What’s CDN and how it Works

Have you ever heard about CDN? CDN is an important feature especially for website optimizing. Furthermore, this is an effective way to make a website is faster. Below is the definition of CDN and the explanation of how it works that we will share for you.

The Definition of CDN

CDN or Content Delivery Network is a server network that is located in all over the world and it has a function as the files sender clients to the users’ clients. Each of those servers has exactly the same files like the other servers’ files. So that we can say that each server is the duplication from the other server. This is really an effective way to make your website runs faster and this thing had already explained and recommended by many web developers in this world.

How CDN Works

After knowing the definition, now we will talk about how CDN is usually worked. When clients download a web page, client will sent an http request to server that is aimed and then that server will respond it by sending the downloaded files. The speed of those download process depend on some factors. One of those factors is the distance between server and clients. As far as the distance, as long as the sending process and vice versa as short as the distance between server client and server, as fast as the time for downloading a website page.

For this case, the function of CDN or Content Delivery Network is to reduce the downloading time that is needed by clients because CDN is a server network that is located in many places in this world. That is why; the closest server with clients will get a priority to send the requested files. As an example, someone in Jakarta will need really long time to open a web or blog that is hosted by the USA server if the web or blog is not using CDN. However, the downloading time is depended on the distance between Jakarta and USA. Meanwhile, if that web or blog uses a CDN for hosting the files, so the closest CDN Server with client (for an example is a server that is located in Singapore) will serves the files sending process. That is why; the time that is needed can be shorter or in the other words we can say that it will be faster.

Commonly, CDN is aimed for the website or blog owners with the visitors target from all over the world. It is because the visitors’ access from any areas can be shortened through the closest CDN server. However, for the web or blog owner with the visitors target in certain areas only, it will be saver and simpler to rent a hosting server on those areas.

CDN that we usually see is in the form of services just like what we can find on the other web hosting. Most of those CDN are paid, but some of them are free. Which one is better? The answer is for sure the paid version.