Imagine you’re about to broadcast a live stream for an internal team. It could be a training session for new hires, a lunch and learn with a customer, or an all hands meeting with executives. No matter the reason to go live, the experience has to be stellar.
That’s where a content delivery network (CDN) comes in. A CDN is simply a network that delivers content — like video — at users request. It makes it faster and easier to load content and promotes a great experience. For businesses that are new to live streaming video content, the right CDN configuration can positively impact your stream and help get your message across.
So what is a content delivery network and why does it matter? We’ll cover what a CDN is, how it relates to live streaming, and some potential areas to look out for when considering your viewing experience.
We’ll also introduce the enterprise content delivery network, how it works, and some of the benefits you should consider for your internal comms strategy.
Buckle up! You’re about to become an expert in content delivery.
What is a content delivery network?
A CDN is a specially designed network for delivering content. Content might be HTML, images, and of course, video. To understand how a CDN works, we’ll need to look at a couple key components.
The first component is the edge server. A CDN includes many edge servers distributed across the globe. This ensures users anywhere in the world can experience fast download speeds whether they’re located in Paris, France or Paris, Texas. When users request content, an edge server that is geographically proximal to them delivers the content. Talk about going local!
The second component is the cache mechanism. When appropriate, the cache mechanism creates a copy of the original data anytime content is created or updated and pushes the copy to the edge servers. When a user in Paris, France or Paris, Texas requests to view content such as video, the edge server will return the cached content.
The benefits of a cache mechanism are twofold: they reduce the bandwidth throughput for a better end user experience and reduce the amount of load on the network infrastructure.
Why can’t enterprises use standard CDNs for internal content delivery?
Let’s jump back to something like live streaming a town hall. The type of CDN you use is important. First, a CDN (like the one you use to load websites like the New York Times or YouTube) are most suitable for serving public content to end users across the globe.
However, when it comes to internal content and corporate users that are subject to security and access control measures — standard CDNs are only part of the answer. Building out an internal CDN takes time, resources, and ongoing management.
So how do you create a scalable and secure delivery system for all your awesome video content? That’s where an eCDN, or enterprise content delivery network, comes in.
What is an enterprise content delivery network?
What is eCDN? Think about your work laptop for a moment. It has pre-configured settings and administrative rules applied. Similarly, the edge servers of your CDN should have the same rules apply for internal communications. Enter: the enterprise content delivery network (eCDN).
An eCDN, like the one used for Vimeo Enterprise, uses a peer-to-peer protocol so that only trusted machines on the internal network function as the edge servers.
Rather than using external, third-party managed edge servers like a public CDN, an eCDN uses trusted machines with enterprise policies applied to deliver content. An eCDN can be a complement to existing networking infrastructure.
What is the difference between an eCDN and CDN?
The key point is that an eCDN is a CDN that specifically uses a peer-to-peer protocol as opposed to publicly accessible servers. eCDN maintains internal controls and security.
How does an eCDN work?
We understand that a peer-to-peer protocol removes the need for third-party managed edge servers. But to better understand what an eCDN is and how it works, we’ll break it down into a few main points:
- The goal of an eCDN is to maintain the benefits of low latency and fast downloads that are integral to a public CDN.
- Rather than using dedicated servers like a public CDN, a webRTC-based peer-to-peer protocol uses untapped bandwidth on trusted machines.
- When live streaming, every millisecond counts. That’s why an eCDN leverages the benefit of subnet matching rather than incurring the costly, round-trip time of querying a public DNS.
- eCDNs thrive in fast-paced work environments. No installations, deployments, reconfigurations, or physical infrastructure changes are needed to use an eCDN.
For example, Vimeo’s eCDN is unique in that up to 95% of chunks are served by peers, allowing stream delivery to scale in proportion to both the number and geographic diversity of consumers.
4 benefits of using eCDNs for your internal video
So why should you care about peer-to-peer protocols and eCDNs? Let’s check out the most important things businesses should keep in mind when scaling up their internal comms.
1. Deploys quickly and effortlessly
You don’t need to invest in physical infrastructure. You can leverage what you have – namely the network of trusted machines – to enable the peer-to-peer function.
2. Improved security for your content
A big value add of eCDNs is that it doesn’t sacrifice quality for security. eCDNs provide the same latency benefits and fast distribution speeds of a public CDN with the additional value of your security policy applied.
3. Quality viewing experience at scale
The peer-to-peer nature of an eCDN reduces the strain on an enterprise’s internal network. This means internal content delivery for your live streamed video can scale on demand, without sacrificing performance or risking unexpected side effects like poor connectivity or high latency.
4. Provides cost-savings from bandwidth consumption
Procurement and budget teams rejoice! Peer-to-peer content delivery reduces the bandwidth required to deliver internal content by routing the majority of connections over the public internet. This helps to reduce your bandwidth costs.
Wrap up: why content delivery networks matter
The right experience helps users consume and engage with your content. While it might seem scary at first, CDNs are pretty straightforward. They efficiently deliver content to geographically distributed users. eCDNs leverage the principles of a CDN to bring the same user experience with the added benefit of enterprise security and cost-savings.
Next time you’re looking to broadcast an internal meeting, consider all the ways an eCDN can help you deliver video content quickly, efficiently, and with the best user experience in mind.