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Networking Beginner

What is Content Delivery Network (CDN)?

A geographically distributed network of servers that caches and delivers web content from locations closest to users for faster load times.

CDNs reduce latency by serving content from edge servers near users instead of a distant origin server. They cache static assets (images, CSS, JavaScript, fonts) and can also cache dynamic content with proper configuration. Major CDN providers include Cloudflare, Fastly, Akamai, and AWS CloudFront. CDNs also provide DDoS protection (absorbing attack traffic across their network), SSL/TLS termination, image optimization, and web application firewall (WAF) capabilities. Configuration involves pointing DNS to the CDN, setting cache rules (TTL, cache keys), and defining origin pull behavior. Modern CDNs support edge computing (running code at edge locations) for personalization and A/B testing.

Related Terms

QoS (Quality of Service)
A set of techniques for managing network traffic to prioritize certain types of data and ensure performance for critical applications.
Network Bridge
A device or software that connects two or more network segments at the data link layer, forwarding traffic based on MAC addresses.
Network ACL
A set of rules that control inbound and outbound traffic at the subnet level, acting as a stateless firewall in cloud and enterprise networks.
Proxy Server
An intermediary server that forwards requests between clients and destination servers, providing caching, filtering, or anonymity.
DNS Propagation
The time it takes for DNS record changes to spread across all DNS servers worldwide, typically taking up to 48 hours.
Firewall
A network security system that monitors and controls incoming and outgoing traffic based on predetermined rules.
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