How to reach an audience anywhere in the world with a CDN
A Content Delivery Network (CDN) helps to quickly deliver content to the user, regardless of their location. If a company wants to expand into other markets, a CDN can instantly deliver content to a new audience.
For a CDN provider, it is crucial to have a large number of points of presence. In this article, we will explore this criterion.
What is a CDN and how it works
A content delivery network is a distributed network architecture. In a typical hosting setup, a client requests content from a server that stores the data. The server processes the request and transmits a data packet, and the website or application is loaded. CDN hosting includes additional servers in the chain that are responsible for caching content.
The content delivery network has its servers in the maximum number of geographical locations. Due to the distributed network of CDN servers, the distance between the origin server and the user does not affect the speed of data transmission. Each location has the following features:
traffic balancers to ensure that users have priority access to content;
servers with AntiDDoS functionality to protect the content source from DDoS attacks;
servers with Web Shield / Web Application Firewall functionality to protect the content generator from various types of threats, such as XSS attacks and SQL injections;
cache servers that store data received from the content generator.
In addition, the CDN contains other service servers, routers, and switches. The network is divided into internal and external services that protect the content source from threats and deliver it to the user.
The content hosted on the source server is duplicated at the presence points. When a user visits a website, the content is loaded from the nearest intermediate node. In the absence of a CDN, website visitors request information and receive responses directly from the primary source. This method increases the requirements for the source server: each request increases the load, and the user's distance from the source increases the page loading time.
An edge node is the main component of a CDN. It stores copies or cached versions of the website content that was received from the origin server. The edge node provides the content on demand. Caching servers work as reverse proxy servers, which are connection points located in front of web servers. They act as intermediaries for end-user requests. Reverse proxy servers intercept requests, forward them to web servers, and return responses to website visitors.
Key components of a content delivery network (CDN)
Why peer-to-peer partnerships improve CDN performance
A CDN provides network connectivity, which is the ability of devices or nodes in a network to communicate with each other and exchange data. The more peer-to-peer partners a CDN provider has, the faster data can travel from the source to the user.
Peer-to-peer partners are needed for traffic exchange. Peer-to-peer allows you to reduce the routes of packet transmission between networks and reduce the cost of traffic. The agreement of Internet operators to exchange traffic between their networks increases the efficiency and speed of data delivery.
Users get access to shared resources and applications, which reduces the need to duplicate content. The network's connectivity also affects the cost of CDN services. Peer-to-peer partnerships help reduce costs by sharing resources.
How a CDN expands a company’s global reach
A content delivery network is necessary to ensure that users from different regions can access content at the same speed. A CDN simplifies and makes it cost-effective to deliver content to users in geographical locations that are far from the company's headquarters and primary servers.
A content delivery network helps companies expand into foreign markets by improving the speed and reliability of delivering their online content to users. By caching content on multiple servers located in different geographic locations, users can access content from the nearest server, reducing latency and improving the overall user experience.
Various CDN mechanisms allow for customization of content delivery. For example, a restriction rule controls access to content from the cache. A company can configure the rule to allow requests only from specific geographic or domain zones.
How a CDN helps build and retain an audience worldwide
A CDN contributes to a better user experience and helps to reach a larger global audience. With a fast and reliable online presence, a company can more effectively target potential customers in new markets.
A CDN reduces latency and provides a faster and more reliable online experience for users. A content delivery network allows a company to scale its online presence globally and handle traffic spikes, ensuring that the website remains accessible and responsive even during periods of high demand.
In addition, using a CDN can reduce the cost of delivering content worldwide by offloading the delivery process from the company's origin servers to the CDN's edge servers.
The content delivery network protects against online threats such as DDoS attacks. A CDN also provides additional security features, such as SSL/TLS encryption for protecting the website and customer data, and a Web Application Firewall that uses advanced algorithms and techniques to prevent cyberattacks.
Conclusion: choosing the right CDN provider for global content delivery
One of the key factors in choosing a provider is the extent to which their presence points are geographically dispersed. Maximum geographic coverage ensures faster content delivery. ITGLOBAL.COM provider hosts CDN servers in seven countries: the UAE, Kazakhstan, the Netherlands, the USA, Canada, Brazil, Russia, Belarus.
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