Never Lose Your Proxy Sites Again

The term "proxy" refers to a proxy, also called a proxy server software, serves to act as a mediator between server and client on the internet. Without the proxy, a customer could make a request a service directly from a server and the server would serve the requested resource directly back to the user. Although this method is easy to grasp and implement, using proxies provides advantages such as increased performance and security, privacy, and more. As a pass-through layer, the proxy functions as a gatekeeper of the internet between servers and clients.




In general, the mixture of the server's hardware with proxy software is often called proxy servers. This article will focus on proxy servers that are typically defined as software, and in the context of web servers. This article will present a detailed breakdown of two kinds: forward proxy and reverse proxy. reverse proxy. Each type has its own usage situation, and it is frequently confused due to the same terminology.




This article will provide information about what proxy services and their subtypes are, and how they function with a range of configurations. Through this article, you will be able to recognize the circumstances in which using proxy services is advantageous, and select the best option between forward and reverse proxy depending on the situation.



Understanding Forward Proxies



The forward proxy also referred to an open proxy is a proxy for a client who wants to send an internet request to the server that originated it. In this case, the entire attempt to send requests from the user will instead be transmitted via the forward proxy. A forward proxy acting as a substitute for the client will check at the request. It will then determine if this client is authorized to send requests through this specific forward proxy. Then, it decides to reject any request, or forward it to the source server. The client has no direct access to the internet. It is able to access only what forward proxy allows it access to.




A popular use for forward proxies is greater privacy and security when surfing the internet. Forward proxy can access the internet instead of a client, and by doing this, it could use a different IP address than the IP address used by the client.




Based on the way it has been configured depending on how it is configured forward proxy can offer you a variety of features based on how it is configured it, allowing you to:




Do not be a victim of ad tracking.


Circumvent surveillance.


Recognize restrictions based on place of residence.




Forward proxies are also used for security systems that are centralized as well as access that is permission-based, like at a workplace. If all traffic on the internet passes via an open forward proxy an administrator is able to permit just a handful of users connection to internet through the common firewall. Instead of establishing firewalls for the client layer that could include a variety of devices that operate in diverse environments and users. A firewall may be positioned in this forward proxy layer.




It is important to remember that forward proxies need to be manually configured in order to be used while reverse proxies will not be noticed by the user. Depending on the type of IP address of the user, they are transferred to the origin server through forward proxy Privacy and anonymity could be granted or not.




There are many possibilities to think about when it comes to forward proxy services.




Apache A well-known open source web server that provides forward proxy functions.


Nginx: Another popular open-source web server that has forward proxy capabilities.


Squid is a free forward proxy using an HTTP protocol. Squid doesn't include the full web server. We have an article on how to set up Squid proxy to connect privately within Ubuntu 20.04.


Dante is a forward proxy that utilizes the SOCKS protocol instead of HTTP and HTTP, which makes it better for applications such as peer-to-peer traffic. You can also check out how to set up Dante proxy to allow private connections on Ubuntu 20.04



Understanding Reverse Proxies



A reverse proxy functions as a representative of the web server which manages any requests that come in from clients on its behalf. Web servers can comprise one or more servers. Additionally, it can be an application-server such as Gunicorn. In any of these scenarios, the request will be made via the internet at large. In most cases, the request will be sent directly to a web server with the information the user is looking for. A reverse proxy functions as an intermediary, isolating this webserver from direct communication with the internet.




From the viewpoint of a user, the experience of interacting with reverse proxy is not different from communicating with an internet server directly. It's basically the same, but the client is unable to be able to discern the difference. The client requests a resource and then receives it, without any additional configuration required by the client.




Reverse proxies can provide features such as:




Security centralized on webservers.


Controlling traffic that is incoming based on rules you set.


New feature added to caching.




While centralized security can be an advantage of both reverse and forward proxy servers, reverse proxy servers offer this feature only to the layer of the webserver and not clients. instead of the maintenance of firewalls at the layer of web servers that could include multiple servers with different configurations, the bulk protection of firewalls is targeted at the reverse proxy layer. Additionally, removing the responsibility of interfacing with firewalls and connecting with requests from customers off of web servers enables them to focus solely on the requirements of their clients.




In the event of multiple servers operating with a reverse-proxy the reverse proxy is also responsible for the direction in which requests are directed to which servers. Multiple web servers could be operating from the same host, each providing various kinds of resources or a combination of the two. They may use the HTTP protocol just like a conventional web server, but they may also be able to be equipped with applications server protocols, such as FastCGI. You can set up reverse proxy servers that redirect users to a particular servers based on the services you request, or to a set of rules for the traffic load.




Reverse proxies can also benefit by being placed on top of web servers by providing the ability to cache. Massive static files can be configured by using caching rules in order to avoid having to contact web servers every time. Certain solutions allow you to directly serve static assets without having to interact with the webserver at all. Furthermore, the reverse proxy is capable of handling the compression of these assets.




The renowned Nginx web server also functions as a well-known reverse proxy solution. Although Apache is a reverse proxy solution, the Apache web server also comes with reverse proxy functions, but it's a separate feature available to Apache in contrast to Nginx was designed initially to and focuses specifically on reverse proxy features.



Differentiating Forward Proxy from reverse Proxy Use The Case



Since "forward" as well as "reverse" are both associated with an impression of directionality and false comparisons with "incoming" as well as "outgoing" traffic the labels could be confusing as both types of proxy services handle both requests and replies. The most effective way to distinguish between reverse and forward proxy is to consider the requirements of the app you're creating.




Reverse proxy can be useful when building a solution to provide web-based applications over the internet. They act as your web server in any interaction with the web.




Forward proxy can be beneficial when they are placed in front of users for personal use or in an office setting. They represent your client's traffic whenever you interact on the internet.




The practice of segregating by use case, instead of using only the most common naming conventions will ensure that you aren't confused.



Conclusion



This article provides the definition of a proxy, focusing on the two main types, namely the reverse proxy and forward proxy. Examples of practical use as well as a review of the useful features were utilized to distinguish between reverse and forward proxy. If you're looking to know more about the advantages of proxies, you should read our tutorial on how to set up Nginx as an internet server and reverse proxy within Apache on an Ubuntu 20.04 Server.



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