What is proxy server and how it works

What you learn here about About what is proxy server and how it works:

  • What is Proxy server
  • How Proxy server works?
  • Types of Proxy server
  • Forward Proxy Server
  • Reverse Proxy Server
  • What is need of proxy Server

What is Proxy Server in networking

Basically, Servers are major responsible for accepting client requests and sending a response back which is shown below. On the internet, each website or any resource that you access from remote place runs on the server. whenever the client makes any request to any website then the server(main server) of that website or resource is responsible for accepting the client request and sending the response back. In the same way, Proxy servers are also responsible for accepting client request and sending a response back. Basically, Proxy Server is an intermediate between Client and another server(On which website is running) or Cloud instance which is shown below.

What is Web resources?

On the internet, web resources are nothing but web pages that we see in the browser. This term we are going to use later that’s why explained here.

How Proxy Server Works?

A proxy server has a cache memory. Whenever there is the first request for any web resource from the user then the proxy server will pass the request to the main server and receive the response from the main server. Once the response is received, the proxy server will store the response in his cache memory as well as sends the response back to the user which is shown below.

Whenever the client makes a request for any web resource and if that resource is available in the cache memory of the proxy server then the proxy server will not forward request to the main server. Rather proxy server will act as the main server and sends the response back to the client which is shown below.

Types of Proxy Server:

  1. Forward Proxy Server
    1. Anonymous Proxy Server
    2. Transparent Proxy Server
  2. Reverse Proxy Server
  3. Distortion Proxy Server.

1)Forward Proxy server:

A proxy server is said to be the forward proxy server when it is implemented on the client side (local network) which is shown below. The forward proxy server accepts the request for web resources from the users. If the requested web resource is available in the cache memory of the proxy server then the proxy server will send the response back to the user. If the requested web resource is not available in the cache memory then the proxy server will send a request to the main server and collects the response from the main server. Once the response is received it will store one copy in the cache memory and it will send another copy to the client or user. Generally, forward proxy servers run in your browser. For example, if your company or office has blocked some sites then you can configure the forward proxy server from your browser and still you can access those blocked sites. This is possible because the forward proxy server will send the request to blocked sites on the behalf of him and collects the response.

Forward Proxy server is divided into two types:

1)Anonymous proxy server:

Anonymous proxy server hides the IP address of Client and sends Its own IP address to the main server when the client makes a request. Anonymous Proxy server is useful when you want to hide your identity on the internet. Anonymous proxy also supports cache.

2)Transparent proxy server:

The transparent proxy server is the proxy server. When the client makes the first request then a transparent proxy server accepts the request from the client and sends a request to the main server as it is without any modification. When the transparent proxy server receives response from main server, It sends response to client without any modification and also store one copy of response in his cache memory. By using transparent proxy server, main server comes to what is the IP address of client because transparent proxy server does not hide the IP address of client.The major function of transparent proxy server is cache.

Forward proxy servers plays an important role when you have slow internet speed.

2)Reverse proxy server

A proxy server is said to be the reverse proxy server when it is implemented on the server side which is shown below. The reverse proxy server accepts the request for web resources from the users. If the requested web resource is available in the cache memory of the proxy server then the proxy server will send the response back to the user. If the requested web resource is not available in the cache memory then the proxy server will send a request to the main server and collect the responses from the main server. Once the response is received it will store one copy in the cache memory and it will send another copy to the client or user.

3)Distorting proxy server

Distortion proxy server passes incorrect IP address to the main server. Distortion proxy server is useful when you want to hide your identity on internet. It also support cache functionality.

What is need of Proxy server?

The proxy server is responsible for following things
1)Increases the network performance
2)Network security
3)blocks website
4)monitors user in a network

Disadvantages of proxy server

1)everything saves in proxy server
2)proxy servers are less secures in terms of storing passwords
3)files, email surfing is limited in proxy servers

Common Doubts

Can we directly communicate with Server or Cloud instance?

Yes, we can directly communicate with the server or Cloud instance.

How Proxy servers are different from the Normal server or Website hosting server?

The major difference is that Proxy servers have the cache memory and normal server do not have the cache memory.

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