What Is a CDN?
CDNOverview of CDN
CDNs work by storing copies of website content (such as HTML files, images, videos, and scripts) on strategically located servers around the world. When a user requests content from a website utilizing a CDN, the request is routed to the CDN server closest to the user's geographic location. This reduces the distance data has to travel, minimizing latency and resulting in faster loading times. CDNs also help distribute traffic load, preventing overload on the origin server and improving overall website reliability and scalability. They are essential for delivering rich media and handling high traffic volumes efficiently.
Why CDNs Are Important
CDNs improve internet performance by reducing latency, enhancing uptime, and lowering bandwidth costs, which directly boosts user engagement and satisfaction.
For IPinfo users, identifying CDN IPs is valuable because it clarifies where content is truly served from and prevents misattribution. For example:
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Analytics: Avoid skewed location data caused by CDN edge servers (e.g., traffic appearing to come from Cloudflare or Akamai PoPs).
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Fraud & Security: Differentiate real user activity from CDN traffic to improve attribution and threat detection.
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Performance Monitoring: See whether latency originates from the CDN or the origin server.
How IPinfo Relates to CDNs
IPinfo provides a CDN tag that identifies traffic served from CDN infrastructure. This helps teams distinguish CDN traffic from end users, ensuring accurate analytics, fraud detection, and security attribution. It also provides visibility into delivery paths and routing choices, supporting performance monitoring and network optimization.