We all know how valuable proxies can be. Each type of proxy has its use, but forward and reverse proxies are the two most common and, literally, the two most important types of proxies.
Once you know the difference between forward proxy vs reverse proxy and how they can help you, you will feel how easy it is to protect your own or your company's data.
What is Forward Proxy Server?
A proxy server, sometimes called a forward proxy, redirects traffic between clients and servers. Forward proxies regulate traffic according to defined policies and modify and hide clients' IP addresses to ensure security.
In other words, these are the same proxies that anonymize the IP address and information about the user who connects to web resources through an intermediary server.
Operating Principle
When you use a forward proxy server, your browser is configured to send all your internet requests through a third-party server that acts as an intermediary.
After the proxy server processes the requests, it sends them to the destination server, where they were initially intended.
The proxy server then sends the responses from the websites or other services back to your browser. This process allows you to access content without revealing your IP address or location.
This principle applies to any 'everyday' use of residential, datacenter, and mobile proxies. Forward proxies help access global content, conduct market research, monitor competitors, or simply protect one's data when one goes online.
Access to Global Content
One of the best benefits of using a forward proxy is that it can help bypass Internet censorship and access content blocked in your region.
If a site or service is restricted in your region, you can route your traffic through a proxy in another country, and voila - the restrictions are lifted, and you can browse freely.
However, for every proxy server, there are web resources with strict policies prohibiting location hiding and monitoring proxy usage. Whether they are anonymous proxies or not, there is no hiding from some security systems.
Anonymity
Forward proxy servers are also great for staying hidden. When you visit websites, they see the IP address of the proxy server instead of your actual IP address. This makes your online activity more private and makes it more challenging for websites to track you. This is a convenient option for those who value their privacy or want to be discreet when accessing information.
In addition to forward proxies, you can also use alternative tools. We discussed them in the article 'Proxies and Alternatives: VPN, Free Proxies, Fake IP Generators.'
Security
Proxy redirection is helpful for more than accessing content. It's also a good tool for securing your system, whether it's your phone, computer, or router. Proxy servers buffer your device from the Internet, blocking malicious traffic such as phishing attacks or malware.
What is Reverse Proxy?
Reverse proxies are a type of proxy server used to protect servers. A reverse proxy server takes a request from a client, sends it to another server, and then sends the results back to the client as if the proxy server had processed the request itself. The client only communicates directly with the reverse proxy server, so it does not know that the other server has processed its request.
Essentially, a reverse proxy acts as a gateway between clients, users, and application servers. It manages all access policies and traffic routing, protecting the server's identity that handles the request.
How It Works
The proxy server still acts as an intermediary between the client and the server, so reverse proxies work similarly to forward proxies, except for the directionality.
- Client request. A client (such as a browser or mobile application) sends a request to the server to access a resource, such as a web page, an API, or something else.
- The request intercepting. A reverse proxy server intercepts this request instead of allowing the client to connect directly to the target server. The client may not even be aware of the presence of the reverse proxy.
- Request forwarding. The proxy forwards the request to one of its internal servers. It can choose a server based on load balancing, availability, and proximity.
- Internal server response. The internal server processes the request and sends the response (e.g., data, HTML, etc.) back to the reverse proxy server.
- Return response. The proxy sends the server response back to the client without revealing the information or location of the back-end server.
This keeps the target (internal) server data secure and reduces the risk of hacking or information theft. The article 'BackConnect Proxies: Advantages and Disadvantages' explains the principle of reverse proxies' work in more detail.
Security
Passing client traffic through a reverse proxy server greatly simplifies security administration.
For example, network administrators can configure the reverse proxy firewall to allow or block specific IP addresses. All existing servers on the other side of the proxy are protected. Suppose a new internal server is added to the network that is configured only to accept requests from the proxy server. In that case, the new internal server will be protected according to the proxy configuration.
Load Balancing
Another benefit of using reverse proxies is that network professionals can easily swap out internal servers without disrupting traffic. In addition, proxy configuration is available for load balancing, which allows requests to be distributed more evenly across internal servers, improving overall performance.
Caching
One of the best things about using reverse proxies is the ability to cache content that users frequently request. By storing copies of items such as images, scripts and web pages on the reverse proxy server, you can serve these requests directly without forwarding them to the original server. This can really improve the speed of a website or application by reducing latency and improving response times.
Comparison: Forward Proxy vs Reverse Proxy
Now for the most interesting part of the article, the comparison of forward and reverse proxies!
Similarities
Both reverse and forward proxy servers act as network communications intermediaries, helping manage traffic flow between clients and servers. They make operations more secure by hiding IP addresses, filtering traffic, blocking malicious content, or controlling access based on predefined rules.
When comparing forward proxy vs reverse proxy, it is immediately apparent that they enhance privacy and security, but in different ways.
Forward vs Reverse Proxy Differences
Let's compare forward vs reverse proxy using the criteria that best illustrate their differences.
|
Criteria |
Reverse Proxy |
Forward Proxy |
|
Protection |
Protect the server. Clients access services through a reverse proxy server, which routes traffic between back-end servers and the client. |
Provides security to the client. A proxy server acts as an intermediary between the client and various servers in the web space. |
|
Purpose |
Used for server protection and optimisation, inbound traffic management, load balancing and internal server security. |
Used to protect customers' privacy and circumvent regional content restrictions. It masks the customer's IP address. |
|
Traffic direction |
Handles traffic from the client to the server. The client requests resources and the reverse proxy forwards them to internal servers. |
Handles traffic from the client to external servers. A forward proxy sends client requests to the Internet and returns responses. |
Reverse proxies are used to balance traffic between multiple servers. This is important for large sites or high-traffic applications like e-commerce or social networking websites. Such proxies can also filter out malicious requests and stop DDoS attacks before they reach the servers.
Privacy-conscious users and organizations can use forward proxy servers to browse websites more anonymously or restrict access to specific internal resources.
Conclusion and Recommendations
Forward and reverse proxies are the tools you need to work more privately online. Whether you want to bypass geo-restrictions, protect your privacy, or optimize your website, choosing the suitable proxy (forward proxy vs reverse proxy) can be crucial.
The more reliable the proxy provider you choose, the safer you can surf the web without fear of exposure. Froxy offers different types of proxies to protect you at all times.
