Following in the tradition of its popular predecessor, A Practical Guide to Content Delivery Networks, Second Edition offers an accessible and organized approach to implementing networks capable of handling the increasing data requirements of today's always on mobile society. Describing how content delivery networks (CDN) function, it provides an understanding of Web architecture, as well as an overview of the TCP/IP protocol suite.
The book reports on the development of the technologies that have evolved over the past decade as distribution mechanisms for various types of Web content. Using a structural and visual approach, it provides step-by-step guidance through the process of setting up a scalable CDN.
- Supplies a clear understanding of the framework and individual layers of design, including caching and load balancing
- Describes the terminology, tactics, and potential problems when implementing a CDN
- Examines cost-effective ways to load balance web service layers
- Explains how application servers connect to databases and how systems will scale as volume increases
- Illustrates the impact of video on data storage and delivery, as well as the need for data compression
- Covers Flash and the emerging HTML5 standard for video
Highlighting the advantages and disadvantages associated with these types of networks, the book explains how to use the networks within the Internet operated by various ISPs as mechanisms for effectively delivering Web server based information. It emphasizes a best-of-breed approach to building your network to allow for an effective CDN to be built on practically any budget. To help you get started, this vendor-neutral reference explains how to code Web pages to optimize the delivery of various types of media. It also includes examples of successful approaches, from outsourcing to do it yourself.
Introduction to Content Delivery Networking
The Modern Content Delivery Network
Advantages
Disadvantages
Evolution
Client-Server Computing
Use of Video Servers
Server Network Architecture
The Road to Push Technology
Pull Technology
Multicast
Push Technology
Content Delivery Networking
Client-Server Operations on the Internet
Client Server Operating on the Same Network
Client-Server Operations on Different Networks
Peering Point
Video Considerations
Client-Server Models
Overview
Client Operations
URLs
HTML
HTTP
Browser Programs
Server Operations
Distance Relationship
Understanding TCP/IP
The TCP/IP Protocol Suite
Protocol Suite Components
Physical and Data-Link Layers
The Network Layer
The Transport Layer
The Domain Name System
Need for Address Resolution
Domain Name Servers
Top-Level Domain
DNS Operation
Configuring Your Computer
Root Name Servers
The NSLookup Tool
Expediting the Name Resolution Process
DNS Resource Records
The CDN Model
Why Performance Matters
Economics of Poor Performance
Predictability
Customer Loyalty
Scalability
Flexibility
Company Perception
Examining Internet Bottlenecks
Entry and Egress Considerations
Access Delays
Egress Delays
Benefits of Edge Servers
Peering Points
Edge Operations
CDN Operation
The Akamai Network
Edge Side Includes
Edge Side Includes for Java
Statistics
The Akamai HD Network
Using the HD Network with Flash
Caching and Load Balancing
Caching
Browser Cache
Other Types of Web Caches
Application Caching
Cache Operation
Cache Control Methods
Windows DNS Caching Problems
Viewing HTTP Headers
Considering Authentication
Enhancing Cacheability
Load Balancing
Types of Load Balancing
Rationale
Load Balancing Technique
DNS Load Balancing
DNS Load-Sharing Methods
Managing User Requests
The CDN Enterprise Model
Overview
Rationale
Traffic Analysis
Using Web Logs
Using Logging Strings
Web-Log Analysis
Top Referring Domains
Considering Status Codes
Web-Log Statistics
Reverse Mapping
SOA Record Components
Origination Country
Originating Time Zone
Other Statistics
Other Analysis Tools
Cookies
Other Logging Information
Microsoft’s Performance Monitor
Using a Network Analyzer
Other Tools to Consider
Content Delivery Models
Single-Site, Single-Server Model
Single-Site, Multiple-Server Model
Multiple-Sites, Single-Server per Site Model
Multiple-Site, Multiple-Server per Site Model
An In-Between Model
Web-Hosting Options
Rationale
Cost Elements and Total Cost
Performance Elements
Server-Side Language Support
Web-Service Tools
The Importance of Images
Back-End Database Support
Facility Location(s)
Types of Web-Hosting Facilities
Dedicated Hosting
Shared Server Hosting
Colocated Hosting
Evaluation Factors
Biography
Gilbert Held is an award winning author, lecturer and educator. Gil graduated from Pennsylvania Military College, earning a BS in Electrical Engineering. In 1966 Gil earned a MSEE degree from the New York University School of Engineering and Science, and received an MSTM and MBA degrees from The American University in Washington, DC.
Gil was Chief of Data Communications for the US Office of Personnel Management for 20 years, until a reorganization and consolidation of data centers resulted in the closing of the Macon Data Center. Gil remained on staff in Macon and was tasked with developing OPM’s Web presence on the Internet and was responsible for designing, acquiring and constructing OPM’s presence on the Internet for which he received the Directors Award.
Between 1977 and the present Gil has authored over 100 technical books covering personal computing, data communications and business In addition, Gil authored over 500 technical articles and for 17 years has served as the Editor in Chief of the Wiley International Journal of Network Management. In recognition of his excellence in writing Gil twice was awarded the Interface Karp award. Gil has also received a variety of awards ranging from various charities to different publishers, such as Federal Week which considered him as one of the top 50 persons in Government and Academia.
In addition to authoring books, Gil has taught 14 different graduate level courses and was selected by the Vice President to represent the United States at the Popov Conference in Moscow and represented the United States at the Jerusalem Conference on Information Technology. Gil has appeared on the NBC Evening News and his technical book sales have exceeded a million copies.
Held, a networking expert and lecturer, presents this guide to the principles of content delivery networks (CDN). Built to provide multiple, easily accessible nodes for dispensing high bandwidth content (web video for instance) without overloading internet backbone capacities, CDNs help reduce the bottlenecks that occur when popular content resides on a single over-accessed server. This volume begins with an overview of client and server models of information networking and the TCP/IP Internet protocols and proceeds through an examination of the CDN model, caching and load balancing and concludes with a discussion of CDN in an enterprise setting and web hosting options with CDN. Intended for network architects and server administrators, this second edition includes extended information on web video including Flash and new HTML 5 standards.
—In Research Book News, booknews.com, February 2011
