Difference Between a Proxy Server and a Reverse Proxy Server
A proxy server and a reverse proxy server are multipurpose servers intersituating between clients and servers. While they do the same tasks, they differ in the manner of implementation and operation as far as an undertaking is concerned. They tend to strengthen server security, optimize network performance, and control the exchanged traffic.
What is Proxy Server?
The proxy server is a median between the client (a user or an application) and the internet or another network. It relays requests from a customer to foreign servers and subsequently sends back answers from these servers to a customer.
Functions
- Privacy: Hides the client’s IP address with requests made, hence, the client’s privacy and anonymity are assured.
- Caching: A web page cache is a store that saves website pages and other content to provide a faster loading service for the future.
- Access Control: This may be able to mediate or resign access to particular websites or certain content upon the policy as well.
- Security: It is possible to report and discard harmful substances or information before they get to the customer.
- Usage: In general, Proxy servers are a tool employed by corporate environments to confine and monitor internet usage, and on the other hand, some of them use proxy servers to bypass content restrictions.
What is Reverse Proxy Server?
A reverse proxy server stands in between external and internal needs (like web browsers) and internal servers. It stands as a pass between the client and the server which listens to the server’s requests and sends them to the right server.
Functions
- Load Balancing: Splits incoming traffic into multiple servers to achieve the best utilization of them, improving the server’s availability.
- Caching: This type of application may include capability for the server cache responses and provide to clients to enhance the performance.
- SSL Termination: It can take care of SSL/TLS encryption/decryption, thereby, relieving the load from the backend servers.
- Security: Add one more security product that hides the internal server architect, thus filtering all incoming requests.
- Usage: In particular, web applications use backend servers for load balancing traffic across clusters of servers, SSL/TLS termination, and security mechanisms like request filtering and attack defeated.
Difference Between a Proxy Server and a Reverse Proxy Server
|
Parameters |
Proxy Server |
Reverse Proxy Server |
|---|---|---|
|
Purpose |
Requirements like privacy, access control, and content filtering are inseparable from them as they are intended to be applied on the client side. |
Mainly used for activities of the server part-time such as load balancing, SSL termination and security. |
|
Direction of Traffic |
Data packets go to the client end after that the proxy server has funnelled it to the destination server. Responses just like the question pathway kick the door for the client. |
Traffic is from external clients to a reverse proxy server, a gateway machine that accepts incoming requests from clients and then forwards the request to an internal server. Responses are relayed via the reverse proxy server periodically to the clients. |
|
Client-Server Relationship |
Services as an intermediary in operation between the customer and external hosts. The client would introduce those changes by passing through the proxy server to access other servers. |
Functions as a conduit through which external clients can reach and interact with internal servers. Clients will initiate the connections with the reverse proxy. Upon the request, the internal server is identified and the connection is forwarded to it. |
|
Location in Network |
Typically this service tends to be positioned closer to the client (for example in a user device located within the client’s network). |
Normally, this adds additional security by making it so the firewall is located near the internal servers or services being protected. |
|
Caching |
To make the action faster, it collects content from an external server and lowers outside traffic. |
As the backend servers are known to consume query traffic from the app, fetching responses from internal servers is better for performance. |
|
Security |
Extract security by blocking and restricting client requests towards external servers. |
Makes security superior by concealing the server’s internal composition while filtering outgoing data organized by the clients. |
|
Load Balancing |
Normally load balancing is not its primary function unless the client is the main component. |
Basically, load balancers are hardware or software components used for distributing incoming HTTP requests or traffic to multiple internal servers to enhance performance and availability. |
|
SSL/TLS Termination |
Client connections over SSL/TLS are manageable, but that is not the purpose for which it was built. |
Many Attacks of this type commonly end SSL/TLS connections hence saving this work for internal servers. |
|
Application Scope |
In practice, entry-level monitoring prevents measures of an incidence of web browsing and content framing issues. |
This process is designed to maximize, secure, and convey consumer requests to underline buttons and locate all active and working. |
|
Performance Enhancement |
Incremental processing speed through limiting client requests with caching and filtering. |
Improve performance relative to load, caching responses, as well as SSL/TLS to the internal servers and signing off. |
Frequently Asked Questions on Proxy Server and a Reverse Proxy Server – FAQs
What’s the difference between a proxy and a VPN?
A proxy is a platform for clients’ requests processing, whereas a VPN is an encryption for network traffic transmitting in a tunnel.
Can a reverse proxy handle multiple backend servers?
Yes, reverse proxy would allow us to distribute the requests to multiple servers (load balancing).
Do I need to configure client devices to use a proxy server?
Yes, client devices should be properly set up to use a proxy server which usually requires editing network settings.
Does a reverse proxy server cache responses from backend servers?
Yes, a reverse proxy can run the same response over and over to a client while the server just works on the original request.
How does a reverse proxy handle SSL/TLS termination?
A reverse proxy that ends SSL / TLS connections with clients and gets the backend back servers to produce new connections for secure communication.
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