Cloud CDN (Content Delivery Network) is a service provided by Google Cloud Platform (GCP) that helps improve the delivery of content to users by caching it in strategically located edge servers. These edge servers are distributed globally and serve as points of presence (PoPs) that are closer to the end users, reducing latency and improving performance.
Cloud CDN is designed to cache static and dynamic content, allowing for efficient and faster delivery of web assets such as HTML pages, images, videos, JavaScript files, CSS stylesheets, and more. By caching this content at the edge, Cloud CDN reduces the load on the origin server and improves the overall user experience.
Static content refers to files that do not change frequently, such as images, JavaScript files, CSS stylesheets, and other media files. These files are typically served directly from the edge servers without needing to make requests to the origin server. Cloud CDN automatically caches and delivers these files, minimizing the round-trip time and reducing the load on the origin server.
Dynamic content, on the other hand, refers to content that is generated on-the-fly and can change frequently. Examples of dynamic content include personalized web pages, API responses, and database-driven content. Cloud CDN can also cache dynamic content by leveraging caching rules and cache keys. Cache keys allow you to specify which portions of the dynamic content should be cached based on specific criteria. For example, you can cache API responses based on the query parameters or headers. By carefully configuring caching rules and cache keys, you can ensure that the right content is cached and delivered efficiently.
In addition to static and dynamic content, Cloud CDN can also cache content served over HTTPS. This means that even if your website or application is using secure connections, Cloud CDN can still cache and deliver the content, improving performance for users accessing your site over HTTPS.
It is worth noting that not all content is suitable for caching. Content that is unique to each user, such as personalized pages or user-specific data, should not be cached as it may lead to incorrect or outdated information being served to users. Additionally, content that requires real-time updates, such as live streaming or real-time chat, may not be suitable for caching as it needs to be delivered in real-time without any delay.
Cloud CDN can cache a wide range of content types including static files like images and scripts, dynamic content with proper caching rules and cache keys, and even content served over HTTPS. By leveraging Cloud CDN's caching capabilities, you can significantly improve the performance and scalability of your web applications and deliver content to users more efficiently.
Other recent questions and answers regarding Cloud CDN:
- How does Cloud CDN protect against distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks?
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More questions and answers:
- Field: Cloud Computing
- Programme: EITC/CL/GCP Google Cloud Platform (go to the certification programme)
- Lesson: GCP basic concepts (go to related lesson)
- Topic: Cloud CDN (go to related topic)
- Examination review