CDN Servers Definition
If you’re tech-savvy enough, you know full well that search words surrounding Content Delivery Networks (CDNs) have increased over the years. As more and more enterprises are turning to the digital space to expand their markets, tons of business owners and digital specialists are seeing the value of CDNs. So much so, that the words, “CDN servers definition” have already been Googled several times.
If you’re reading this article now then you’re probably one of those who are curious about CDNs. Keep reading! We have a lot to share with you in this write-up.
The words "CDN servers" make sense in that CDNs are a bunch of servers. Technically speaking, CDNs are a whole infrastructure of servers placed and found in different parts of the planet. That’s because they’re designed to transmit information to a website’s users more efficiently regardless of where they are in the world.
Understanding the CDN technology
You see, to simplify things, every website has a home. This is called the “web host.” Brands like Squarespace, Wordpress, Wix, and Tumblr are popular examples. The thing is, web hosts, in themselves, can only handle so many users when they visit your site. The more users visit your site at the same time, the very likely your site will crash simply because your web host wasn’t intended to cater to so many of them in one go.
Imagine a CDN to be a caterer. Say, a caterer can accommodate 300 guests for one single event. When 500 of your friends show up, this becomes challenging for your caterer because the limit is only 300. To solve this, your caterer will need some more help to accommodate the rest of your guests.
That established, sites that generate a lot of traffic will find CDNs to be advantageous because they get to continue their online business practices without interruption. Everything is smooth.
When a website utilizes a CDN, its content is immediately cached and stored in other servers. This makes it easier for a site’s foreign market to consume the media they put out much more efficiently. Understand that every time you visit a site or select a clickable, you are making a request. This request travels all the way to a web host origin if a site doesn’t have a CDN. So if you’re from Africa and you visit a site that’s being hosted in the Philippines, you can be sure that it’s going to load a little slower than usual even if you have the best internet connection around.
In other words, the proximal distance between an origin server and your actual location is bridged by CDNs. These servers, called Points of Preference, are responsible for storing your site’s media and data and then distributing them to the rest of the world. So when someone from a whole other continent visits your site, they get to access it from their edge server—the server that’s nearest their actual location.
Who are CDNs for?
CDNs are like car parts. Not every car has the same parts. In the same way, not every website needs the same technology. As mentioned earlier in this article, sites that have a huge following or decent traffic at least benefit the most.
Why?
Because latency is exactly what CDNs try to eliminate on the surface. Of course, CDNs exist to tick off many more boxes on the tech list, but that’s essentially what they’re designed for. So the answer depends on your site and your brand’s needs. Assess the kind of traffic you get and ask yourself if it’s enough to warrant a CDN’s inclusion. Traffic can be measured by gigabytes. BelugaCDN, for instance, offers a $20 Pro plan that can accommodate 2,500GB worth of traffic a month. Features aside, that’s one of the most affordable in the CDN market today.
Going back, if you feel like the traffic your site gets won’t accumulate, it may not be time to utilize a CDN just yet. Perhaps resorting to free CDN could also do you good.
If this is something you see in your digital horizon, start a free trial with BelugaCDN and learn more about the digital delivery platform as you go. There are lots of CDN providers out there, but starting with belugaCDN is a choice you won’t regret.
Compare BelugaCDN With Stackpath
Power-up your Content Delivery
30 Day Free Trial Cancel Anytime