gCDN

Global Content Delivery Network (gCDN) refers to a distributed system of edge servers located worldwide, designed to deliver web content with reduced latency and improved reliability. The term is used to describe the class of services provided by major CDN providers as well as private or hybrid deployments. A gCDN typically includes origin servers that hold the definitive content, a network of edge nodes or points of presence (PoPs) that cache copies, and routing logic that directs user requests to the most suitable edge location.

Operation and caching: When a user requests a resource, the edge cache serves it if the item is cached; if not, the edge retrieves the content from the origin and caches it for subsequent requests. Caching policies, purge mechanisms, and TTL controls govern content longevity at the edge. Modern gCDNs support dynamic content acceleration, video streaming, image optimization, and lightweight edge computing tasks, along with protocols such as HTTP/2 and QUIC and TLS termination at the edge.

Benefits and applications: gCDNs reduce end-user latency, conserve backbone bandwidth, and improve availability during traffic surges. They add security features such as DDoS mitigation, TLS certificate management, and bot protection. Common use cases include delivery of static assets, software updates, large media, APIs, and global websites requiring scalable performance.

Limitations and considerations: Deploying a gCDN involves costs and potential vendor lock-in. Challenges include cache invalidation for frequently changing content and data sovereignty or privacy considerations related to edge locations. See also: Content delivery network, edge computing.