The most important Drawback Of Using Proxy Sites

A proxy or proxy server is software that sits in the middle between client and server via the internet. Without proxy, a user would send a request for an item directly the server, and the server will serve the requested resource directly to the user. This method is simple to grasp and use but using proxies has advantages such as more performance, privacy and security, and much more. In addition to moving through, proxies serve as a safeguard for the internet between servers and users.




The package of server hardware with the software to install proxy servers is commonly referred to as proxy servers. But, this article will focus on proxy servers that are typically described as software, as well as those that are employed together with web servers. We will give a synopsis of the two primary kinds of proxy servers, namely they are one that is forward and a reverse proxy. Each has their own use that can cause confusion due to a similar terminology.




This article will provide you with an idea of the what proxies and their subtypes are, as well as their utility in a variety of configurations. After reading the article you will understand how to determine the situations in which a proxy is beneficial, and determine the best option for forward proxy or reverse proxy depending on the circumstance.



Understanding Forward Proxies



Forward proxy, also known as an open proxy acts as a representative for a client who attempts to send an online request to a server. In this situation the entire request sent by the client will rather be directed by the forward-proxy. The forward proxy, in lieu of the user, will examine the request. First, it will check if the client been granted permission to send requests via this particular forward proxy. It will then reject an application and send it back to its original server. The client has no direct connection for the web. It is able to access only what the forward proxy allows it to access.




The most frequent use of forward proxies is greater privacy or security on the internet. Forward proxy connects to internet instead of a client and in this process, it uses an alternate IP address to the client's initial IP address.




Based on the way it is set up in accordance with the way it was configured, a forward proxy could offer a range of features dependent on the way it's configured, which allows you to:




Avoid ad tracking.


Circumvent surveillance.


Identify restrictions based on the location you are in.




Forward proxies can also be used in systems that rely on central security and permission based access, for instance, in workplaces. When all internet traffic is routed through an common forward proxy layer a administrator is able to limit access for only a select set of users to the internet filtered through an common firewall. Instead of putting firewalls in place for the client layer that may comprise several machines that have diverse environments and users, you can set up an firewall that is located in the forward proxy layer.




It is essential to note to remember that forward proxy servers have to be manually set up to use, whereas reverse proxies may be hidden from clients. Depending on the type of IP address the client is passed on to the server that originated it through forward proxy, privacy and security is granted or left hidden.




There are a myriad of alternatives to consider when it comes to forward proxy options:




Apache is a well-known open-source web server offering forward proxy capabilities.


Nginx is another well-known open-source web server with forward proxy features.


Squid is an open-source forward proxy that utilizes the HTTP protocol. This doesn't offer an entire website server software. It is possible to read our guide on how to set up Squid proxy to allow private connections with Ubuntu 20.04.


Dante Forward Proxy that utilizes the SOCKS protocol instead of HTTP, making it better suited to use in instances such as peer-to-peer traffic. You can also understand how to configure an Dante proxy for private connections on Ubuntu 20.04



Understanding Reverse Proxies



A reverse proxy functions as a representative of a web server that handles incoming requests by clients on behalf of. The web server could be a single server or several servers. In addition, it could serve as an app server such as Gunicorn. In both cases, the request is made by an internet user generally. In the majority of cases requests will get transmitted directly to the server, which is equipped with all the resources that the user is requires. In contrast reverse proxy functions as an intermediary and isolates Web server from direct interaction with the internet.




From the consumer's point of the consumer's perspective, working with reverse proxy is not any different from using an internet server direct. It's basically the same however the user cannot be able to discern the difference. The client asks for it, then it then gets it without any additional configurations that need to be done by the customer.




Reverse proxies can provide features such as:




A centralized layer of security that protects the server.


Controlling traffic that is inbound on rules that you can create.


A new feature for caching is now available.




While central security is a benefit of both reverse and forward proxy servers, reverse proxies offer this feature only to the server layer, but not the layer that clients use. instead of maintaining firewalls at Web server layers that can include multiple servers and various configurations, most security for firewalls is focused on the reverse proxy layer. In addition, the ease of interfacing with firewalls and communicating with requests from clients that are not web servers permits the firewall to concentrate on addressing the needs of their customers.




In the case of multiple servers running within a reverse proxy, it determines which requests are sent to which servers. There are many web servers working on the same server, serving different kinds of resources or a combination of the two. These servers use the HTTP protocol like a traditional web server. However, they can be equipped with applications server protocols like FastCGI. You can set up reverse proxy servers to guide the clients to specific servers according to the kind of resource they're searching for, or follow certain rules regarding traffic load.




Reverse proxies can also be able to gain advantage from their position before web servers, by providing caching functionality. Large static assets are able to be set up with caching rules, so that you do not need to connect with web servers on every request. Some solutions offering an option to deliver static files directly without having to connect to the web server even once. Additionally reverse proxy solutions can manage compression of these files.




The well-known Nginx web server is also used as a powerful reverse proxy option. It is true that the Apache web server is equipped with a reverse proxy, it can be used in conjunction with Apache but Nginx was originally built to and is primarily focused on reverse proxy capabilities.



Differentiating Forward Proxy and reverse Proxy Examples



Because "forward" as well as "reverse" have connotations of directionality and inaccurate comparisons with "incoming" and "outgoing" traffic. They can be confusing as both types of proxy services process requests and respond. The best way to differentiate between forward and reverse proxy service is to consider the requirements of the application you're creating.




A reverse proxy is a great option in the case of designing a system to provide web-based services via the internet. They function as servers in any interactions through the Internet.




Forward proxy applications can be advantageous when put in front of a user for personal use as well as in an office setting. They represent your clients when you connect to the internet.




The use case-based differentiation instead of focusing on the common naming conventions can assist you in avoiding confusion.



Conclusion



This article clarified the definition of a proxy along with two types: the forward proxy and reverse proxy. Practical applications and an exploration of beneficial features were used to distinguish between forward and reverse proxy. If you're interested in learning more about the implementation of proxies then you should read our tutorial on how to configure Nginx as an internet server and reverse proxy with Apache on the Ubuntu 20.04 server.



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