A proxy, also known as a proxy also referred to a proxy server is a software that serves as an intermediary between a client and server over the internet. Without a proxy, a client could send a request for resources directly to the server and it would deliver that resource to its user directly. While this process is simple to understand and implement using proxy services, it may offer benefits in terms of improved performance and privacy, security and much more. In addition to providing a layer of security proxy, it acts as a security guard to the internet between servers and clients.

In general, the combination of server hardware that is installed with proxy software is generally referred to as a proxy server. In this article, we'll focus on proxy servers that are typically classified as software and also within the context of web servers. We will provide a description of the two main types of proxies: the forward proxy and a reverse proxy. Each kind has its own use case, often confused due to the similar naming convention.

This article will provide you with an idea of the types of proxy services and what their subtypes are and their importance in common setups. After reading this post, you'll know how to identify the circumstances in which an effective proxy can be beneficial, and choose the correct solution in between reverse and forward proxy based on the situation.

Understanding Forward Proxies

A forward proxy also known as an open proxy, also known as an open serves as an intermediary between a client that is trying to connect via the internet to an source server. In this scenario, every request sent by the user will be routed directly through forward-proxy. A forward proxy, acting in the client's stead, will examine the request. The first step is to determine whether the client is allowed to receive requests from this specific forward proxy. Then, it will deny any request or forward it to the server that originally received it. The client has no directly access to internet. It can access only what the forward proxy allows its access.

One of the most common reasons for forward proxy is to improve privacy or security while using the internet. Forward proxy makes use of the internet as the client, and in the process, it will use an alternative IP address for the client's original IP address.

Based on how it was configured, based on how it is configured forward proxy can provide different features depending upon the configuration, which allows users to:

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  Beware of ads that track you.
  
  
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  Circumvent surveillance.
  
  
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  You can identify restrictions based on your geographical area.
  
  

Forward proxies can also be used in systems that offer central security as well as access to users based on permissions, for instance at an office. Internet traffic can go through an open forward proxy. administrators are able to restrict access to certain users to the internet, which is protected by a common firewall. Instead of having firewalls installed for the client layer that may include multiple computers that have different configurations and users it is possible to install a firewall located at the layer that forwards proxy traffic.

Be aware that forward proxy settings need to be manually set up to use however reverse proxies will be not considered in the eyes of the user. Depending on whether an IP address belonging to a user is transmitted to the server where it originated via the forward proxy, privacy and anonymity can be granted or kept secret.

There are many alternatives to think about when it comes to forward proxy:

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  Apache is a well-known open-source web server, that offers forward-looking proxy features.
  
  
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  Nginx: Another well-known open-source server for web hosting with forward proxy features.
  
  
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  Squid: An open-source forward proxy that utilizes the HTTP protocol. It's not the entire web server. Take a look at our guide on how to install Squid proxy to connect privately in Ubuntu 20.04.
  
  
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  Dante is an forward proxy which makes use of the SOCKS protocol instead of HTTP to make it better to handle peer-to-peer connections. You might also want to look at how you can set up Dante proxy for connection to private networks in Ubuntu 20.04
  
  

Understanding Reverse Proxies

A reverse proxy acts as the web server that handles incoming requests from customers on behalf of. The web server may represent a single, or multiple servers. It could even be an application server such as Gunicorn. In any of these cases, an application request comes through the internet. Most of the time, the request would be sent directly to the web server with the resources the user is seeking. In contrast, a reverse proxy serves as an intermediary and isolates your web server from contact with the internet's open.

From the point of view of the client an individual's point of view, the process of using reverse proxy isn't different from connecting to a Web server through direct contact. It's the same process, and the client cannot discern the difference. The client requests the resource, which is followed by receiving it with no additional configuration needed for the user.

Reverse proxies offer functions like:

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  A central layer of security that protects the server.
  
  
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  Incoming traffic is directed upon rules that you can determine.
  
  
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  New caching functionality has been added.
  
  

While central security is an advantage of both reverse and forward proxy, reverse proxy adds this function to only the server layer, but not to the client layer. Instead of focusing on upkeep of firewalls on the web server layer which may contain many servers and different configurations, the majority of the firewall security is targeted at the reverse proxy layer. Also, the removal of the responsibility of interfacing with firewalls and communicating with clients who are far from web servers permits them to focus on serving the requirements of their clients.

In the case of multiple servers that are connected via a reverse proxy, the reverse proxy is responsible for directing what requests are routed via which server. There could be multiple web servers providing the same content, and each providing different services or a mixture of both. These servers may be using the HTTP protocol that is the standard web server, but they can also contain other protocols used by application servers like FastCGI. It is also possible to set up reverse proxy servers to redirect users to a particular server based on the service requested, or to follow certain guidelines regarding the load of traffic.

Reverse proxies benefit from their placement over web servers, by providing the capability to store data. Large static assets can be set up with caching policies to avoid hitting web servers with each request. Certain solutions allow you to directly serve static assets without having to contact servers on the internet in any manner. In addition reverse proxy solutions can manage compressing these assets.

The well-known Nginx web server can also function as a popular reverse proxy solution. Although there is similar functionality that is available in Apache web server does have a reverse proxy features as an added feature that is available for Apache whereas Nginx was originally designed for and is focused on reverse proxy functionality.

Differentiating Forward Proxy from Reverse Proxy Use Cases

Since "forward" along with "reverse" conveys the notion of directionality, and false comparisons with "incoming" as well as "outgoing" traffic These labels could be confusing as both kinds of proxies process requests and responses. In addition, the most effective method of separating between a forward and reverse proxy is to study the specifications of the application you're developing.

A reverse proxy can be helpful when building a solution to serve web applications online. They are your servers whenever you connect to the internet.

Forward proxy are useful when placed in front of customers to facilitate your own usage, or even in a work setting. They are a representation of your customer's traffic in any interactions via the internet.

The use of case-based differentiation instead of focusing on common naming conventions can aid in avoidance of confusion.

Conclusion

In this article, we explained what aproxy is, and compared it to the two most common types of proxy: the forward proxy and the reverse proxy. Practical applications as well as a review of the attributes that are beneficial were used to distinguish forward proxies and reverse proxy. If you're interested to learn more about the implementation of proxy servers then you should check out our guide on how to configure Nginx as a reverse and web server proxy for Apache on an Ubuntu 20.04 server.

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