Content Delivery Network (CDN)
CDNs are part of modern Internet Infrastructure and contribute to fast, reliable, and secure online experiences.
What is a content delivery network (CDN)?
A content delivery network (CDN) is a geographically distributed network of servers that deliver content such as web pages, images, videos, and other static files to users with high speed and reliability. CDNs store copies of content in multiple locations around the world, reducing the distance between the user and the server and reducing load times.
How CDN works
- Enquiry: A user accesses a web page that is served by a CDN.
- DNS lookup: The user's browser queries the DNS server for the IP address of the CDN server closest to the user.
- Routing: The DNS server forwards the request to the nearest CDN server.
- Cache query: The CDN server checks whether a copy of the requested file is cached.
- Cache hits: If the file is cached, the CDN server sends it directly to the user.
- Cache failure: If the file isn't in the cache, the CDN server fetches it from the origin server and caches it before sending it to the user.
- Deployment: The user receives the file from the CDN server and can load the web page.
Benefits of CDNs
- Faster loading pages: CDNs reduce load times for users, which improves usability and Conversion rate can increase.
- Fewer outages: By distributing traffic across multiple servers, CDNs can minimize outages and performance degradation on a single server.
- High scalability: CDNs can be easily adapted to growing amounts of data.
- More safety: CDNs protect content from cyber attacks, such as denial-of-service (DoS) attacks.
Who uses CDNs
- E-commerce sites: Fast loading times and high availability are crucial here.
- Streaming services: CDNs ensure smooth streaming of videos and other media content.
- Software company: Software updates and other files are thus distributed efficiently.
- Media companies: Images, videos, and other content reach their target audience faster.
Popular CDN providers
- Amazon CloudFront - Provider page
- Akamai Technologies - Provider page
- Google Cloud CDN - Provider page
- Microsoft Azure CDN - Provider page
Disadvantages of CDNs
- Data security and control: The user's data is stored on the CDN provider's servers, which can lead to concerns about data security and control.
- Dependency on provider: The user depends on the CDN provider to a certain extent.
- Lack of flexibility: CDN solutions are generally standardized and offer fewer customization options than on-premises software.
- Performance and availability: The performance and availability of the CDN solution depend on the Internet connection and the performance of the provider.
- Long-term costs: Subscription fees may exceed the total cost of on-premises software, particularly with large amounts of data.
- Hidden costs: There may be additional charges for features or data storage.
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Note: Our team benefited from the support of AI technologies while creating and maintaining this glossary.
CDNs provide fast and secure online experiences.
Thomas Borlik
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