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A proxy, also known as a proxy is also referred to as a proxy server, is software that acts in the role of intermediaries between client and server over the internet. In the absence of a proxy server, a user would send a request for every resource straight to server, and servers would provide any requested resources directly to the client. This is a simple method to grasp and use however the addition of proxy servers could provide advantages including increased speed, privacy and security, among others. In addition to providing a layer of pass-through proxy servers function as a gatekeeper for the internet between clients and servers.




The general consensus is that the system of server hardware coupled with installed proxy software is commonly known as proxy servers. But, this article will focus on proxies traditionally defined as software, and more specifically with respect with web server. This article will provide a brief overview of the two primary types of proxies that are a forward proxy and a reverse proxy. Each has its own use, and can be confusing because of the same name convention.




This article will give you an idea of types of proxies, their subtypes, and what they can do in common configurations. After reading this article, you'll be able to know the scenarios where you can benefit from a proxy and determine the best choice between reverse proxy and forward proxy for any situation.



Understanding Forward Proxies



Forward proxy also referred to as open proxy, sometimes referred to as open proxy serves as an agent for a user who wants to transmit a request through the internet to an source server. In this instance, any attempt to send requests made by the client will be handled by the forward proxy. A forward proxy in the place of the client will examine the request. It will first determine whether the client is allowed to accept requests via this specific forward proxy. Then, it will either reject the request or forward it to the source server. The client will not be able to have an internet connection directly; it can only be capable of accessing the information that the forward proxy gives its access.




The most frequent reasons for forward proxy is greater privacy or security on the internet. A forward proxy accesses the internet instead of an individual client, and can use another IP address as opposed to the IP address used by the user.




Depending on how it's configured, based on the way it's configured, forward proxy may offer various features and allow you to:




Beware of tracking ads.


Circumvent surveillance.


Determine restrictions based on location.




Forward proxies can also be used in systems to provide central security as well as permission-based access, like at a workplace. If all internet traffic flows through an open forward proxy layer, administrators are able to allow only specific clients access to the internet. This is blocked by a common firewall. Instead of putting firewalls in place for the client layer which may include multiple machines with different user configurations, firewalls could be placed on the proxy layer that is in front.




Keep in mind that forward proxy servers must be manually configured for be used, while reverse proxies can be disregarded in the eyes of the user. According to the type of IP address of the client's connection to the server that originated it via the forward proxy privacy and security may be made more transparent.




There are many choices to be considered in determining forward proxy:




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


Nginx is another popular open-source webserver, which comes with forward proxy functionality.


Squid: An open source forward proxy that utilizes the HTTP protocol. The option does not include the entire web server. You can refer to our article about how for installing Squid proxy to allow private connections in Ubuntu 20.04.


Dante is a forward proxy which uses the SOCKS protocol instead of HTTP which allows it to be more suitable for scenarios such as peer-to-peer communication. You can also learn how to set up the Dante proxy for secure connections within Ubuntu 20.04



Understanding Reverse Proxies



Reverse proxy is the web server that handles the requests of customers on behalf of the server. The server could function as a single server or as a series of servers. Additionally, it can include an application servers, like Gunicorn. In all of these scenarios it is possible to send a request via the web in general. In most cases the request is made directly to the web server along with all the information the client in need of. A reverse proxy serves as an intermediary and separates your web server from communication with the internet's users.




From a consumer's point viewpoint from the perspective of a client, using reverse proxy is not any different than connecting directly to an internet server. It's functionally identical, however the client can't discern the distinction. The client makes a request for the resource and then gets it without any additional configuration required on the part of the client.




Reverse proxies offer features such as:




A centralized layer of security to guard the server.


Controlling traffic inbound based on rules that you can set up.


A new feature for caching has been added.




Although central security is an advantage of both forward and reverse proxy service, reverse proxies give this feature only to only the server layer, not the client layer. instead of maintaining firewalls at the server level which could include multiple servers with different configurations, the bulk of firewall security could be concentrated on the reverse proxy layer. In addition, eliminating the burden of communicating with firewalls and responding to requests from clients outside of web servers allows them to focus solely on meeting the requirements of their customers.




In the case of multiple servers being hosted through a reverse proxy, the reverse proxy also handles the routing of requests to the server that is hosting them. There could be multiple web servers providing the exact same service, or serving various kinds of resources, or a combination of the two. They may utilize an HTTP protocol for functioning as a standard web server, however they could also incorporate applications server protocols like FastCGI. It is possible to set up reverse proxy servers to direct clients to specific servers based on the request for resource, or to follow specific rules regarding traffic volume.




Reverse proxies also can utilize their position before web servers by offering caching capabilities. Large static assets can be managed using caching rules to prevent from reaching web servers with each time a request is made. There are solutions that offer the possibility of serving static content directly without having to interact with the webserver at all. In addition, reverse proxy is able to manage compressing these files.




The renowned Nginx web server has become a well-known reverse proxy choice. Although the Apache web server has reverse proxy capabilities, it is an added feature for Apache but Nginx was designed originally to focus on the reverse proxy function.



Differentiating Forward Proxy and Reverse Proxy Use Examples



Because "forward" as well as "reverse" are both associated with an impression of directionality and inaccurate comparisons to "incoming" as well as "outgoing" traffic and can be confusing since both kinds of proxies process requests and responses. A better approach to differentiate between reverse and forward proxy servers is to look at the needs of the application you're building.




Reverse proxy is a crucial feature in the development of a method to run web-based applications via the internet. They function as your servers when you interact with the Internet.




Forward proxy is useful to display customers' information to your personal use or in a work environment. The forward proxy is a representation of the information of the customer when you connect to the internet.




A distinction based on usage case rather than focusing only on naming conventions that are similar can help avoid confusion.



Conclusion



This article clarified the definition of a proxy with two types of them being the reverse and forward proxy. Practical applications as well as an exploration of beneficial attributes were used to determine forward proxies as well as reverse proxy. If you're interested in exploring the role of proxy servers, read our guide on how to configure Nginx as web server as well as reverse proxy within Apache on Ubuntu 20.04 Server. Ubuntu 20.04 Server.



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