred too as proxy servers. This article will concentrate on proxy servers that are generally referred to as software, and those that are used together with web servers. We will provide a brief overview of the two types of proxy servers, which are a forward proxy and the reverse proxy. Each has its own use case, and is frequently misunderstood due to the similar terminology.

This article will provide you with an idea of the types of proxy services and what their subtypes are, as in how they work in the common configurations. Through this article, will be able to recognize the scenarios where you could benefit from a proxy, and decide on the best choice between forward and reverse proxy options in any given scenario.

Understanding Forward Proxies

A forward proxy, often called the open proxy is an agent of a user who wishes to send a request through the internet to an the server that made the request. In this case, it's the situation that all requests made by the client should be sent direct to the forward proxy. Forward proxy in the place of the client, will examine the request. At the beginning, it will determine if the client is able to handle requests through this specific forward proxy. Then, it will either decide whether to reject requests or redirect them to the original server. The client is not able to have direct access to the internet but it is able to access what the forward proxy gives the client access.

The primary reason for people to utilize forward proxy servers is to increase privacy or security on the internet. A forward proxy can be used to access the internet in place of clients. In the process, it uses an IP address that is different from the IP address originally that the client uses.

Based on how it has been set up according to how it was initially configured forward proxy can grant you various features as well as the ability to:

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  Beware of ads that track you.
  
  
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  Circumvent surveillance.
  
  
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  You will be able to identify any limitations based on your geographical location.
  
  

Forward proxies can also be used in systems to provide central security, as well as access to users based on their permissions, for instance at a workplace. In the event that all internet traffic flows via an open forward proxy an administrator can allow access only to a few individuals to access the web. The web is filtered by a common firewall. Instead of keeping firewalls in place for the client layer, which can comprise a range of machines that have different user and environment A firewall can be installed on top of an forward proxy layer.

Be aware that forward proxies need to be manually set up before they can be used in order to be used in a reverse proxy, whereas forward proxies are able to not be noticed by the user. Depending on whether the IP address of a user is passed to the server which originated it through the forward proxy privacy and anonymity may be granted or left transparent.

There are a variety of possibilities to consider for forward proxies

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  Apache A well-known, open-source web server that provides forward proxy functionality.
  
  
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  Nginx: Another well-known open source server for hosting websites with forward proxy capabilities.
  
  
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  Squid is an open-source forward proxy which uses the HTTP protocol. It's not an entire web server service. Read our guide on how you can configure Squid proxy to allow private connections on Ubuntu 20.04.
  
  
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  Dante Forward proxy that uses the SOCKS protocol instead HTTP to allow it to be more suitable for use scenarios such as peer-to -peer traffic. You may also want to look at how you can set up Dante proxy to allow private connections on Ubuntu 20.04
  
  

Understanding Reverse Proxies

A reverse proxy functions as a representative of the web server which takes care of any requests that come in from clients on behalf. The web server could represent a single or multiple servers. It could also represent an application servers, like Gunicorn. In all these instances, the request for an application comes by a user of the internet in general. Most of the time, the request will go directly to the web server that hosts the data the client is seeking. In contrast, a reverse proxy functions as an intermediary to isolate Web server from any direct interactions with the internet's open.

From the point of view of the user's view, working using reverse proxy is anything different than working with a Web server directly. It works identical to the web server and the client is unable tell the difference. The client is able to request the resource and is then provided with it, without any additional configuration required by the client.

Reverse proxies grant certain features, such as:

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  Centrally secured for Web Server Layer.
  
  
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  The direction of traffic coming in according to rules you have set.
  
  
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  A new feature for caching has been added.
  
  

While centralized security is an advantage of both forward and reverse proxy services, reverse proxies provide this for their web server layer not the client layer. In lieu of maintaining firewalls within the layer of web servers which may contain multiple servers that have different configurations The majority of firewall security is focused at the reverse proxy layer. Furthermore, the detachment of the responsibility to interact with a firewall and communicating with requests from clients via web servers allows them to concentrate on delivering the needs of their clients.

If there are multiple servers that are running via reverse proxy the reverse proxy may be also responsible for the direction in which requests are routed through which server. There may be several web servers hosting similar resources each of them offering a different kind of services or a mixture of both. They can use an HTTP protocol to operate as a standard internet server, but they also include applications server protocols like FastCGI. You can set up reverse proxy in order to redirect visitors to specific servers based on the kind of resource they're searching for, or follow specific rules for traffic load.

Reverse proxies can also utilize their positioning before web servers, by providing the ability to cache. Large static assets can be capable of being configured with caching rules that prevent them from getting into web servers with every request. There are options that offer an option to provide static files without having to connect directly to the website server. Additionally, the reverse proxy can manage compression of these files.

The well-known Nginx website server a popular reverse proxy option. While Apache can also be regarded as a reverse proxy service however, the Apache web server is also equipped with reverse proxy function, it is a distinct characteristic in Apache however Nginx was designed originally for and primarily focused on the reverse proxy feature.

The difference is between Forward Proxy and Reverse Proxy Use Examples

Because "forward" and "reverse" are associated with directionality, they also create misleading comparisons with "incoming" and "outgoing" traffic and can be confusing as both kinds of proxies can respond to requests as well as responses. In addition, the most effective method of separating those proxies that are forward or reverse is to look at the needs of the application that you are building.

Reverse proxy is helpful when building a solution to deliver web-based applications to the internet. They act as your servers when you are on the internet.

Forward proxy can be useful when it is put before the client for personal use or in a work setting. They serve as the proxy for your client whenever you interact on the internet.

Differentiating by case of use instead of focusing on similar naming conventions will make sure that you aren't confused.

Conclusion

This article explains what a proxy is with two types, namely the forward proxy and reverse proxy. Practical applications as well as an exploration of useful features were utilized to differentiate between forward and reverse proxies. If you're interested in knowing more about how to implement proxy services, be sure to go through our guide on how to set up Nginx as an internet server as well as reverse proxy in Apache on one Ubuntu 20.04 server.

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