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An proxy also referred to the proxy server, is a software that acts as a mediator between client and server on the internet. Without a proxy, a client would make a request resources directly to a server, and it would serve that resource to its user directly. Although this is a simple process to comprehend and implement with proxy servers, it could provide benefits in the form of enhanced performance as well as privacy, security and more. In addition to providing a layer of security, a proxy acts as a gatekeeper for the internet between servers and clients.

In general, the bundle of server hardware with installed proxy software is generally called a proxy server. In this post, we'll concentrate on proxy servers that are typically classified as software and when it comes to web servers. This article will give a detailed breakdown of the two main types of proxies: the forward proxy as well as a reverse proxy. Each type has a different usage scenario, which is often misunderstood due to a similar the name convention.

This article will give you an idea of the different types of proxy and what their subtypes are as well as their value in common setups. Through the article you'll know what circumstances that a good proxy can be beneficial, and choose the correct solution in between forward and reverse proxy depending on the circumstance.

Understanding Forward Proxies

A forward proxy also called an open proxy serves as an intermediary for the client who is trying to connect via the internet to a source server. In this scenario, every request sent by the client will be directed direct to the forward proxy. A forward proxy, acting in the client's place, will examine the request. First, it will determine if the client is permitted access to requests made by this specific forward proxy. Then, it will deny any request, or redirect it to the original server. The client has no connection to any internet. It is able to access only what forward proxy gives the client access.

One of the most frequent uses for forward proxies is to increase privacy or security while using the internet. Forward proxy utilizes the internet as a client, and in that process, it uses an alternate IP address in addition to the client's original IP address.

Based on the way it was configured, based on the way it's configured forward proxy can provide different features depending on the way it's configured that allow users to:

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  Stay clear of tracking ads.
  
  
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  Circumvent surveillance.
  
  
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  You can determine restrictions based on your geographical area.
  
  

Forward proxies are also utilized in systems that provide central security as well as permission-based access, like at an office. Internet traffic can go via an open forward proxy, administrators are able to limit access to specific clients on the internet that is protected by a common firewall. As opposed to having firewalls for the client layer that may include multiple computers that have different configurations and users it is possible to install an firewall that is located in the forward proxy layer.

Take note the forward proxy setting must be manually set up to be used, however reverse proxies will be disregarded from the clients. Based on the fact that the IP address of the user is transmitted to the server from which it came from by the forward proxy, privacy and security could be granted or hidden.

There are a myriad of options to consider for forward proxy options:

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  Apache is a well-known open-source web server, that offers forward-looking proxy features.
  
  
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  Nginx: Another widely used open-source server for web hosting with forward proxy features.
  
  
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  Squid: A free forward proxy that uses the HTTP protocol. It's not the whole web server. Take a look at our guide on how to install Squid proxy to connect privately within Ubuntu 20.04.
  
  
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  Dante is a forward-looking proxy, which makes use of the SOCKS protocol instead of HTTP to make it better suitable for peer-to-peer communication. You may also want to know how to create a Dante proxy for connection to private networks in Ubuntu 20.04
  
  

Understanding Reverse Proxies

A reverse proxy is the web server that handles the incoming requests of customers on behalf of. The web server could be a single, or a number of servers. It may additionally be an app server such as Gunicorn. In any of these situations an application request is made through the internet. Most of the time the request will be sent directly to the web server with the resources the client is requesting. In contrast, a reverse proxy acts as an intermediary and isolates your website server from communication with the open internet.

From the perspective of the client an individual's viewpoint reverse proxy is a process that reverse proxy isn't different from connecting to a Web server through direct communication. It's the same thing and the client is unable to discern the distinction. The client makes a request for the resource, which is then followed by the receipt without the need for any additional configurations required for the user.

Reverse proxies provide functions like:

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  A centralized layer of security to protect the server.
  
  
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  The direction of traffic coming in is based upon rules that you can define.
  
  
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  New feature added to caching.
  
  

Although centralized security is a benefit of both reverse and forward proxy, reverse proxies apply this function to the web server layer, but not the client layer. Instead of focusing on the maintenance of firewalls at the server level, which could contain multiple servers with different configurations, most of firewall security is targeted towards the reverse proxy layer. Furthermore, the elimination of the responsibility of communicating with firewalls and communicating with requests from clients far from web servers permits them to focus on serving the needs of their customers.

In the case of multiple servers running through a reverse proxy, the reverse proxy is also responsible to direct which requests will go via which server. There could be multiple web servers that provide the same content, each providing different services, or a mix of both. They could be running the HTTP protocol that is the standard web server, but they can also contain other protocols used by application servers like FastCGI. You can also set up reverse proxy settings to direct users to a particular server based on the resource requested or to comply with certain guidelines regarding the load of traffic.

Reverse proxies also take advantage of their position over web servers, as they have the capability to store information. Massive static resources can be configured with caching policies to avoid hitting web servers on every request. Some solutions providing the option to serve static content directly without contacting servers on the internet in any manner. In addition the reverse proxy is able to help compress these assets.

The popular Nginx web server also functions as a well-known reverse proxy option. However, similar functionality within the Apache web server, it has a reverse proxy features as an additional option that is accessible for Apache while Nginx was initially designed to and is specifically designed for reverse proxy functions.

Differentiating Forward Proxy and Reverse Proxy Use Cases

Since "forward" in addition to "reverse" have connotations of directionality, and false comparisons with "incoming" and "outgoing" traffic These labels could be confusing since both types of proxy servers process requests and responses. The best method to differentiate between the reverse and forward proxy types is to look at the requirements of the app you're creating.

Reverse proxy is useful when designing an application that can serve web applications via the internet. They are your servers when you use the internet.

Forward proxy can be beneficial when they are placed before customers for your own usage or in a business setting. They represent the traffic of your clients in any interactions via the internet.

The use case-based differentiation instead of focusing solely on common naming conventions can aid in avoidance of confusion.

Conclusion

This article clarified what a proxy is with the two main types of proxy: the forward proxy and the reverse proxy. Practical applications and a review of the beneficial attributes were used to identify forward proxies and reverse proxy. If you're looking to know more about the implementation of proxy servers You can read our tutorial on how to configure Nginx as reverse proxy and web server proxy on Apache on one Ubuntu 20.04 server.

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