TCP Reverse Proxy - Transmission Control Protocol Reverse Proxy
What is TCP Reverse Proxy?
A TCP Reverse Proxy is a server that receives TCP connection requests from clients and forwards them to backend servers, acting as an intermediary at the TCP transport layer.
Why is TCP Reverse Proxy useful?
TCP Reverse Proxies are useful for: - Load balancing TCP-based services - Offloading connection management from backend servers - Security, by hiding backend servers from clients - Failover and high availability - Traffic inspection and rate limiting at the TCP level
How it works?
The client initiates a TCP connection to the reverse proxy.
The proxy accepts and forwards TCP packets to the backend server.
It manages and proxies TCP streams transparently without inspecting application data.
Examples: HAProxy, NGINX (stream module), Envoy.
Where is TCP Reverse Proxy used?
TCP Reverse Proxies are used in: - Proxying databases like MySQL, PostgreSQL - Email servers (SMTP), FTP servers - Load balancing custom TCP protocols - IoT and legacy system integrations
Which OSI layer does this protocol belong to?
TCP Reverse Proxy operates at the Transport Layer (Layer 4) of the OSI model.
Is TCP Reverse Proxy Windows specific?
No, TCP Reverse Proxies are not Windows specific and can run on multiple operating systems.
Is TCP Reverse Proxy Linux specific?
No, TCP Reverse Proxies are not Linux specific though Linux is a common deployment platform.
Which Transport Protocol is used by TCP Reverse Proxy?
TCP Reverse Proxy uses: - TCP (Transmission Control Protocol)
Which Port is used by TCP Reverse Proxy?
Any configured TCP port depending on backend services.
Examples: 3306 (MySQL), 25 (SMTP), or custom ports.
Is TCP Reverse Proxy using Client server model?
Yes, it follows the client-server model: - Acts as a server to the client - Acts as a client to the backend servers
Topics in this section,
In this section, you are going to learn
Terminology
Version Info
rfc details
setup
setup
packet details
usecases
features
Reference links