A proxy is also known as a proxy server is software that acts as a mediator between a client and server on the internet. Without a proxy, a user can send a request for an item directly to a server, and the server would deliver the item directly to the client. Although this method is easy to comprehend and implement the addition of proxy servers can bring advantages in terms of increased performance and privacy, security and much more. Apart from offering a security layer proxy servers also act as a security guardian of the internet between clients and servers.




The general consensus is that the servers and the hardware that is used along with proxy software is often called proxy servers. However, this article will focus on the proxies that are typically categorized as software, and in the web server context. We will present a summary of the two main types that are forward proxy and reverse proxy. reverse proxy. Each has its own specific usage that can cause confusion because of a similar naming convention.




This article will give you an understanding of nature of proxies and the subtypes of them, as well as how they function in normal configurations. By reading this article, you'll learn to recognize the circumstances that are the best to use a proxy and decide on the appropriate choice between forward proxy and reverse proxy, in any situation.



Understanding Forward Proxies



In other words forward proxy also called an open proxy is a proxy of a user who would like to forward a request via the internet to an source server. In this case, every attempt to send requests from the client will instead be sent directly via the forward proxy. This forward proxy in place of the client, will look into the request. First, it will determine if the client has the right to receive requests from this specific forward proxy. It then decides whether to reject an request and forward it to the server that originally received it. The client is unable to have direct access to the internet. It can only access what the forward proxy permits its access.




The most common reason to utilize forward proxy servers is to increase privacy or security when surfing the internet. A forward proxy can be used to connect to the internet in the place of a client and as such it could use an alternative IP address to the IP address originally used by the client.




Based on the way it was configured in the past, forward proxy servers can provide a range of options. They allow you to:




Do not be a victim of ad tracking.


Circumvent surveillance.


You can identify restrictions based upon your geographic location.




Forward proxies may also be employed in systems that offer central security and permission-based access, like in the workplace. When all internet traffic passes through an open forward proxy layer administrators can restrict access to only certain clients to the internet and filter it through a standard firewall. Instead of having firewalls for the client layer which could comprise a variety of devices that are different in user and environment the firewall could be put into the forward proxy layer.




Be aware that forward proxy settings must be manually configured for use to function in reverse proxies, whereas forward proxy settings can be disregarded by clients. Depending on the type of IP address of a user is passed to the original server via forward proxy privacy and anonymity could be granted or denied.




There are several possibilities to consider for forward proxies




Apache: A popular open-source web server that has forward proxy functions.


Nginx: Another renowned open-source webserver that has forward proxy features.


Squid: A free forward proxy that utilizes an HTTP protocol. This doesn't offer an entire internet server. Take a look at our step-bystep guide to set up Squid proxy to allow private connections on Ubuntu 20.04.


Dante forward proxy which runs using the SOCKS protocol, instead of HTTP this makes it more appropriate for scenarios such as peer-topeer traffic. It is also possible to look at the procedure for installing the Dante proxy to connect privately in Ubuntu 20.04



Understanding Reverse Proxies



A reverse proxy functions as a representation of a web server that handles any requests that come in from clients in its place. The web server could comprise one or more servers. Additionally, it can be a server for applications such as Gunicorn. In either of these scenarios an application request is made from a user via the internet as a whole. In most cases the request is sent directly to the server that hosts the information that the client is seeking. Reverse proxy, however, serves as an intermediary securing Web servers from direct contact with the public internet.




From a consumer's point view that is a user's viewpoint, interfacing using a reverse proxy is similar to working with direct connections to an internet server. It's the same, but the user is unable to see the difference. The client asks for a resource and then receives it, with no additional configuration needed on the part of the client.




Reverse proxies offer features like:




Secured centrally to protect Web Server Layer.


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


The caching functionality was added to the application.




While central security is an advantage of both forward and reverse proxy servers, reverse proxies provide this benefit only to the server layer and it is not available to the client layer. Instead of maintaining firewalls at Web server layers that may contain many servers and different configurations, the bulk of the firewall security is targeted at reverse proxy layers. Also, the removal of the responsibility of interfacing with firewalls as well as dealing with requests from clients outside of web servers allows them to focus on meeting the needs of their customers.




When there is a multitude of servers hosted using a reverse-proxy, the reverse proxy is also responsible for directing what requests go at the server. There could be multiple web servers providing identical content providing various types of resources or a mixture of both. These servers may be running the HTTP protocol exactly the same way as a standard web server however, they may also use other protocols for application servers such as FastCGI. It is also possible to set up reverse proxy servers to direct clients to specific servers based upon the resource requested or to follow specific rules regarding traffic load.




Reverse proxies also can benefit from their position ahead of web servers, by providing the ability to cache. The large static files can be configured with caching rules to avoid hitting web servers with every request. There are even solutions that allow the server to serve static assets directly without having to connect to the web server once. In addition reverse proxy solutions can manage compression of these assets.




The well-known Nginx web server is also used as an extremely popular reverse proxy solution. While Apache has a reverse proxy service, the Apache web server is also able to function complete with the reverse proxy function, it is an additional attribute of Apache whereas Nginx was originally designed to and is focused on its reverse proxy feature.



Distinguishing Forward Proxy from Reverse Proxy Use Examples



Because "forward" and "reverse" have connotations of directionality, as well as false comparisons to "incoming" as well as "outgoing" traffic the labels can be confusing as both types of proxies deal with requests and responses. A better approach to differentiate between reverse and forward proxy is to look at the requirements of the program you're creating.




A reverse proxy can be helpful when building an application that runs web-based applications over the internet. They serve as your web servers when you interact on the web.




Forward proxy can be useful when it is displayed before clients for personal use or within an office environment. They represent your clients when you interact with the internet.




The use case-based differentiation instead of focusing on commonly used naming conventions can help in avoidance of confusion.



Conclusion



This article clarified the definition of a proxy using two types: the forward proxy and the reverse proxy. Practical applications as well as a summary of beneficial characteristics were employed to identify between reverse and forward proxies. If you're interested to learn more about how to set up proxy servers, you can refer to our guide on how you can set up Nginx as an internet server and reverse proxy using Apache on Ubuntu 20.04. Ubuntu 20.04 server.



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