A proxy can also be described as proxy server software that serves as a mediator between client and server on the internet. Without an intermediary the client would an attempt to request the resource directly to a server, and the server will serve the requested resource directly for the client. While this process is simple to grasp and use using proxies, it can provide benefits including increased speed, privacy and security, and a lot more. Apart from providing a layer of security, proxies act as a guardian for the internet between clients and servers.

The bundled package of servers that have installed proxy software is often referred as proxy servers. However, this article will concentrate on proxies traditionally defined as software, but also when referring to web servers. We will provide a brief overview of the two principal kinds: one being forward proxy and the other being a forward proxy and reverse proxy. reverse proxy. Each type has a distinct use, which could be confusing due to the similar namesake convention.

This article will provide you with the understanding of the different types of proxy services, their subtypes, and ways they can be useful in common configurations. In this article you'll be in a position to recognize the scenarios where you could benefit from a proxy and choose the correct solution in between reverse and forward proxy for any scenario.

Understanding Forward Proxies

Forward proxy, also referred to in the context of being an open proxy serves as the agent of a client who wants to forward requests via the internet to a server that initiated it. In this case, it's the case that all requests from the client will instead be directed directly into forward proxy. Forward proxy who is acting in the place of the client, will take a look into the request. It will first will decide whether the client is allowed to make requests via this particular forward proxy. It will then either refuse requests or redirect it to the origin server. The client isn't able to have direct access to the internet; it will only be able to access the information that the forward proxy enables it to connect to.

One popular reason to use forward proxy is to provide greater security or privacy online. Forward proxy can access the internet as a client. In this manner, it utilizes another IP address in comparison to the IP address of your client.

Based on the way it has been set up, and how it is configured forward proxy could perform a variety of tasks as well as the ability to:

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  Beware of Ad-trackers.
  
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  Circumvent surveillance.
  
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  You can identify restrictions based upon your geolocation.
  
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Forward proxies also are utilized in systems of central security and access that is dependent on permissions, such as at work. In the event that all internet traffic flows via an open forward proxy an administrator could restrict access to certain users on the internet using an common firewall. Instead of implementing firewalls on the client layer that can include multiple machines that have different configurations and user the firewall can be placed at the forward proxy layer.

Keep in mind that forward proxies need to be manually configured to use, whereas reverse proxies can go unnoticed by the client. Based on the kind of IP address the client that is transferred to the server that originated it through the forward proxy privacy and anonymity could be granted or left transparent.

There are many possibilities to look into for forward proxy services:

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  Apache: A popular open-source web server, which offers forward proxy capabilities.
  
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  Nginx: Another renowned open-source web server that has forward proxy capabilities.
  
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  Squid: A free and Open Source Forward Proxy using the HTTP protocol. Squid doesn't come with a complete Web server software. It is possible to refer to our instructions on how to setup Squid proxy to allow private connections in Ubuntu 20.04.
  
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  Dante Forward Proxy that uses the SOCKS protocol in place of HTTP, making it more suited to use cases like peer-topeer communication. You could also find out how to set up Dante proxy to allow private connections with Ubuntu 20.04
  
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Understanding Reverse Proxies

A reverse proxy serves as an agent for a web server and takes care of incoming requests from clients on its behalf. The web server could serve as a one server or as a series of servers. Additionally, it can serve as an application server such as Gunicorn. In all of these scenarios, a request would come from a user on the internet at large. In most cases the request will be directed directly to the web server which has all the information the user is seeks. However, a reverse proxy functions as an intermediary, shielding the webserver from direct interactions with the open internet.

From the user's perspective reverse proxy's process reverse proxy isn't any different than working with a web server directly. It's essentially the same thing, however the client can't tell the distinction. The client sends a request for an item, and it is then received without any additional configuration needed from the client.

Reverse proxy proxies can provide features, like:

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  Centralized security for the web server layer.
  
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  Controlling traffic inbound based on rules that you can establish.
  
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  The caching function has been added to the app.
  
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While centralized security is an advantage of both reverse and forward proxy service, reverse proxies give this benefit only to Web server layers and not to the client layer. instead of having to maintain firewalls at Web server layers which could comprise multiple servers that have different configurations, most of the firewall security is aimed at the reverse proxy layer. Additionally, the absence to interface with a firewall and responding to requests made by clients through web servers enables them to concentrate on delivering resources.

In the case of multiple servers working behind a reverse proxy, it also manages how requests are routed to which server. A number of web servers could be offering the same service, each serving various kinds of resources or a mix of both. These servers could use their HTTP protocol to perform the role of a web server in the traditional sense, but can also include applications server protocols such as FastCGI. It is possible to set up reverse proxy services to redirect users to specific servers according to the resource being requested or to adhere to certain traffic load rules.

Reverse proxies can also benefit from their positioning in front of web servers due to the power of caching. Massive static resources can be arranged with caching rules to ensure that they don't have to contact web servers every time they need to make a request. There are solutions providing the possibility of serving directly static assets without having to connect to a web server in any way. In addition, the reverse proxy could handle the compression of these assets.

The popular Nginx webserver is a reliable reverse proxy service. You can also use the Apache web server also has reverse proxy capabilities as an additional function of Apache which is in contrast to Nginx was originally designed to and is focused on the reverse proxy feature.

The distinction between Forward Proxy and reverse Proxy Use. The difference between Forward Proxy and Reverse Proxy Use

Because "forward" or "reverse" have connotations of directionality, as well as false comparisons to "incoming" and "outgoing" traffic the labels can be confusing as both types of proxies are capable of handling requests as well as respond. Instead, a better way to differentiate between forward and reverse proxy services is to take into account the needs of the application you're developing.

Reverse proxy can be useful in the development of solutions to run websites on the internet. They are your web servers in any interactions online.

Forward proxy applications are useful when they are they are used to block clients for personal use, or in a work setting. They are a representation of the client's web traffic in any internet-based interaction.

The use case-based differentiation instead of focusing on the similar naming conventions will aid in avoiding confusion.

Conclusion

In this article, we clarified the meaning of a proxy, with the two main types being the forward and the reverse proxy. Practical applications and a glance at beneficial characteristics were used to define forward proxies as well as reverse proxy. If you're interested to learn more about the implementation of proxy servers, look into our tutorial on how to configure Nginx in a reverse proxy and internet-based server for Apache on one Ubuntu 20.04 server.

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