An proxy or proxy server, is a software which acts as an intermediary for client and server on the internet. Without the proxy, a user will send a request to resources directly to the server and it would deliver the resource directly for the client. This method is simple to grasp and implement however, adding proxy servers could bring benefits like increased performance as well as privacy, security and many more. In addition to providing passing through, the proxy acts as a security guardian of the internet between clients and servers.

In general, the combined system of server hardware and installed proxy software is also often referred to as proxy servers. This article will discuss the proxies that are usually classified as software, as well as in relation to web servers. We will discuss of the two major types of proxies, one being a forward proxy and the other a reverse proxy. reverse proxy. Each type has its own application, and is frequently confused because of the similar namesake convention.

This article will provide you with an understanding of types of proxies and subtypes and their importance for the common setups. If you read this article, you'll understand the situations when the use of proxies is advantageous, and then choose the most appropriate option between reverse proxy and forward proxy based on the situation.

Understanding Forward Proxies

Forward proxy also known by the name of an open proxy is the agent of a client who wishes to make an internet-based request to the server which originated it. In this scenario any attempts to send requests made by the client's side will be routed to the forward proxy. Forward proxy in place of the client, will review the request. First, it will determine if this client is authorized to receive requests from this particular forward proxy. Then, it will deny any request, or redirect it to the server that originated it. The client doesn't have a direct connection to the internet It can only access what forward proxy permits it to access.

The most popular reason to utilize forward proxies is the increased privacy or anonymity on the internet. A forward proxy accesses the internet as clients and, in this manner it can utilize an IP address that is different from the IP address used by the client.

Depending on how it's been configured the forward proxy will grant a number of features and the capability to:

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  Beware of ads-trackers.
  
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  Circumvent surveillance.
  
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  Find restrictions that are based on your area.
  
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Forward proxies are also employed in systems that offer central security and permission-based access, like in workplaces. If all internet traffic passes through a forward proxy, an administrator is capable of allowing only certain clients access to the internet via a common firewall. Instead of having firewalls for the client layer, which can involve many machines with different settings, environments and users, a firewall can be put in an forward proxy layer.

It is important to remember that forward proxy settings must be set up manually to permit the use of these proxy servers in order to use them in reverse proxies, whereas forward proxy servers are unable to be noticed by the user. Depending on whether the IP address of the user is sent to the server that originated it through the forward proxy, the privacy and security settings, it can be granted or not.

There are many alternatives to take into consideration when considering forward proxy options:

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  Apache A well-known open source web server that has forward proxy functions.
  
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  Nginx A renowned open-source server used for web hosting with forward proxy capabilities.
  
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  Squid: A no-cost forward proxy that utilizes it's HTTP protocol. It's not the full web server system. It is possible to refer to our guide on the best way to configure Squid proxy for secure connections within Ubuntu 20.04.
  
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  Dante Forward proxy that makes use of the SOCKS protocol instead of HTTP and HTTP, making it better suited for scenarios like peer-to-peer traffic. You can also learn how to set up Dante proxy for private connections in Ubuntu 20.04
  
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Understanding Reverse Proxies

Reverse proxy acts as an intermediary for web servers, and takes care of requests from clients for the web server. The web server may serve as a single server or a number of servers. It could also function as an app server, such as Gunicorn. In any case the request for an application comes by a user on the internet at large. The request will typically go directly to the web server which hosts the content that the client is searching for. The reverse proxy serves as an intermediary in order to block your web server from contact to the open internet.

From a consumer's point perspective, using reverse proxy isn't different from communicating with Web server in direct contact. It's basically similar, however the client can't discern the difference. Client makes a request for an item, and is given it, with no additional configuration needed from the user.

Reverse proxy providers provide features like:

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  The server on the internet is protected centrally.
  
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  Sending traffic to be directed according to the rules you establish.
  
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  A new feature for caching has been added.
  
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While central security is a benefit of both reverse and forward proxy, reverse proxies provide this feature only to the web server layer and not to the client layer. Instead of maintaining security firewalls in Web server layers, which could include multiple servers with different configurations, the majority of firewall security is aimed to the reverse proxy layer. Additionally, removing the responsibility of connecting to a firewall and interacting with requests from clients off of web servers lets them concentrate on providing resources.

If there are multiple servers with a reverse-proxy, the reverse proxy will be also responsible for controlling which requests are directed to the server. There could be multiple web servers operating from the same host, each offering different types of resources or a mix of both. These servers may use the HTTP protocol like a traditional web server. They may also use protocols for application servers like FastCGI. You can also configure reverse proxy servers to direct clients to specific servers depending on the service being requested, or to observe certain rules regarding traffic load.

Reverse proxies can also take advantage of their placement on top of web servers through the capability of caching. Massive static resources can be set up with caching rules to avoid the web server from being hit with each request, with some options even allowing the provision of static files directly without connecting with the server. In addition, the reverse proxy can handle the compression of these assets.

The popular Nginx webserver is a wildly popular reverse proxy solution. However, the Apache web server is also available with the reverse proxy option as an additional feature that is available for Apache whereas Nginx was designed initially for and specifically focused on the reverse proxy feature.

Differentiating Forward Proxy from reverse Proxy Use Situations

Since "forward" along with "reverse" are both associated with an impression of directionality, and also misleading comparisons with "incoming" and "outgoing" traffic. These labels can be confusing, as both types of proxies can manage requests and responses. An alternative method to differentiate between forward and reverse proxy servers would be to analyze the requirements of the application that you're creating.

Reverse proxy can be a valuable tool when you are designing a solution to host web applications on the internet. They are your web servers during any interaction through the Internet.

Forward proxy can be useful to use if you're facing clients for personal use or even in a work environment. They are a representation of your traffic when you interact with the internet.

A distinction that is based on the use rather than focusing on the common name conventions can aid you in avoidance of confusion.

Conclusion

The article explained what a proxy is as well as two types of them: the forward proxy and reverse proxy. Practical examples of use and a discussion of most beneficial features was used to differentiate forward proxies from reverse proxies. If you're interested in learning how to set up proxies, we suggest that you read our guide on how to configure Nginx as an reverse proxy and internet server for Apache using an Ubuntu 20.04 server.

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