6 Stories You Didn’t Know About Proxy Sites

A proxy can also be referred to as an application called a proxy server that serves as an intermediary between client and server via the internet. Without the need for proxy servers, a user could make a request for resources directly to a server, and servers would serve the requested resource directly to the user. Although this may be a straightforward process to grasp and use the addition of proxy servers could bring benefits such as enhanced performance as well as privacy, security and much more. As a pass-through layer they are a way to secure the internet between clients and servers.




Generally speaking, the combined set of server hardware along with installed proxy software is commonly referred as proxy servers. This article will focus on proxy servers that are typically understood as software as being used in conjunction with web servers. This article will give details of the two types, namely which are a forward proxy and reverse proxy. reverse proxy. Each type has a distinct use case, often confused because of the resemblance to the namesake convention.




This article will give you an understanding of different types of proxy services and what their subtypes are, and how they are useful for common setups. If you've read in this post, you'll be able to recognize situations where it is beneficial to use proxy services and make the appropriate choice between forward and reverse proxy for any scenario.



Understanding Forward Proxies



The forward proxy sometimes known as an open proxy serves as the agent of the client, trying to make an online request to the server that originated it. In this situation the attempts to make requests from the user will be sent directly to the forward proxy. In this case the forward proxy, in the client's stead, will examine the request. It will first decide if this client is able to make requests using this specific forward proxy. It will then either reject requests or redirect it to the server that originally made the request. The client is not able to have direct access to the internet. It has access to only what the forward proxy permits the client to access.




The primary reason for people to make use of forward proxy servers is to increase privacy or anonymity on internet. A forward proxy utilizes the internet in lieu of a client on its own, and in this way it could make use of an alternative IP address to the original IP address used by the client.




Based on the way it's set up, a forward proxy can offer a range of features and allow you to:




Stay clear of tracking ads.


Circumvent surveillance.


Establish restrictions based upon the location.




Forward proxies are also utilized in systems that provide centralized security and access that is based on permissions, for instance at work. If all internet traffic is routed through a common forward proxy layer an administrator is able to permit only a few clients connection to internet through an ordinary firewall. Instead of establishing firewalls at the client layer which can involve many machines with different settings and users, there is a way to put the firewall configured the front proxy layer.




Take note that forward proxies require manual setup in order to permit the use of these proxies, whereas reverse proxies can be ignored by clients. Based on the type of IP address of the client is passed to the original server via forward proxy privacy and security can be granted or not.




There are many options to consider for forward proxy options:




Apache is an incredibly well-known open source web server, which provides forward proxy capabilities.


Nginx: Another widely used open-source webserver that includes forward proxy functionality.


Squid is an open source forward proxy that utilizes it's HTTP protocol. This option doesn't include the complete web server application. You can read our tutorial on how you can use Squid proxy to enable private connections on Ubuntu 20.04.


Dante is a forward proxy that uses the SOCKS protocol in place of HTTP so that it is better to work in situations like with peer-to-peer traffic. You might also wish to learn how to create a Dante proxy that allows private connections to Ubuntu 20.04



Understanding Reverse Proxies



A reverse proxy acts as a representative of a web server that handles the incoming requests of clients on behalf. The web server can comprise a server or multiple servers. Furthermore, it could function as an app server such as Gunicorn. In any of these scenarios the request will be made by a user through the internet at large. In the majority of cases the request is made directly to the web server hosting the information that the user is seeking. A reverse proxy is a intermediary to shield Web servers and prevent direct contact with the public internet.




From the point of view from a client's perspective the use of reverse proxy is not the same as working with a web servers in direct contact. It's functionally the same but the client isn't able to discern the difference. The client requests the resource and then it receives it, with no extra configuration required for the end user.




Reverse proxies provide features like:




A central layer of security that protects the server.


Controlling traffic inbound based on rules you can configure.


New feature added to caching.




Although central security is an advantage of both forward and reverse proxy servers, reverse proxy providers offer this benefit to the layer on the webserver and not the client layer. Instead of coordinating firewalls on the server level which may include multiple servers that have different configurations, the bulk of firewall security is concentrated in the reverse proxy layer. Also, the removal of the responsibility to interact with firewalls and interfacing with client requests via web servers allows firewalls to concentrate on providing the resources.




If there are multiple servers that are in a reverse proxy, the reverse proxy determines which requests go at which server. There may be several web servers providing the same content, providing different kinds of services or a mixture of both. They could use the HTTP protocol in the same way as an ordinary web server. However, they could also be equipped with applications server protocols like FastCGI. You can configure reverse proxy servers to route visitors to a particular server based on the service requested or to follow certain guidelines for traffic load.




Reverse proxies can also benefit from their positioning before web servers by providing the ability to cache data. The large static files can be created using caching rules to prevent needing to connect with web servers every time you request. There are some solutions even allowing you to directly serve static assets without having to contact the web server even once. In addition reverse proxy is able to manage compression on these resources.




The renowned Nginx web server is also used as a powerful reverse proxy solution. While Apache can also be a reverse proxy option but the Apache web server is also fitted with an reverse proxy function as an added option for Apache unlike Nginx was initially developed for and focuses on reverse proxy features.



Distinguishing Forward Proxy from Reverse Proxy Use Situations



Since "forward" or "reverse" come with connotations of directionality, as well as misleading comparisons to "incoming" as well as "outgoing" traffic The labels could be confusing because both types of proxies handle the process of responding to requests. The best way to distinguish between reverse and forward proxies is to examine the specifications of the application you're working on.




Reverse proxy can be a valuable tool to use when creating a solution for serving applications on the web via the internet. They act as your web servers whenever you interact on the internet.




A forward proxy is helpful when it is placed in front of clients for personal use and in professional context. They serve as a representation of the client's online traffic in any online interaction.




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



Conclusion



This article will explain the significance of a proxy, with two kinds: the forward proxy and reverse proxy. Practical application scenarios as well as an exploration of beneficial attributes were used to determine forward proxies and reverse proxies. If you're interested in learning more about implementation of proxies, you can follow our tutorial on how you can configure Nginx to act as an Internet server and reverse proxy to Apache on an Ubuntu 20.04 Server.



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