The final word Deal On Proxy Sites

An proxy often referred to as proxy servers is software that acts as an intermediary between client and server on the internet. Without a proxy, an individual would send a request to an item directly to a server and the server would then deliver the resource directly back to the user. Although this method is easy to grasp and implement, the addition of proxy servers can provide advantages in terms of enhanced performance, privacy, security, and more. In addition to offering a security layer proxy servers also act as a security guardian for the internet, separating clients from servers.

The general consensus is that the set of server hardware along with installed proxy software is also frequently referred to proxy servers. However, this article will concentrate on proxies which are usually classified as software and within the web server context. We will provide a brief overview of the two primary types that are forward proxy and a reverse proxy. Each has its own specific usage that can cause confusion due to a similar name convention.

This article will give you an understanding of nature of proxies and what their subtypes are and how they function in typical setups. By reading the article you'll learn to identify the scenarios that are the best to use a proxy, and choose the best option between reverse proxy and forward proxy for any scenario.

Understanding Forward Proxies

In the same way forward proxy also called open proxy. In other words, an open proxy serves as the representative of a client who wants to make an internet-based request to an the server that originated it. In this scenario every attempt to send requests from the client will instead be sent straight through the forward proxy. Forward proxy acting on the in the place of the customer, will examine the request. First, it will determine if the user is authorized receive requests from this particular forward proxy. Then, it decides if it wants to refuse a request or transfer it onto the server that originally received it. The client is unable to directly access the internet. It can only access what forward proxy allows its access.

The primary reason for people for using forward proxy services is to increase privacy or security on the internet. A forward proxy is able to connect to the internet in instead of a client and in this manner, it may utilize a different IP address than the IP address originally used by the client.

Based on the way it was configured in the past forward proxy servers may offer a wide range of options and allow you to:

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  Beware of ad-tracker.
  
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  Circumvent surveillance.
  
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  You can identify limitations based on your geographical location.
  
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Forward proxies may also be used in systems that provide central security and permission-based access, for example, in the workplace. When all internet traffic passes via an open forward proxy layer, administrators can restrict access to only those clients who are filtered through an common firewall. Instead of having firewalls in place for the client layer that may comprise a range of devices that are different in user and operating environments, the firewall can be placed into the forward proxy layer.

Be aware that forward proxy settings need to be configured manually in order to be used and reverse proxy settings are ignored by clients. Depending on whether the IP address of a client is sent to the origin server through the forward proxy privacy and anonymity could be granted or not.

There are a variety of possibilities to consider for forward proxies:

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  Apache: A popular open-source web server that has forward proxy functions.
  
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  Nginx: Another well-known open-source webserver, this one with forward proxy features.
  
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  Squid: A free forward proxy that makes use of the HTTP protocol. It doesn't provide a complete internet server. Check out our step-by-step guide to set up Squid proxy to allow private connections in Ubuntu 20.04.
  
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  Dante forward proxy, which uses using the SOCKS protocol instead of HTTP which makes it better suitable for situations like peer-to-topeer connections. You can also examine how you can install a Dante proxy for private connections in Ubuntu 20.04
  
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Understanding Reverse Proxies

A reverse proxy functions as a proxy for web servers that handle the incoming requests of clients on its behalf. The web server could comprise a server or multiple servers. Also, it could be used as an application server such as Gunicorn. In either of these scenarios an application request comes from a user via the internet in general. Most of the time the request is sent directly to the web server with the information the client wants. Reverse proxy, however, acts as an intermediary, protecting Web server from any direct interaction with the public internet.

From a consumer's point perspective, which is also from a user's perspective, working via a reverse proxy no any different from using direct connections to an internet server. It's exactly the same thing, however the client is unable to be able to discern the differences. The client asks for a resource and then receives it, with no additional configuration required on the part of the client.

Reverse proxies offer features like:

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  Secured centrally to protect Web Server Layer.
  
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  Controlling traffic that is inbound, based on rules you can create.
  
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  The caching function is now available to users.
  
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While central security is an advantage of both reverse and forward proxy servers, reverse proxies provide this benefit only to the server layer and only the layer that clients use. Instead of having firewalls running on the web server layer that could contain multiple servers and different configurations, the majority of firewall security can be targeted at reverse proxy layers. Furthermore, the elimination of the responsibility of interacting with a firewall and also interacting with requests from clients outside of web servers permits them to focus on meeting the needs of their customers.

When there is a multitude of servers being hosted by a reverse proxy, the reverse proxy is responsible for directing which requests go at the server. There may be several web servers offering identical content providing different types of resource or a combination of both. They can use the HTTP protocol similar to an ordinary web server but they can include different protocols for application servers such as FastCGI. It is also possible to set up a reverse proxy to direct clients to specific servers in accordance with the resource requested or to follow specific rules regarding traffic load.

Reverse proxies also can make use of their location ahead of web servers, by providing the ability to cache. The large static files can be set up with caching rules to avoid hitting web servers with every request. There are even solutions that allow users to serve static files directly without having to connect to the web server once. Furthermore reverse proxy is able to control compression of these files.

The popular Nginx web server is also used as an extremely popular reverse proxy option. Although Apache is also a reverse proxy service however, the Apache web server also comes with reverse proxy function that is an added attribute of Apache however Nginx was originally designed to focus on its reverse proxy feature.

Distinguishing Forward Proxy from Reverse Proxy Use Examples

Because "forward" or "reverse" have a connotation of directionality, and false comparisons to "incoming" as well as "outgoing" traffic the labels could be confusing since both types of proxy deal with requests and responses. A better approach to differentiate between reverse and forward proxy is to study the specifications of the application you're building.

Reverse proxy is beneficial when creating an application that runs web-based services over the internet. They serve as your web servers for when you use the internet.

Forward proxy can be useful when it is displayed before clients for personal use, or in a corporate environment. They are your client's representative whenever you use the internet.

The use of case-based differentiation instead of focusing on the standard naming conventions could help in avoiding confusion.

Conclusion

This article clarified the definition of a proxy with the two types: the forward proxy and the reverse proxy. Practical applications and a review of the beneficial characteristics were employed to identify between reverse and forward proxies. If you're interested in knowing more about the process of implementing proxy services, check out our guide on how to set up Nginx as a reverse and web server proxy with Apache in an Ubuntu 20.04 server.

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