It is proxy or proxy server. proxy or proxy server, is a software program for servers that serves as an intermediary between a the server and the client via the internet. In the absence of an intermediary the user would be able to make a request for every resource straight to the server, and the server will serve direct the resource requested to the client. Although this is a simple process to understand and apply using proxy servers, it could provide advantages such as greater performance and privacy, security and many more. As a layer of pass-through, the proxy serves as a guardian of the internet between the servers and clients.

In general, the system of hardware for servers and the software used to set up proxy installations is commonly referred to in the context of proxy servers. In this article, we'll examine proxies commonly referred to as software, as well as those that are used in conjunction with web servers. We will provide a description of two types of proxies: forward proxy and a reverse proxy. reverse proxy. Each kind has its own unique usage scenario, which is often misunderstood due to the naming conventions that are similar.

This article will provide you with the basics of what proxy servers and their subtypes are, and what they can do for most common configurations. Through this article, users will be able to identify the scenarios where an effective proxy could be useful, and select the best option between forward and reverse proxy to suit your needs in any given circumstance.

Understanding Forward Proxies

In other words, a forward proxy is also known as an open proxy is a representative of the client which is attempting to send a request via the internet to the server from which it originated. In this scenario the entire attempt to send requests from the client will be made by the forward-proxy. In this scenario an agent acting on behalf of the forward proxy in in the place of the customer will examine the request. First, it will establish whether the client is authorized to send requests via this particular forward proxy. It will then reject this request, and then send it back to the server originally. The client isn't able to have direct connection to the internet; it is only able to access what the forward proxy gives its access.

One of the most common uses for forward proxies is greater privacy or anonymity on the internet. A forward proxy can be utilized to connect to the internet instead of a client and in that process it can use an alternative IP address to the original IP address of the client.

Depending on how it's been configured in the past, forward proxy servers can perform a variety of tasks and permit you to:

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  Avoid ad tracking.
  
  
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  Circumvent surveillance.
  
  
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  You can spot limitations based on your location.
  
  

Forward proxies can also be used for security systems that are centralized and have permission-based access, such as at work. When all internet traffic goes through a common forward proxy layer administrators can allow access only to specific individuals to access the web, which is filtered by an common firewall. Instead of keeping firewalls in place for the client layer, which may comprise a variety of machines that have different environments and users, a firewall can be placed on an forward proxy layer.

Be aware that forward proxies have to be manually configured for use, however reverse proxies will be ignored by the client. Based on the fact that an IP address from the customer is transmitted to the origin server via this forward proxy, security and security can be granted, or left unnoticed.

There are many options to look into for forward proxies:

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  Apache is a well-known open-source web server that provides forward proxy capabilities.
  
  
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  Nginx: Another well-known open-source web hosting server with forward proxy functions.
  
  
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  Squid is an open source forward proxy that utilizes an HTTP protocol. This does not include an entire web server. We have a tutorial on how you can set up Squid proxy to allow private connections to Ubuntu 20.04.
  
  
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  Dante Forward Proxy that utilizes the SOCKS protocol instead of HTTP and is more appropriate for scenarios like peer-to-peer connections. It is also possible to look at how to configure a Dante proxy to connect privately using Ubuntu 20.04
  
  

Understanding Reverse Proxies

Reverse proxy is an agent of a web server that handles any requests that are received by clients on its behalf. This web server may comprise a single server, or multiple servers. It can also function as an application server such as Gunicorn. In any of these scenarios, a request could come from a client through the internet in general. The majority of the time it will be routed straight to the web server hosting the services the customer is in need of. A reverse proxy is a intermediary, which separates Web server from direct communication with the internet.

From a client's viewpoint, which is a user's viewpoint, interfacing with reverse proxy isn't that different from connecting directly to your webserver. It's the same thing but the client isn't able to be able to tell the distinction. The customer makes a request for an item and receives it without any additional configuration needed to be completed by the customer.

Reverse proxy proxies can provide some features, including:

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  A centralized layer of security that protects the server.
  
  
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  Controlling traffic coming inbound according to rules you can establish.
  
  
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  A new feature for caching is now available.
  
  

While central security is an advantage of both forward and reverse proxy service, reverse proxy providers provide this feature to the web server layer, rather than that layer of the internet server, which is called client. In lieu of maintaining firewalls on the layer of web servers that may contain multiple servers that have different configurations, a majority of firewall security could be targeted at this layer. Furthermore, removing the obligation of interfacing with firewalls as well as responding to clients' requests through web servers allows them to focus solely on serving the needs of their customers.

If there are multiple servers that are running reverse proxy, the reverse proxy also takes care of the method of routing requests to which server. Many web servers may be offering the same content, but each serving different types of resources, or some mix of them. These servers may use the HTTP protocol just like a standard web server, but they might also use applications server protocols such as FastCGI. You may also set up reverse proxy in order to direct clients to specific servers depending on the service requested or to adhere to specific rules regarding traffic load.

Reverse proxies may also make use of their position before web servers by supplying caching functionality. Large static files can be set with caching rules to stop the server from getting hit on each request Certain solutions offer the possibility of providing static files without contacting the servers in any manner. Additionally, the reverse proxy could manage the compression of these assets.

The popular Nginx webserver is an extremely popular reverse proxy service. Although it is true that the Apache web server is equipped with a reverse proxy feature as an added option. Apache in contrast to Nginx was initially designed for and focused on reverse proxy functionality.

Differentiating Forward Proxy and Reverse Proxy Use Examples

Since "forward" in addition to "reverse" are both associated with an impression of directionality and a false comparison between "incoming" as well as "outgoing" traffic. These labels can be confusing since both types of proxies manage both responses and requests. A better approach to distinguish between reverse and forward proxy services is to consider the needs of the application you're developing.

A reverse proxy can be helpful in the design of solutions that serve web-based applications via the internet. They are your web servers in all interactions with the web.

A forward proxy can be helpful when it is placed before traffic from clients for your personal use or in a workplace environment. They represent the traffic of your clients whenever you interact on the internet.

Differentiating by use case as opposed to focusing only on the similar naming conventions will assist you in avoiding confusion.

Conclusion

This article will explain what a proxy is with the two main types, namely the forward proxy and reverse proxy. Examples of practical applications as well as an analysis of useful characteristics were used to define forward proxies as well as reverse proxies. If you're interested to learn more about the process of implementing proxies you can check out our tutorial on how to install Nginx as a reverse and web server proxy using Apache running on one Ubuntu 20.04 server.

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