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Reverse proxy server configurations for API Self-hosted

  • Updated

A reverse proxy is a server that sits in front of web servers and forwards client (e.g. web browser) requests to those web servers. Reverse proxies are typically implemented to help increase security, performance, and reliability.

This article aims to provide configuration examples using a Apache server for both reverse proxy and TLS termination to achieve a reverse proxy server. 

 

Reverse proxy configuration

For Apache 2.4, a minimal reverse proxy configuration would include the following parameters within the apache configuration file (httpd.conf):
    # Authorise all requests
    <Location />
        Require all granted
    </Location>

    # Preserve the Host header
    ProxyPreserveHost On

    # API Self-hosted reverse proxy
    ProxyPass / https://<apish>/
    ProxyPassReverse / https://<apish>/
Note that:
  • This is not a complete configuration web server configuration, it only illustrates the specific parts pertaining to the reverse proxy. The above configuration would typically be inserted into an appropriate <VirtualHost> block.
  • The above requires the Apache mod_proxy and mod_proxy_http modules to be enabled. These modules are typically included in most Apache installations, but may need to be enabled.
  • The <apish> placeholders in the ProxyPass and ProxyPassReverse statements should be replaced with the DNS address or IP address (preferred) of the API Self-hosted installation.

 

TLS termination configuration

For the scenario where TLS termination is being performed by the reverse proxy, in addition to the required APISH configuration, the Apache configuration file would be modified as follows:
    # Authorise all requests
    <Location />
        Require all granted
    </Location>

    # Pass the client IP through to the backend
    RemoteIPHeader X-Forwarded-For

    # Flag that client connection to proxy is secure
    RequestHeader set X-Forwarded-Proto https

    # Preserve the Host header
    ProxyPreserveHost On

    # API Self-hosted reverse proxy
    ProxyPass / http://<apish>/
    ProxyPassReverse / http://<apish>/
Note that:
  • The ProxyPass and ProxyPassReverse statements are now using http instead of https.
  • We use the RemoteIPHeader setting to pass through the IP of the client to the APISH box in the X-Forwarded-For header. This requires the mod_remoteip module be enabled. This is not required, but is recommended.
  • We set the X-Forwarded-Proto header to https to indicate to APISH that the original connection is secure. This requires the mod_headers module and is required.

 

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