What are CDN edge servers, and how exactly do they work?

Nearly half (46 percent) of the top one million websites rely on content delivery network (CDN) services, according to BuiltWith.

At the heart of CDNs are edge servers, which are servers strategically positioned to deliver web content to users from the nearest geographical location. They work by storing copies of web content — like images and videos — physically, and in terms of network topology, closer to users.

The point of having CDN edge servers is to ensure a reliable and smooth user experience. Storing web content in multiple locations closer to users reduces the distance data travels. This decreases loading times and prevents overloading any single server.

For example, Netflix has seen up to a 50 percent reduction in video startup time due to faster content delivery from CDN edge servers that were positioned nearer to users​​.

In this article, we’ll delve into the technical workings of CDN edge servers, outline the benefits of edge computing across various industries, and discuss future trends in edge computing. We’ll start by expanding our understanding of network edge.

• What is an edge server?
• How do CDN edge servers connect networks?
• Why are CDN edge servers important?
• The future of edge server computing, artificial intelligence, and 5G
• Final thoughts on security and customer support

What is an edge server?

An edge server operates at the “edge” of a network, closer to the endpoint devices. Compared to traditional servers, they’re better designed to deliver content and services with lower latency.

Unlike servers housed in a single centralized location, edge servers distribute processing tasks across multiple points in a network. This architecture reduces the physical distance data needs to travel, enhancing real-time response rates and user experience.

CDN edge servers cache static content like images, videos, and web pages close to users, which reduces the load on the core network infrastructure. In addition to CDN edge servers, there are a few different types of edge servers.

• IoT edge servers: Used for local Internet of Things (IoT) data processing and storage.
• Mobile edge servers: Provide compute resources and services meant for optimizing mobile application performance.
• Gateway edge servers: Act as a gateway between network domains, handling data processing and protocol translation at the edge of corporate networks.
• Fog nodes: Function similarly to IoT edge servers but with more extensive computing capabilities for more complex applications and data analysis.
• Cache edge servers: Specialize in temporarily storing content to speed up load times and reduce bandwidth usage for frequently accessed data.

If you’re looking for a more fundamental understanding of how to improve website performance and manage your traffic, here’s our post on the key differences between hosts and servers.

The differences between edge servers and traditional servers

Edge servers and traditional servers have the fundamental purpose of hosting data and applications, but they differ in deployment and functionality.

• Physical location: Traditional servers are usually centralized in data centers, which can be many miles from the end users. Edge servers are distributed closer to the users at the edge of the network.
• Purpose: Traditional servers centralize data storage and computing power, handling large volumes of data from multiple sources. Edge servers focus on delivering content and services as close to the end user as possible, optimizing response times and bandwidth usage for real-time applications.
• Scalability: Traditional servers scale up by enhancing server capabilities in a central location, which often involves significant hardware upgrades and downtime. Edge servers scale by adding more nodes across various locations, making it easier to expand capacity or enhance performance with minimal disruption.
• Maintenance: Traditional servers usually require scheduled downtime and physical access to the data center. Edge servers, distributed across multiple locations, can be challenging to physically maintain individually but allow for remote management and updates.
• Data processing: Traditional servers process data centrally, which can introduce delays if the data center is far from the data source. Edge servers process data locally, reducing transmission times and enabling faster decision-making, especially for IoT devices and mobile applications.

If you’re interested in learning more about how modern edge-server technology enhances data processing speeds and server efficiency, check out our post on SSD cloud computing servers and how they work.

How do CDN edge servers connect networks?

CDN edge servers act as the intermediary points that deliver content faster and enhance network connectivity through several functions.

1. Routing and traffic management: Optimizes data paths by directing user requests to the nearest server location.
2. Data caching: Stores frequently accessed content, minimizing the need for repeated data retrieval from the origin server and integrating these servers into the broader network architecture.
3. Load balancing: Evenly distributes incoming user requests across various server nodes, ensuring that no single node is overwhelmed, thus maintaining steady and reliable network connectivity during periods of high traffic.
4. Security and filtering: Enhances network security by preventing harmful data from progressing further into the network infrastructure, maintaining the integrity and safety of network connections.
5. Protocol translation: Facilitates seamless data exchange across different network protocols, ensuring interoperability.
6. VPN and encapsulation: Supports VPNs and encapsulation, securing data transmission and maintaining the privacy of sensitive information.
7. Network peering: Allows direct traffic exchange at shared access points.

Why are CDN edge servers important?

CDN edge servers enhance website performance, scalability, and reliability for business owners. They also offer developers tools for content management and security. Additionally, CDN edge servers impact SEO, conversion rates, and content personalization.

Below, we’ll explore their impact and use cases across various industries like ecommerce, health care, and more.

Ecommerce: site speed

Load times are a big factor in maintaining customer engagement and preventing cart abandonment. By caching content such as product images and stylesheets close to the shopper’s location, CDN edge servers minimize load times.

If you run a global online store, you might use a CDN to locally serve product images and pages to customers in various regions, improving the user experience and boosting conversion rates.

Health care: compliance, security, and performance

Health care providers need quick, secure access to medical data while complying with stringent regulations like HIPAA. CDN edge servers facilitate this level of access to applications and patient information.

For example, a telemedicine platform might use a CDN to deliver high-quality video conferencing capabilities securely across different geographic locations, thus ensuring adherence to privacy regulations.

Web developers: load reduction and management

When managing multiple client websites, web developers need CDN edge servers to reduce server load and increase content delivery efficiency.

They also help maintain high availability during frequent updates by alleviating the load on origin servers. A web design agency that uses a CDN to handle high traffic loads during client campaigns ensures the website remains fast and responsive without the need to upgrade its hosting infrastructure.

Tech startups and SaaS: stability and scalability

Scalability and reliability (performance) are necessary components of growing companies. CDN edge servers provide this by handling sudden spikes in traffic and distributing loads.

SaaS providers use CDNs to deliver applications globally while maintaining low latency. This helps them deal with issues like unexpected rises and dips in usage following product updates or marketing campaigns.

Education: content volume

Educational websites and elearning platforms often host a substantial amount of static content, such as course materials and videos, which need to be accessed simultaneously by numerous users.

An online learning platform may utilize a CDN to cache course content and deliver it on demand to students around the world. This reduces the strain on the primary servers during peak access times and improves the educational experience regardless of the student’s geographic location.

Finance and accounting: cyber threat protection

In the finance and accounting industries, CDN edge servers enhance security features, such as DDoS protection and edge encryption, to protect sensitive financial data against cyber threats.

A financial services firm that utilizes a CDN not only delivers content faster and safeguards against threats but also enhances digital trust and compliance with financial regulations.

The future of edge server computing, artificial intelligence, and 5G

Edge servers are poised to revolutionize computing. Artificial intelligence and the rollout of 5G networks will significantly bolster the capabilities of CDN edge servers, enhancing their speed, reliability, and scalability.

As edge computing continues to evolve, so will user expectations, technical requirements, and industry regulations. Businesses will need tailored solutions that cater to real-time processing data and low latency for their respective industry.

For a deeper dive, check out our article on the future of web hosting, emerging trends, and technologies.

Final thoughts on security and customer support

Implementing CDN edge servers offers your business considerable advantages in security, performance, and operational resilience. That’s why Liquid Web offers Cloudflare CDN with 280+ points of presence in our hosting plans, including VPS hosting, cloud solutions, and dedicated servers.

By distributing content closer to end users, you’ll enhance data protection, mitigate cyber threats, and optimize load times. By providing a consistently secure and pleasant user experience, you’ll earn a higher degree of digital trust from your customers.

At Liquid Web, we prioritize security and exceptional customer support through active monitoring and expert guidance. Check out our range of hosting plans or reach out to chat with us and learn which one would be the right fit for your needs today.