A Content Delivery Network (or CDN) is a service operating across a widely distributed system of servers to bring web content to an end-user based on the end-user's geographic location. A server optimally situated to deliver the best performance and fastest load times is determined algorithmically, with the goal of noticeably improving the end-user's experience (e.g. reduced page load time). Alternately, cost may be prioritized over performance.
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A Content Delivery Networks (or CDN) is a service operating across a widely distributed system of servers to bring web content to an end-user based on the end-user's geographic location.
A server optimally situated to deliver the best performance and fastest load times is determined algorithmically, with the goal of noticeably improving the end-user's experience (e.g. reduced page load time). This technology is becoming more essential as websites offer more streaming video, e-commerce and other applications where performance really matters.
Dynamic site acceleration
CDN caching rules
Diagnostic logs
File compression
Geo-filtering
HTTP/2 support
DDOS protection
CDN providers cache content in their own network or in third-party networks. When a user clicks on a website, the CDN redirects the request to the to the server geographically closest to the user without the user being aware. The CDN calculates which server is nearest to the requestor and delivers content based on those calculations. The CDN eliminates the number of hops that a data packet must make which leads to optimized bandwidth and increased performance. It can also be useful in the event of an outage as content housed on a CDN remains accessible to at least a portion of the user base.
More recently, CDNs have been using machine learning technology to enable faster load and delivery times.
When choosing a CDN for your business, there are a few factors you should consider.
Reliability: When choosing a CDN, one of the key factors you should consider is reliability. If your content requires the utmost stability, you should choose a CDN that boasts near perfect uptime. You should be aware that this will increase the cost of the service.
DDoS Protection: Many CDNs offer DDoS protection, though some do not. Additionally, some specialize in DDoS protection. If security is your primary concern, you should choose a CDN that specializes in DDoS protection.
Performance: One of the key benefits of CDN solutions is performance for the content it hosts. If you need high performance for your content, you should consider the performance of each CDN you consider.
CDN pricing is typically a price per GB, with a sliding scale of decreasing cost as the overall volume increases. Price also varies depending on the geographic zone. As an example, for the first tier of 10 TB in North America and Europe, the per GB price may vary between $0.04 to $0.25 or more, depending on product capabilities.