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Channel surfers and the irresistible rise of Content Delivery Networks

When load balancing just won't cut it

Configuration is king

Then the configuration of the network component of your CDN really comes into its own. While most hosting environments break out into high quality internet transit as close to the endpoint as possible, CDNs will usually operate private internal fibre networks (essentially, a really big, potentially global MPLS) with Points of Presence (PoPs) regionally and globally to ensure that customers can enter the CDN as locally as possible.

The sooner they can break into the CDN’s network, the better their experience will be.

In this way, all end-users receive the shortest roundtrip journey possible in terms of latency and routing paths, and should all experience the best performance possible.

These guys are latency snobs of the highest order, and it shows in their results. Some CDNs even hook directly into ISPs for improved transit; remember the Netflix/Comcast saga? It’s no wonder ISPs are getting in on the CDN act themselves.

They’re complicated systems with multitudinous levels and layers, but when the content is so big and consumer tolerance for slow performance so low, it’s easy to see why CDNs have a place in the delivery of high-end internet content. ®

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