Edge servers are the main component of making the Internet faster.
An edge server is a machine that is located at the network edge to reduce latency, it plays an important role in edge computing. Typically, an edge server lies between a private network and the internet. There are two types of edge servers: CDN (content delivery network) edge servers and Edge compute servers.
- CDN edge servers. A CDN edge server is a strategically placed server that provides users with cached versions of static content from origin servers. As a result, CDN edge servers help reduce the workload on origin servers and reduce latency for users. These servers are deployed at points of presence (PoPs) and edge locations across a content delivery network.
- Edge compute servers. Opposite to content delivery, edge compute servers provide compute resources at the network edge. Like CDN edge servers, edge compute servers are strategically deployed to reduce latency. However, as opposed to serving static web content, edge compute servers provide functionality such as data processing for IoT (Internet of Things) applications and 5G networks.
Edge servers can be used for different purposes depending on the context. They can be used to monitor all traffic to prevent cyber-attacks; they also reduce latency and bandwidth consumption among other advantages. Edge servers are, in fact the future of the industry, since they are the responsible for making the internet resourceful and reliable.
