- System Analysis and Design - Home
- System Analysis & Design - Overview
- Differences between System Analysis and System Design
- System Analysis and Design - Communication Protocols
- Horizontal and Vertical Scaling in System Design
- Capacity Estimation in Systems Design
- Roles of Web Server and Proxies in Designing Systems
- Clustering and Load Balancing
- System Development Life Cycle
- System Analysis and Design - Requirement Determination
- System Analysis and Design - Systems Implementation
- System Analysis and Design - System Planning
- System Analysis and Design - Structured Analysis
- System Design
- System Analysis and Design - Design Strategies
- System Analysis and Design - Software Deployment
- Software Deployment Example Using Docker
- Functional Vs. Non-functional Requirements
- Data Flow Diagrams(DFD)
- Data Flow Diagram - What It Is?
- Data Flow Diagram - Types and Components
- Data Flow Diagram - Development
- Data Flow Diagram - Balancing
- Data Flow Diagram - Decomposition
- Databases in System Design
- System Design - Databases
- System Design - Database Sharding
- System Design - Database Replication
- System Design - Database Federation
- System Design - Designing Authentication System
- Database Design Vs. Database Architecture
- Database Federation Vs. Database Sharding
- High Level Design(HLD)
- System Design - High Level Design
- System Design - Availability
- System Design - Consistency
- System Design - Reliability
- System Design - CAP Theorem
- System Design - API Gateway
- Low Level Design(LLD)
- System Design - Low Level Design
- System Design - Authentication Vs. Authorization
- System Design - Performance Optimization Techniques
- System Design - Containerization Architecture
- System Design - Modularity and Interfaces
- System Design - CI/CD Pipelines
- System Design - Data Partitioning Techniques
- System Design - Essential Security Measures
- System Implementation
- Input / Output & Forms Design
- Testing and Quality Assurance
- Implementation & Maintenance
- System Security and Audit
- Object-Oriented Approach
- System Analysis & Design Resources
- Quick Guide
- Useful Resources
- Discussion
Roles of Web Server and Proxies in Designing Systems
This article covers roles of web servers and proxies while preparing a system designs and architectures.
Understanding Web Servers
Definition
A web server is software or hardware that serves web content to clients over the internet.
Functionality
Handling HTTP requests and responses.
Storing and serving static content (HTML, CSS, JavaScript).
Running dynamic applications (e.g., through CGI, PHP, or frameworks like Spring Boot).
Examples of Web Servers
Apache Tomcat
Apache Http
Nginx
Microsoft IIS
Core Responsibilities of Web Servers
Content Delivery
Responding to requests for web pages and resources.
Serving static files and rendering dynamic content.
Resource Management
Managing connections and sessions.
Load balancing to handle multiple requests.
Security Features
HTTPS support through SSL/TLS.
Basic authentication and access control.
Understanding Proxies
Definition
A proxy server acts as an intermediary between a client and a destination server.
Types of Proxies
Forward proxies− Used by clients to access the internet.
Reverse proxies− Positioned in front of web servers to handle requests on their behalf.
Common Use Cases
Caching
Filtering
Content Delivery
Roles of Proxies
Performance Optimization
Caching frequently accessed content to reduce load times.
Reducing bandwidth usage by compressing content.
Security Enhancement
Hiding client IP addresses for anonymity.
Protecting against attacks (e.g., DDoS Distributed Denial of Service).
Access Control
Filtering traffic based on rules (e.g., content filtering in organizations).
Enforcing company policies for web access.
Interplay Between Web Servers and Proxies
How They Work Together
Proxies forwarding requests to web servers and relaying responses back to clients.
Load balancing techniques involving multiple web servers behind a reverse proxy.
Real-world Example
You can discuss a scenario in which a proxy server is used to enhance the performance and security of a web server.
Challenges and Considerations
Web Server Challenges
Handling high traffic volumes.
Managing security vulnerabilities.
Proxy Challenges
Configuring proxies correctly for optimal performance.
Balancing anonymity and security with usability.
Best Practices
Regular updates and security patches for servers and proxies.
Implementing monitoring tools to track performance and security threats.
Advancements in Web Servers
Web servers are undergoing significant transformations driven by the need for speed and scalability. The rise of microservices architecture is pushing developers to adopt lightweight web servers that can efficiently handle numerous requests. Technologies such as Docker and Kubernetes facilitate containerization, allowing applications to run in isolated environments. This approach enhances resource utilization and simplifies deployment.
Moreover, the integration of serverless computing is revolutionizing the traditional web server model. Platforms like AWS Lambda and Azure Functions enable developers to run code in response to events without managing server infrastructure. This not only reduces operational overhead but also allows for automatic scaling based on demand.
Security remains a top priority, with advancements in TLS (Transport Layer Security) and HTTP/3 protocols enhancing data protection and reducing latency. The adoption of AI-driven security solutions is also on the rise, helping to identify and mitigate threats in real-time.