Forward Proxy vs Reverse Proxy

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If you are a newbie in the networking world, this post is perfect for you. Understanding all the DevOps concepts can be daunting and overwhelming before you deep-dive into platforms like AWS, Azure, or GCP. This post is the first of many where I aim to simplify some of the concepts you are expected to know before you begin your DevOps journey.

What is a Forward Proxy

Let’s begin by understanding what a forward proxy does:

Forward Proxy Representation

Have you ever considered what happens when you connect to the internet at school, university, or workplace? What if you unintentionally visit a website that could potentially expose you to security threats? In order to mitigate such risks, organizations use a forward proxy server.

A forward proxy server sits between the user’s device and the internet. When the user sends a HTTPS request to a website, the forward proxy intercepts the request and ensures it complies with the pre-set rules defined before forwarding the request to the server. Although this is the primary function of a forward proxy, it can perform other functions too.

• Some commonly configured pre-set rules include checking the…