A proxy is can also be referred to as the software that acts as an intermediary between a client and server on the internet. Without proxy servers, users could make a request for servers directly and servers would provide requests directly for the resource requested by the client. Although this may be a straightforward procedure to comprehend and use, the addition of proxy servers could bring benefits such as enhanced performance, privacy, security, and much more. As a pass-through layer they serve as a security barrier on the internet between clients and servers.




Generally speaking, the bundled package of server hardware with installed proxy software is often referred as proxy servers. This article will focus on proxy servers which are typically understood as software as being used in conjunction with web servers. The article will offer an explanation of the two types that are forward proxy and a reverse proxy. Each type has a distinct use case, often confused due to the similar namesake convention.




This article will provide you with an understanding of different types of proxy services and what their subtypes are, as well as the ways they can be beneficial for the common setups. After reading the article carefully, you'll be able to recognize situations where it is beneficial to use the proxy service and determine the right choice between forward proxy and reverse proxy for any scenario.



Understanding Forward Proxies



The forward proxy sometimes known as the open proxy acts as the agent of the client, trying to make an internet request to an the server which made it. In this situation, all attempts to send requests by the user will be directed directly through the forward proxy. In this situation, the forward proxy on behalf of the client will scrutinize the request. It will first determine whether the client can send requests through this particular forward proxy. Then, it will either deny requests or redirect them to the server it originated from. The client is not able to have direct access to the internet. It has access to only what forward proxy allows for it to link to.




The primary reason for people to utilize forward proxy services is to improve privacy or anonymity on internet. A forward proxy utilizes the internet instead of a client on its own, and during this manner it could make use of an alternative IP address that is different from the original IP address of the client.




Depending on the method by which it's setup, a forward proxy can offer a variety of features and allow you to:




Beware of ads that track you.


Circumvent surveillance.


Determine restrictions based on location.




Forward proxies are also utilized in systems that provide central security and access based upon permissions, like at work. If all traffic on the internet flows through an open forward proxy layer, the administrator is able to permit only a few clients online access using an common firewall. Instead of maintaining firewalls at the client layer which could involve a number of computers with varying settings and users you can put an firewall installed on an intermediary layer.




Be aware that forward proxy servers require manual setup to allow them to be used while reverse proxies may be omitted by clients. Based on the type of IP address of a user is passed to the original server through the forward proxy, privacy and security can be granted or kept in the dark.




There are a number of alternatives to look into for forward proxies:




Apache is an incredibly well-known open source web server, that offers forward proxy functions.


Nginx: Another widely used open-source webserver, which includes forward proxy capabilities.


Squid is an free forward proxy that makes use of the HTTP protocol. It does not come with an an entire web server application. We have a tutorial on how to use Squid proxy to enable private connections within Ubuntu 20.04.


Dante is a forward proxy that uses using the SOCKS protocol in place of HTTP in order to be more suitable for situations such as with peer-to-peer traffic. It is also possible to learn how to create the Dante proxy that allows private connections on Ubuntu 20.04



Understanding Reverse Proxies



Reverse proxy is an intermediary for a web server, handling the incoming requests of clients on its behalf. The web server can comprise a server or multiple servers. Furthermore, it could serve as an application server, for instance, Gunicorn. In any of these scenarios, a request would be made by a user through the internet in general. The majority of the time the request is made directly to the website server hosting the information that the client is seeking. Instead, a reverse proxy acts as an intermediary to isolate Web servers from direct contact with the web's public.




From the point of the client's point of view the use of reverse proxy isn't any different from working with the Web server directly. It's basically the same thing, however the client isn't able to distinguish between the two. Client requests the resource, and then it receives it without any additional configuration needed by the client.




Reverse proxies provide features like:




A central layer of security that guards the server.


Controlling traffic coming inbound on rules that you can set up.


New feature added to caching.




Although central security is a benefit of both forward and reverse proxy servers, reverse proxies offer this benefit to the layer of the webserver and not to the client layer. Instead of coordinating firewalls on the server level that may contain multiple servers with various configurations, the majority of firewall security is concentrated on the reverse proxy layer. Furthermore, the elimination of the responsibility of interacting with firewalls and interacting with client requests off of web servers enables the firewall to focus on providing the necessary resources.




In the case of multiple servers connected to a reverse proxy, the reverse proxy determines which requests are directed to the server. There may be multiple web servers offering the same content, providing different kinds of services or a mix of both. They could use the HTTP protocol similar to a traditional web server. However, they can also be equipped with protocol for application servers like FastCGI. There is the possibility to set up reverse proxy software to redirect users to a specific server based on the service they require or to follow certain guidelines for traffic load.




Reverse proxies can also benefit from their position before web servers by providing the capability of storing data. Large static assets can be configured using caching rules to prevent having to call web servers on every request. Some solutions even allowing you to directly serve static assets without touching the server once. Furthermore the reverse proxy is able to manage the compression of these assets.




The renowned Nginx web server is also used as an effective reverse proxy option. Although Apache can also be a reverse proxy solution but the Apache web server also comes outfitted with a reverse proxy option as an added option for Apache as opposed to Nginx was originally designed to and focuses on reverse proxy capabilities.



Distinguishing Forward Proxy from Reverse Proxy Use-cases



Because "forward" and "reverse" come with connotations of directionality, as well as misleading comparisons to "incoming" as well as "outgoing" traffic The labels could be confusing since both types of proxies deal with the process of responding to requests. The most effective way to differentiate between reverse and forward proxy is to study the needs of the app you're developing.




Reverse proxy can be a valuable tool when you are designing a solution to deliver web-based applications via the internet. They act as your web servers every time you use the internet.




A forward proxy is helpful when placed before clients for personal use or in a professional context. They represent the client's online traffic in any online interaction.




The practice of segregating by use case, instead of focusing on the similar naming conventions will assist you in avoiding confusion.



Conclusion



This article clarifies the meaning of a proxy, with two types: the forward proxy and the reverse proxy. Practical application scenarios and the exploration of attributes that are beneficial were used to identify forward proxies and reverse proxies. If you're interested in learning more about the implementation of proxies, you can learn how you can configure Nginx as an internet server and reverse proxy to Apache using the Ubuntu 20.04 server.



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