Content delivery network
Also called: cdn or content distribution network
A content delivery network is a network consisting of proxy servers and Web servers. The configuration of the servers is completely designed to get information to a user as quickly as possible. CDNs are mainly used for providing static files such as images, banners, script files, stylesheets, file downloads and for streaming audio and video.
More and more Web sites are using content delivery networks for their static content. They are an increasingly important part of the backbone of the Internet. By using a cdn, the loading time of Internet sites and downloads can be reduced quite easily. It is also easier to store and access archives consisting of very large amounts of information and files online.
CDN technology
For fast connections and short routes, these platforms typically use servers in multiple data centers in multiple locations around the world. Working with multiple servers and locations also increases the availability of the servers and the information they serve. In addition, content delivery networks can provide additional services such as firewalls, license management and protection against DDoS attacks.
There are several software solutions for hosting a cdn yourself. Most Web sites that use a cdn do so by using specialized companies, such as Amazon Web Services and Cloudflare. Other CDN solutions are available both in the form of software to set up a cdn yourself and in the form of software as a service. An example of the latter category is Microsoft's Azure.
Several developers and providers of tools and products, such as Google Fonts and jQuery, optionally offer their products through their own content delivery networks. Web developers therefore need only include in their code a reference nar these sites.
