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What Is a CDN?

A CDN is a network of servers that delivers the static and dynamic content of websites to users quickly and securely through servers distributed across different geographic locations. By serving content from the server closest to the user, it improves page load times, reduces server load, and ensures uninterrupted site performance during high-traffic periods. You can find more details about CDN (Content Delivery Network) in our article!

Infrastructure and Hosting Publication Date 03 December 2025 - Update Date 09 December 2025
1.

How Does a CDN Work?

Known as a content delivery network, a CDN (Content Delivery Network) enables website content to be delivered to users more quickly, securely, and reliably through servers located in various regions across the world. Therefore, the question of what is a CDN can be answered as follows: A CDN is an interconnected network of servers that accelerates the loading of web pages, especially for applications that contain large amounts of data. By delivering content from the server closest to the user, a CDN enhances performance.

Static files such as images, videos, CSS files, JavaScript files, PDFs, and other media assets on a website are cached on CDN servers worldwide. The CDN distributes static website content to global PoP (Point of Presence) locations through caching. When a user accesses your website, the most appropriate CDN PoP is determined via DNS. For example, a user in Istanbul would be directed to the Istanbul PoP, while a user in Berlin would be routed to the Berlin PoP. In other words, a CDN delivers content through the PoP closest to the user; however, the content may not always be served from the same country. The selected “edge server” delivers the content. If the content already exists in the cache, it is presented instantly. If not, the CDN retrieves it from the origin server, caches it, and sends it to the user. Ultimately, through geographic proximity, optimization layers, data compression, and support for HTTP/2 and HTTP/3, a CDN can deliver content to end users extremely quickly. In addition to performance, traffic spikes and attacks are mitigated at the CDN layer, effectively protecting the origin server.

2.

What Does a CDN Do?

  • The most important function of a CDN is to provide fast loading times. It achieves this by routing the user’s request to the nearest CDN server.
  • Another key benefit of a CDN is reducing server load. Since static assets such as images, videos, and CSS are distributed through the CDN, the load on the origin server decreases.
  • A CDN provides protection during traffic surges. During campaigns or viral content spikes, the site does not slow down or crash.
  • It offers protection against DDoS attacks, bot filtering, and additional security layers.
  • Fast-loading pages improve user experience and positively impact SEO performance.
What Does a CDN Do?
3.

Why Is a CDN Important and Why Should I Use One?

Now that we understand what a CDN is, what it does, and how it works, the next question is: Why is a CDN important? Should every business operating in the digital space use a CDN? The answer is yes. A CDN enhances both customer experience and operational efficiency. For example, with CDN technology, high-traffic portals, customer dashboards, or product catalogs can operate quickly and without interruption. In addition, global delivery networks ensure that partners, distributors, and customers in different regions access content with minimal latency. The security layers offered by a CDN also provide protection against DDoS attacks, enabling scalable growth without putting corporate infrastructure at risk. Considering these benefits, a CDN is a strategic necessity for businesses seeking performance, security, and operational sustainability. To modernize your network infrastructure and strengthen security with experienced experts, explore GlassHouse’s network and security solutions!

4.

How Is a CDN Implemented?

CDN implementation varies depending on the platform used (WordPress, custom applications, e-commerce systems, cloud infrastructure, etc.), but the essential steps remain similar. To begin using a CDN, you must first select a CDN service. While choosing your provider, you should consider your use case, budget, and traffic. Then, you must associate your domain with the CDN. During this step, the CDN scans your site and proposes the necessary configurations. Next, you should point your DNS to the CDN by replacing your domain’s “Nameserver” records with those provided by the CDN. After this step, you can activate cache duration, cache levels, HTML/CSS/JS/image caching, and GZip/Brotli compression settings in the CDN panel. You are free to optimize performance and security settings as needed. Finally, it is recommended to test the integration. For example, navigate the site to verify whether images and static assets are being served through CDN URLs and observe any change in page load speed.

5.

Where Is a CDN Used?

  • E-commerce websites
  • News portals
  • Video platforms
  • Gaming servers
  • Corporate websites
  • Mobile applications

For businesses to manage their digital assets securely, they need both strong server infrastructure and proper network configuration. At this point, DNS — the Domain Name System — plays a critical role. Click to learn more about DNS!

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