Setbacks of Content Delivery Networks? Don’t Fret!
You might have heard about how wonderful it is to use content delivery networks in forwarding the causes of your organization. You might have done your research in learning about how content delivery networks use strategic caches in sending company website content to other parts of the globe. Before you delve into the endeavor of content delivery networks and approach the nearest CDN providers, weigh their pros and cons first. Though content delivery networks are considered godsends to most companies, it does not mean that it’ll work for everyone. This article will focus on the possible problems you might encounter if you’ll consider content delivery networks, but also ways to alleviate them, too.
Possible Setbacks
Will it be worth it? It’s natural to look into the negative first, and let’s focus on that for the next few paragraphs. Let’s talk about the possible setbacks:
Price
With any new step for the profitability of the company comes the question of expenditures. While it is obvious that getting content delivery networks from CDN providers will entail some cash out, take in consideration as well the amount of money to be spent. Aside from paying professional fees to CDN providers, which will also cost you rental of equipment they use such as physical architecture for content delivery networks, maintenance of the service for a long time will be needed as well. Don’t fret, because CDN providers may have service packages that will cater to the exact need you have for content delivery networks. There are also free CDN options out there, like trial runs if you want to test the waters first, or open source content delivery networks if you are well-equipped with coding knowledge and know how to manipulate how open source content delivery networks are programmed. CDN providers have content delivery networks options for you, whatever budget you possess.
Security
Additional means to access your website might mean additional vulnerabilities to malicious forces like malware and viruses. While the prospect of putting out your company website out there sounds promising, the fact that you are opening more ways to be attacked could be risky. Be confident, however, that these vulnerabilities have been considered by CDN providers, and they have worked on these as they polish their content delivery networks. Most content delivery networks have this security feature that will only allow data to come out, but not come in. In other words, users trying to access the content delivery networks won’t find it easy to penetrate the system. Also, CDN providers may help in configuring your home server’s security system to also handle security in connected content delivery networks, so that only activity within and going out of the entire network is allowed. Of course, CDN providers are cybersecurity professionals, too. Expect to be given assistance with security trends, antivirus and antimalware apps, and other security measures for your peace of mind.
Third-Party Access
Another legitimate concern is allowing a third party, the CDN providers, into your company’s networks. Take note that once you say yes to CDN providers creating an online infrastructure of content delivery networks, CDN providers might have to look at company information and content. One thing you can be sure of is the professionalism of CDN providers that they will not use, or misuse, the data you hand over to them. Another way to control third-party access is to bluntly identify them during contract signing, or in any meeting with CDN providers. This way, CDN providers will understand your organization’s security and integrity concerns, and this will thicken the drawn line between service paid for and unwanted manipulation from third parties.
Emergencies
What if content delivery networks experience downtime? What if there is a problem with the home server, and in turn the content delivery networks don’t function as well? What if a security breach in the home server happened? Will the problem soon spread to content delivery networks and the users who access the website? Be confident that CDN providers will monitor the performance of your content delivery networks and do their best to alleviate problems right away. CDN providers are supposed to give 24/7 service to you, as websites are always up on the internet. In other words, you’re pretty much safe thanks to CDN providers.
Conclusion
Any new frontier for your company will entail apprehensions. Content delivery networks will help in raking in profit and creating new customer relationships, but CDN providers can’t give you full confidence in the system of content delivery networks. It’s really up to you how you weigh the pros and cons. Hopefully, this article helped you with some cons, so that you’ll just be looking forward to the good things coming your way thanks to content delivery networks.