Content Delivery Network Tutorials

[bluehat23]

I want to learn more about how content delivery networks work. Can someone recommend a tutorial or site.

 

[integratedunits]

Let me guide you a bit on Content Delivery Network. First of all you should know what CDN IS?

Basically it is network based on Numerous Servers based on Different Geographical locations. They Pull Content from your Server and then Replicate it on all the servers. And once the data is called . The user is entertained with the nearest Server. which ultimately increase the speed of site. and give user a Very Fast Experience.

Now everybody pretty much know about this. But the confusion arrives , HOW TO USE THAT STUFF. Well let me explain you with Example.

For example you have a Image File which is something like domain/file/big.jpg . when ever your page is called this file is loaded from your Server. But when you move to the CDN. it gives you and Alias something like username.cdnwebsite which you Point to your Server Location like a Mask. For example

Without CDN domain/file/big.jpg
On CDN

first you point username.cdnwebsite/myfile ---> domain/file/
and now on your website you call file by username.cdnwebsite/myfile/big.jpg rather then domain/file/big.jpg

So this way CDN pull the image from your server once. and whenever it is called next time. the file is provided from the nearest CDN Server.


Hopefully it helps. BHW is not allowing me to post links which really sucks. otherwise i should provide it with pics and links.

 

[bluehat23]

Excellent. So if you're doing streaming video my understanding is there is an app on your site that plays the video and that app calls the video from the CDN is that right? Do you have a choice of streaming video apps or are some supported by the CDN and not others?

 

[huzah]

Video-streaming apps just call a file (usually a .FLV). Instead of pointing to a file on your server, you now point to a file on the CDN. So CDN's should be able to support any video-streaming app of your choice.

 

[Zapdos]

The CDN you choose will be important. Some allow streaming/multimedia sites and others don't.

Normally what you would do in the case of a movie (.flv format) is on the page you would have your player setup (doesnt matter which as long as it can use external urls) and point it to your cdn. Something like this (PSEUDO-CODE):

<script>
$('#video').flvPlayer(function() {
   'url': 'yourcdn. com/somevideo.mp4',
   'width: 600,
   'height': 400 
});
</script>

One thing to keep in mind is that using SSL will throw errors when with a cdn! You will need to either keep the same files on your own server and differentiate between SSL and non, or get a CDN that allows you to secure it with your own SSL and domain.


Also, CDNs are most often for static content. Not live streaming. If you need live streaming you *may* need something else. If its streaming static content (like youtube) then you can go with practically any. If you want suggestions, I can name off 3 of the popular ones (and one of them is uber cheap)

 

[bluehat23]

One thing to keep in mind is that using SSL will throw errors when with a cdn! You will need to either keep the same files on your own server and differentiate between SSL and non, or get a CDN that allows you to secure it with your own SSL and domain.

Ok, why would you need SSL though? like if you had an ecom site with the whole site on SSL?

Also, CDNs are most often for static content. Not live streaming. If you need live streaming you *may* need something else. If its streaming static content (like youtube) then you can go with practically any. If you want suggestions, I can name off 3 of the popular ones (and one of them is uber cheap)

Yes thanks what are the suggestions

 

[bluehat23]

Video-streaming apps just call a file (usually a .FLV). Instead of pointing to a file on your server, you now point to a file on the CDN. So CDN's should be able to support any video-streaming app of your choice.

What are the most reliable ones? I keep going onto video sites where the players freeze up.

 

[Zapdos]

SSL are practically required on websites that deal with personal info (name, address, phone etc). It's also helpful for logins and just getting the customer to trust you. It's the best $20 investment I ever make on a site.
If you're going to make a 'dumb' website that is just streaming content without accepting payments or dealing with the personal info, you could get away without one. Though if you go that route, I would get 2 months of data without ssl and then buy one. Compare 2 months with ssl to the non-ssl and see if the conversions went up.


Most popular: Maxcdn / maxcdn. com
I see this one recommended over and over for high traffic sites. Its $40/month for 1tb data regardless of how little you use. After that its $0.07/gb up to 10tb. This is the 'user friendly' version of a CDN.
Second most popular: Netdna / netdna. com
Don't see this as often, but its still up there. Cost is $0.06 to NA/Europe and $0.1 to asia.
The best: Amazon S3 / aws. amazon. com/s3/pricing/
This is practically the 'go-to' for major companies needing a CDN. It's more expensive than the others, but you don't have to worry about hiccups or downtime. Price is $0.12/gb. The upside is that you don't have to pay for unused bandwith.



A flashplayer you may like: flowplayer. org

 

[integratedunits]

What are the most reliable ones? I keep going onto video sites where the players freeze up.

Didnt get your point, Also tell me what you want to achieve via CDN whether its security or Fast Streaming? because both are totally different. if you want to secure the stream then you have to look into webserver like Lighttpd & nginx besides CDN. its a Big sea and you have to absorb lots & lots of information

as i have been in this field from many years we use following methods.

CDN : only where there is a sales page so user get videos without delay and become possible prospect.

Own Servers + CDN : If you are talking about video sharing site. we deploy our own server and setup our own sort of CDN for all free users. while premier users get Direct Streams from the CDN

But like i said it is based on budget & the level of achievement you want to do.

By the way i charge big buck just for the Consultation on network & multi server setups . but its offline so doesn't matter ;P

 

[bluehat23]

SSL are practically required on websites that deal with personal info (name, address, phone etc). It's also helpful for logins and just getting the customer to trust you. It's the best $20 investment I ever make on a site.
If you're going to make a 'dumb' website that is just streaming content without accepting payments or dealing with the personal info, you could get away without one. Though if you go that route, I would get 2 months of data without ssl and then buy one. Compare 2 months with ssl to the non-ssl and see if the conversions went up.

MaxCDN offers an SSL certificate but presumably that wouldnt work for most functions on your site so youd need another one from your hosting provider? If so how do you get around the conflicts you mention.

Didnt get your point, Also tell me what you want to achieve via CDN whether its security or Fast Streaming? because both are totally different. if you want to secure the stream then you have to look into webserver like Lighttpd & nginx besides CDN. its a Big sea and you have to absorb lots & lots of information

Fast streaming. Why might you want to secure the stream?

as i have been in this field from many years we use following methods.

CDN : only where there is a sales page so user get videos without delay and become possible prospect.

Own Servers + CDN : If you are talking about video sharing site. we deploy our own server and setup our own sort of CDN for all free users. while premier users get Direct Streams from the CDN

This is for reasons of price? Bandwidth prices seem to be very close between hosting companies and CDNs with the people I've looked at

By the way i charge big buck just for the Consultation on network & multi server setups . but its offline so doesn't matter ;P

Thanks!

 

[integratedunits]

Fast streaming. Why might you want to secure the stream?

Secured streaming is required where you want to stop Hotlinking, Control Speeds to avoide Bandwidth abuse and Minimizing the possible content downloading

 

[kpsimon189]

I heard about this new CDN called CDN77...does anyone know abt that?

 

[kpsimon189]

Also live streaming of channels vs VOD...whats the difference in terms of bandwidth usage?

 

[LeonardBlair]

Go for CDNsun, they offer website acceleration, media acceleration and gaming delivery.

 

[Darshan M.]

CDN (Content Delivery Network) is a network of servers that immediately delivers a Web page content from the nearest POP to your site visitors.

The goal of a CDN is to serve static content to end-users with high availability and high performance.

A CDN copies the pages of a Web site to a network of servers that are dispersed at geographically different locations, caching the contents of the page. When a user requests a Web page that is part of a CDN, the CDN will redirect the request from the originating site?s server to a server in the CDN that is closest to the user and deliver the cached content.

If your web site contains html/css/js files, I will also suggest you to choose CDN Hosting. As I stated earlier, the goal of CDN Hosting is to serve static content to end-users with high availability and high performance. That means whether your visitors are from Europe or America or any corner of world, he/she can speedily access your website.

 

[Wilson Grant Fisk]

This thread is from 2011, leave it alone.

 

[gloriasrosse]

Integratedunits has made some wonderful points.
But for more clarification and indepth knowledge you can search on Google.