Using a CDN to Speed Up Global Visitors
A content delivery network, or CDN, is a worldwide network of servers that keep copies of your site's files close to your visitors. Instead of every request travelling to one central server, people are served from the nearest location.
For audiences spread across regions, a CDN can cut load times substantially and protect your origin server from spikes in traffic.
Who Needs One Most
A CDN earns its keep when your visitors are spread across regions or countries. The further someone sits from your server, the longer each request takes, and a local copy removes most of that distance — turning a sluggish far-away visit into a quick one.
Beyond Raw Speed
A CDN does more than shorten distances. Most also shield your site from attacks and traffic spikes, so you gain resilience alongside performance from the same investment.
- Protection against denial-of-service attacks.
- A buffer that absorbs sudden traffic surges.
- A web application firewall on many plans.
- Less load reaching your origin server.
Choosing and Configuring a CDN
A CDN only helps if it is set up correctly for your site. The aim is to cache the right things close to visitors while making sure dynamic and personalised content is never served stale to the wrong person.
- Choose a provider that fits your audience and budget.
- Decide which content can be cached and for how long.
- Bypass the cache for personalised or sensitive areas.
- Test from several regions to confirm the speed gain.
What a CDN Speeds Up
- Images, stylesheets, scripts and downloads served from nearby.
- Whole cached pages for sites that allow it.
- Traffic surges, by absorbing load before it reaches your server.
Added Benefits
Most CDNs also provide security features such as protection against denial-of-service attacks and a web application firewall, so you gain resilience as well as speed.
Is It Right for You?
- Highly valuable for international or high-traffic sites.
- Useful even locally for offloading static files.
- We configure caching rules carefully so dynamic content stays fresh.
If you need a hand with any of this, your Progressive Robot delivery team is ready to help. Raise a ticket from the Support area of your client portal or speak to your account manager and we will guide you through the next steps.