What is a Proxy?
A proxy refers to a device or software that acts as an intermediary between an internal network (such as within a company) and the internet. It allows internal computers, which cannot directly access the internet for security or other reasons, to connect to the internet on their behalf.
Proxies are categorized based on their functionality:
When the term "proxy" is used alone, it often implies a forward proxy. From the internet's perspective, a forward proxy acts on behalf of a client, while a reverse proxy acts on behalf of a server.
Among these, reverse proxies play a critical role in enhancing the speed and security of web services. A key use case for reverse proxies is load balancing, which distributes external requests across multiple internal servers, reducing the load on individual servers. Additionally, reverse proxies can handle tasks such as:
A full proxy refers to a proxy that entirely separates external and internal networks across all protocol layers (including processing up to Layer 7 as well as application payload data). Full proxies enable highly advanced traffic management. For example, they can provide application-layer security, accelerate web services, rewrite web page content, and enable secure remote access. Full proxies can also control requests based on parameters such as device type, location, network conditions, and access time, supporting fine-grained traffic management.
F5's BIG-IP platform incorporates full proxy capabilities, providing features such as load balancing, performance optimization for web applications, application-layer firewall functionality, and secure remote access.