Dynamic applications cannot be accelerated by CDN, which are best suited for static content delivery. Due to caching, CDNs help your website run faster. In place of sending your content to the origin server, all secondary requests receive information from the closest cache servers.
Unlike static content, dynamic content cannot be cached. Are there no ways to speed up the delivery of dynamic content? Dynamic content delivery can be sped up by CDNs if they support certain features. With AgileCDN, you get everything you need.
The following 6 technologies allow us to deliver dynamic content at the same speed as static content.
1. Exceptional connectivity
It is highly dependent on the network connectivity to deliver content quickly.
With more peering partners, CDN has better connectivity and shorter routes from the origin server to the user. Data delivery is faster when the route is shorter.
2. HTTP/2 support
HTTP/2 is the latest version of the HTTP protocol released in 2015.
Using this version helps us speed up content delivery, mainly due to multiplexing, i.e., sending multiple data streams over one channel.
To send data, HTTP first needs to establish a TCP connection that requires a “three-way handshake”:
1. The sender requests to establish a connection by sending a SYN message with the sequence number of the transmitted byte.
2. The recipient replies with a SYN message, confirms data acquisition with an ACK message, and sends the byte number that is supposed to be received next.
3. The sender also confirms data acquisition and sends the number of the next byte.
Only after these three steps have been carried out, the connection is considered to have been established.
Every element (javascript, CSS, images, etc.) was transferred using a separate TCP connection and a "three-way handshake" in the previous HTTP versions.
With HTTP/2, multiple types of information can be transferred simultaneously over a single TCP connection. Content can be transferred much faster this way.
Content delivery can also be sped up by using HTTP/2 for the following reasons:
The protocol is binary. Binary formats are much more convenient for command execution than text formats. In addition to having fewer errors, these protocols reduce network load, therefore reducing latency.
- Headings can be compressed with it. Headings contain some data. As you transfer more data, it takes longer for the user to receive it. By using the Huffman algorithm, HTTP/2 compresses headings and omits duplicates.
- The system can prioritize requests. Certain information can be given a priority, which will result in it being sent first and loaded quicker. A user should be presented with the most important elements of the page from the beginning.
- A server push feature is available. Predicting what kind of data your client will need is possible. As a result, these data can be sent to your clients before they actually receive the request. This speeds up loading, reduces the number of requests received, and reduces the load on the source server.
- Not only do we care about delivery speed, but also about data security. With our CDN, you can force a redirect to HTTPS. The resource settings in the control panel allow you to enable it.
Our network supports HTTPS transmission even if the origin server does not. We offer free Let's Encrypt certificates or you can use your own SSL certificates. With HTTP/2 and TLS 1.3, the secure connection won't slow down the content delivery process. You will be able to run your website quickly and securely.
3. Availability of WebSockets
TCP-based WebSockets enable real-time message exchange between the client and server.
Unlike HTTP, it does not require clients to send requests to the server every time they need information.
Consider a chat, for instance. If any new information has been received, the browser needs to send regular requests to the server to inform the client.
This approach has the following disadvantages:
- Server requests increased. As a result, the server is overloaded and requests are processed slowly.
- Slower updating of information. Browsers send requests at regular intervals, so new messages may not reach clients right away. Delays in content delivery result from this.
A WebSocket, on the other hand, maintains a constant connection. Servers send new messages to clients as soon as they appear.
The result is a reduction in the number of requests and an increase in the speed of data delivery. Using WebSockets is a must if you need to deliver dynamic data that is constantly changing (e.g., chat messages, push notifications). Our CDN control panel lets you choose the protocol for data transmission.
IPv6 is a modern version of the IP protocol. It was developed mainly to address the issue of lacking IP addresses. To create an address, IPv4 and IPv6 use a 32-bit and a 128-bit system respectively.
An IPv6 address consists of eight 16-bit blocks separated by colons. The total number of IP addresses that can be created is 2,128, i.e., more than 300 million addresses for every person living on our planet. Such an amount is supposed to be enough for any device.
In addition to recording IP addresses, other changes were introduced to the updated protocol version, thus making it a more efficient data delivery tool.
4. Reduced network equipment load
This protocol version doesn’t use NAT (a technology for transforming private addresses into public ones).
IPv4 needed NAT because of the lack of addresses. Within the local network, each device had a private IP address that was used for local data transfer, e.g., between the devices within the same company. Yet interaction with other resources in the world wide web required a publicly available address.
NAT transformed private addresses into public ones. This process is called translation. It was necessary not only to transform addresses but also to store the information about the established connections. This increased equipment load, resulting in reduced speed during peak traffic spikes.
IPv6 doesn’t require translation. There is no need to store information about connections. This results in reduced equipment load, and the speed remains stable.
Simplified package headers. In the new version, non-essential elements have been removed from the package headers. This measure has simplified data processing, reduced the router load, and decreased the amount of data to be conveyed.
5. Faster routing
The structure of the IPv6 address is designed in such a way that the routers at each network level (large providers, subnets, corporate networks) process only some part instead of processing the entire address. This reduces the routing table size and the time needed for processing.
Identifying the packages that are sensitive to delays and transmitting them first. This has become possible thanks to the QoS (Quality of Service) function. It is a special technology that can prioritize traffic basing on its type.
As you can see, IPv6 is far more efficient than IPv4 and conveys data much faster. Yet you’ll need to modernize your infrastructure first if you decide to start using it.
However, this is not necessary if you are connected to our CDN. We can use IPv6 for the means of content delivery even if your hardware hasn’t been updated to meet this protocol yet.
As a result, dynamic content is delivered quickly, and you don’t need to waste your resources on numerous upgrades.
6. Caching settings that can be customized
There are some exceptions to the rule of caching dynamic content, but in general, dynamic content cannot be cached. Users can store some data for a short period of time while keeping it relevant.
To make your web resource's caching settings meet its parameters, it is very important to adjust them. This is possible with our CDN.
Caching can be disabled or set to any time you want.
The cache can also be cleared. The cache can be cleared in its entirety, or in part, or it can be used to clear one file or a group of files. The API or control panel can be used to adjust cache clearing settings.
Summary
1.Generally speaking, CDNs work best with static content and not with dynamic content. When a network supports certain functions, dynamic content can be delivered more quickly. For example, G-Core Labs CDN delivers dynamic and static content equally quickly.
2.HTTP/2 is a much more efficient protocol than any previous version of HTTP. To transfer all file types, it establishes a single TCP connection.
3.WebSocket is a real-time data transfer protocol supported by our CDN. Using WebSocket is a must if you deliver dynamic content that constantly changes.
4.In addition, we use the IPv6 protocol, which is more efficient than IPv4. Our CDN supports IPv6 even if your equipment has not yet been optimized.
5.Content can be compressed on the go using CDNs. With the use of algorithms such as Brotli, Gzip, and WebP, this occurs during content delivery.
Streamline your dynamic content delivery with our CDN. Try a free plan or use a free trial period on any plan to experience excellent content delivery.
Schedule a free consultation with our managers if you're not sure which plan to choose.