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English
A reverse proxy is a server configuration that acts as an intermediary between clients and backend servers. When a user sends a request, it is first received and processed by the reverse proxy server, which then forwards the request to the actual application server. This setup effectively reduces the load on backend servers, improving overall service stability and response speed.
A reverse proxy offers multiple advantages:
Load Balancing: Distributes requests intelligently across multiple backend servers to balance the load and avoid single points of failure.
Cache Acceleration: Caches static resources such as images, stylesheets, and scripts to reduce repetitive processing on backend servers.
Security Enhancement: Acts as a first line of defense by filtering out malicious requests, protecting backend servers.
The following example uses Nginx as a reverse proxy server to demonstrate a basic configuration:
# Install Nginx (proxy server)
sudo apt-get install nginx
server {
listen 80;
server_name example.com;
location / {
proxy_pass http://backend;
proxy_set_header Host $host;
proxy_set_header X-Real-IP $remote_addr;
proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-For $proxy_add_x_forwarded_for;
}
location /static {
alias /var/www/example.com/static;
}
}
# Start Nginx
sudo systemctl start nginx
This configuration forwards user requests to a backend server named “backend,” while static resource requests are served directly by Nginx, reducing backend load.
To verify the performance improvements brought by the reverse proxy, you can perform stress testing using the ApacheBench tool. Example:
<span class="fun">ab -n 10000 -c 100 http://example.com/</span>
This command simulates sending 10,000 requests with a concurrency level of 100, allowing you to evaluate the reverse proxy’s performance under high load.
Reverse proxy technology is an important approach to enhancing PHP applications’ ability to handle high concurrency by enabling load balancing, cache acceleration, and security protection. Proper configuration and thorough testing of the reverse proxy help improve website responsiveness and stability, ensuring a good user experience even under heavy traffic.
