Proxy vs. Reverse Proxy PDF

209 Proxy vs. Reverse Proxy ** Proxy and Reverse Proxy are both intermediary entities in a network that manage and ** *** * ** * redirect traffic, but they dif...

209 Proxy vs. Reverse Proxy ** Proxy and Reverse Proxy are both intermediary entities in a network that manage and ** *** * ** * redirect traffic, but they differ in terms of their operational setup and the direction in which * *** *** * * * * * * they handle traffic. Proxy (Forward Proxy) * * ** Operational Direction: A Proxy, often referred to as a Forward Proxy, serves as an * *** * intermediary for requests from clients (like browsers) seeking resources from other * *** *** *** servers. The clients connect to the proxy server, which then forwards the request to *** *** the destination server on behalf of the client. *** ** Functionality: ** *** Privacy and Anonymity: Hides the identity of the client from the internet servers * ** ~~ ~~ * * * they are accessing. The server sees the proxy’s IP address, not the client’s. * * * *** *** ** Content Filtering and Censorship: Can be used to control and restrict access to * *** specific websites or content. ** Caching: May cache responses to reduce loading times and bandwidth usage for ** *** *** * ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ frequently accessed resources. * ** Use Case Example: In an organizational network, a forward proxy is used to control * *** *** *** * internet access, where all employee web requests go through the proxy. * The proxy blocks certain websites and caches frequently accessed resources to improve * * * * * speed and reduce external bandwidth usage. * * * ~~ ~~ [Proxy vs. Reverse Proxy] ~ ~ Reverse Proxy *** Operational Direction: A Reverse Proxy, in contrast, is an intermediary for requests * ** * * * from clients (external or internal) directed to one or more servers. The clients connect * *** *** to the reverse proxy server, which then forwards the request to the appropriate backend * server. * ** Functionality: ** ** Load Balancing: Distributes incoming requests evenly among multiple servers to ** * * * * * * * balance the load. * ** Security and Anonymity for Servers: Hides the identities of the backend servers ** * * from the clients, providing an additional security layer. *** *** ** SSL Termination: Handles SSL encryption and decryption, offloading that * *** *** *** *** *** *** *** responsibility from the backend servers. * * ** Caching and Compression: Improves performance by caching content and ** * * * * * * * * * compressing server responses. * ** Use Case Example: A high-traffic website uses a reverse proxy to manage incoming ** *** *** * user requests. * The proxy distributes traffic among various servers (load balancing), caches content for faster retrieval, and provides SSL encryption for secure communications. * * Key Differences ** Direction of Traffic: ** A Proxy (Forward Proxy) acts on behalf of clients (users), managing outbound ** ** * * *** *** *** requests to the internet or other networks. *** A Reverse Proxy acts on behalf of servers, managing inbound requests from the *** *** *** *** *** *** outside to the server infrastructure. ** Intended Purpose: ** ** Proxies are typically used for client privacy, internet access control, and caching. ** *** *** *** *** *** *** ** Reverse Proxies are used for server load balancing, security, performance ** *** *** *** *** *** enhancement, and as an additional layer in the server architecture. *** *** *** Conclusion While both Proxy and Reverse Proxy serve as intermediaries in network traffic, their roles are * * * * * essentially opposite. * A Proxy is client-facing, managing outgoing traffic and user access, ** ** *** *** *** *** * while a Reverse Proxy is server-facing, managing incoming traffic to the server * ** ** *** *** *** *** infrastructure. Their deployment and specific functionalities reflect these distinct roles.