Table of Contents
How does it work?
A CDN is a network of servers linked together. The reason a content provider installs a CDN is to deliver content quickly, cheaply, reliably, and securely. To improve speed and connectivity, a CDN will place servers at the exchange points between different networks. The more servers around the world = the faster your content loads.
The servers are Internet exchange points (IXPs). They are where different Internet providers connect to provide each other access to traffic originating on different networks.
Why is it required?
As mentioned above, CDN allows for the quick transfer of assets needed for loading content on the internet. This includes HTML pages, javascript files, images, and videos.
Today the majority of web traffic is served through CDNs, including traffic from major streaming sites like Facebook, Netflix, and Amazon.
The importance of this is immense – a study from akamai.com a one-second delay can potentially cost an e-commerce site US$ 2.5 million in sales every year.
For those in the video streaming business, it’s extremely important too. When catering to a global audience, there’s a chance that some part of the world won’t have the optimum internet speed to stream your content. To make sure that those with lesser bandwidth can also access the content, having a CDN is imperative.
For those who aren’t in streaming or e-commerce, they too need to take note of it, as the same study reveals that 40% of people abandon a website that takes more than three seconds to load.
Benefits:
Depending on the size and needs of a content platform, the benefits of CDN could be different. Some of the more common benefits CDN users have experienced are:
Faster website load times
By distributing content closer to website visitors by using a nearby CDN server, visitors experience faster page loading times. So, a CDN can reduce bounce rates and increase the amount of time that people spend on the site.
Increasing content availability
If your website can’t handle a high volume of traffic, it’s bound to crash. With CDNs in place, your website will be able to handle the traffic and keep your site running which means your content is accessible to users.
Protects your website
A CDN doesn’t only help with managing traffic. A properly configured CDN may also help protect websites against some common malicious attacks, such as Distributed Denial of Service.
Reduces costs
Bandwidth costs for website hosting is a major expense for websites. CDNs allow caching which means you are reducing the amount of data an origin server must provide, thus reducing hosting costs for maintaining a website.
Conclusion
While it seems complicated (and yes it could be), we at Enveu can provide your business with a global presence that delivers a great experience with CDNs so that you don’t lose out on the dollars or the clicks.
Want to learn more? Let’s talk!
