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It's a proxy which is also known as a proxy server. It is a software that serves in the role of a intermediary between a client and server over the internet. Without a proxy, a user can make a request for every resource straight to the server and then the server would deliver the resource directly to the user. Although this method is simple to comprehend and implement the addition of proxies can offer advantages in terms of enhanced performance, privacy, security, and many other benefits. As a pass-through layer, a proxy serves as a security guardian of the internet between servers and clients.




There is a general consensus that the combination of server hardware as well as software used to set up proxy installations is commonly referred to as proxy servers. This article will concentrate on proxy servers that are typically classified as software, as well as when referring to web servers. We will discuss of the two principal kinds, namely which are a forward proxy and reverse proxy. reverse proxy. Each has its own unique usage situation, and is often confused due to the same terminology.




This article will give you some understanding about the different types of proxy and the subtypes of them and how they function in the most common configurations. After reading this article, you'll be able determine the situations in which you can benefit by a proxy, and select the most appropriate reverse and forward proxy options for each scenario.



Understanding Forward Proxies



The forward proxy, also known by the name of an open proxy acts as the representative of a client who wishes to send a request via the internet to a source server. In this instance, the whole request sent by the user is instead forwarded by the forward-proxy. The forward proxy, acting in the client's stead, will scrutinize the request. The first step is to determine whether the client is permitted to accept requests from this specific forward proxy. It then decides whether to decline a request and forward it to its origin server. The client is not capable of having direct access to the internet. It can access only what the forward proxy allows the client to access.




A popular use for forward proxies is to gain more privacy or security on the internet. A forward proxy is able to access the internet place of a client and as such it can make use of a different IP address than the client's original IP address.




Based on the way it has been set up the forward proxy will provide a variety of functions depending on how it is configured and allows you to:




Avoid tracking ads.


Circumvent surveillance.


Find restrictions based on your area.




Forward proxies can also be used for security systems that are centralized and permission-based access like at work. Every internet connection can go by an open forward proxy, an administrator can grant only a few clients connection to internet through an ordinary firewall. Instead of creating security firewalls on the server layer, which may comprise a variety of computers with different settings and users A firewall can be installed at an forward proxy layer.




It is vital to note that forward proxies need to be set up manually for use, however reverse proxy servers will be ignored by clients. Based on the fact that the IP address of a user is transmitted to the origin server by the forward proxy, privacy and anonymity could be granted, or left unnoticed.




There are a myriad of possibilities to explore forward proxy options




Apache is a well-known open-source web server which provides forward proxy features.


Nginx is a popular open-source webserver that comes with forward proxy features.


Squid is an open-source forward proxy that utilizes the HTTP protocol. It isn't an all-inclusive website server program. You can check out our instructions on setting up Squid proxy to connect privately in Ubuntu 20.04.


Dante Forward Proxy that utilizes the SOCKS protocol instead of HTTP which makes it more suited for cases like peer-to-peer communication. You may also want to examine how you can setup a Dante proxy for private connections in Ubuntu 20.04



Understanding Reverse Proxies



The reverse proxy acts as the server that handles client requests on its behalf. Web servers can function as a single server or multiple servers. It can also function like an app server, such as Gunicorn. In any of these situations, the request will come from a customer via the internet. The request is typically directly sent to the server that contains the resources the user wants. A reverse proxy acts as an intermediary and shields it from any direct contact with the open internet.




From the perspective of the client, interacting using reverse proxy isn't distinct from communicating with your webserver directly. It's essentially the same, and the user cannot discern the difference. Clients make requests for resources and then receiving it without any additional configuration needed by the user.




Reverse proxies can provide features such as:




Security centralized for web servers.


Directing traffic according to rules that you can define.


Additional functions to cache data.




While central security is a benefit for both reverse and forward proxy servers. However, reverse proxies offer this benefit to those who use the server layer but not to the layer that clients use. Instead of the maintenance of firewalls at the server level, that can include multiple servers with different configurations, the bulk of firewall security may be centered at the reverse proxy layer. Additionally, getting rid of the burden of interacting with a firewall and interacting with requests coming from clients far from web servers allows them to concentrate on serving resources.




If there are multiple servers that are running in a reverse proxy, the reverse proxy handles the way requests are routed to which server. There could be multiple web servers providing the exact same service, each providing different types of resources or a combination of the two. They may use the HTTP protocol as a conventional web server, but they might also include application server protocols such as FastCGI. You can set up reverse proxy servers to direct customers to specific servers depending on the resource they request or to adhere to specific rules for traffic load.




Reverse proxies also can profit by their position on top of web servers, by providing caching capabilities. Large static assets can be created with caching rules in order to avoid hitting web servers with each request. Certain solutions providing the option to deliver static files directly, without connecting to the web server once. Furthermore, the reverse proxy can manage compression of these files.




The well-known Nginx web server is an extremely popular reverse proxy service. Although Apache can also be a reverse proxy option however, the Apache web server does have reverse proxy functions as an added option for Apache while Nginx was designed originally for and was designed with a focus on reverse proxy capabilities.



Differentiating Forward and Reverse Proxy Use. Differentiating Forward and Reverse Proxy Utilization



Since "forward" along with "reverse" come with connotations of directionality, as well as false connections to "incoming" and "outgoing" traffic the labels could be confusing because both types of proxies are able to handle requests and responses. Better yet, the best method of separating between forward and reverse proxy is to look at the specifications of the application you're creating.




Reverse proxy is a crucial aspect when developing a solution to serve web-based applications via the internet. They serve as your web servers in any interaction with the internet.




A forward proxy is beneficial for use in front of customers for your personal use, or in a working environment. They act as your client's proxy through any interaction with the internet.




Utilizing use cases to differentiate instead of focusing on the common name conventions can make it easier to avoid confusion.



Conclusion



The article explained the meaning of a proxy, with two types of proxy, the forward proxy and reverse proxy. Practical scenarios for using them and a discussion of the most beneficial features were used to differentiate between forward proxies and reverse proxy. If you're looking to know more about the advantages of proxies then you can check out our guide on how to install Nginx as an internet server and reverse proxy with Apache on an Ubuntu 20.04 server.



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