CDN stands for ‘Content Delivery Network’, which refers to a group of servers capable of working together. These servers are geographically distributed so that content can be delivered online more quickly to all corners of the globe. The CDN does not provide content hosting; instead, it helps to cache the content at the edge of the network, improving website performance across different regions.

CDNs not only help websites reduce loading times, but also reduce hosting bandwidth usage. Furthermore, they protect websites from frequent attacks, such as distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks. They were devised to eliminate network congestion caused by rich web content. Instead of transmitting content from the main server to individual users, a CDN brings the content closer to users worldwide.

How does a CDN work?

The main purpose of a CDN is to reduce latency, i.e. the delay experienced by users when accessing online content. Some CDNs reduce the physical distance that data travels before reaching the user. However, most popular CDNs deliver content more quickly and reliably by serving it from a location as close as possible to the user. CDNs are able to locate the ideal server within their network, which is usually the server closest to the user’s physical location. The content is cached and remains on the server for other users in the same region. This means that every user can receive the same content from the CDN server, rather than retrieving the data from the server where it is originally stored. If the requested content is already available on the CDN server, the CDN automatically retrieves and caches it for future requests.

Video: What is a Content Delivery Network (CDN)? (IBM Technology)

Why do people use a CDN?

CDN services offer numerous benefits that are crucial for websites. Most importantly, by distributing content to regions closer to users, a CDN drastically reduces website loading times. As a website’s performance affects its SEO results, this also influences the website’s success. A CDN also enables website owners to reduce their bandwidth costs through caching and other optimisations. It increases the availability and redundancy of content. As they handle more traffic and are more resilient to failures than the original servers, they help websites avoid unwanted downtime. Finally, CDNs also improve website security through their DDoS mitigation capabilities.

Is there a free CDN?

There are various free CDN services that can help website owners improve their site’s performance. However, most of these free services lack some important features. So, depending on the size and scope of your website, you may want to consider switching to a paid plan. Some of the most popular free CDN services include:

• G-Core Labs
• Cloudflare
• Fastly
• Photon by Jetpack
• Swarmify
• AWS CloudFront
• Google Cloud CDN
• Microsoft Azure CDN

Who uses a CDN?

CDN services can be beneficial for all website owners. As the benefits of CDNs are crucial for most websites, even smaller sites can use free CDN solutions to protect themselves against DDoS attacks or reduce bandwidth costs. If your website attracts visitors from all over the world and SEO is vital to its success, you may wish to consider upgrading to a paid plan. By improving your website’s page load speed, you can enhance your SEO performance and reduce your bounce rate. Furthermore, if your website’s content is considered rich web content – such as high-quality graphics or videos – a CDN can be highly beneficial for your website’s performance. The use of a CDN is very popular in the following sectors:

• Advertising industry
• Media and entertainment
• Online gambling
• E-commerce
• Healthcare
• Higher education
• Government

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