Origin Pull CDN vs. Push CDN
Content delivery network services or CDN services from different providers generally work the same way.
When you have a web visitor, they try to open a web page by sending a web request over the Internet. Instead of having the request sent to the origin server, it is sent to the nearest CDN Point of Presence (PoP) server to shorten its transmission.
The PoP server then delivers a cached version of the web page to the device being used by the web visitor.
This solves the problem of latency as not all web requests have to travel towards the host server because a majority will be diverted to PoP servers, which in turn also solves the problem of handling too much traffic.
While that is generally how CDN services work, there are actually two types of CDNs based on how they pull the web page data from the host origin server.
These are the Origin Pull CDN and Push CDN
What is Origin Pull CDN?
Origin Pull CDN, by its name, means that the PoP server will be pulling the web page data and other elements from the origin server. The CDN itself will be the one deciding which content will be delivered to the web visitor when a web request is made.
How does it work? Well, you, the website owner or developer, will be the one responsible for leaving the content on the host origin server and you are the one who will rewrite URLs so that it points to the CDN.
When a web request is made, that is the moment that the PoP server will pull the web data and the other elements of your web page from the origin host server. This version will then be cached by the PoP server until it expires or is purged from the server.
When to use Origin Pull CDN?
The main benefit of using origin pull CDN is that it is pretty easy to configure it’s the PoP server that does most of the lifting here. Also, because it only pulls data when there is a web request, you are saving on precious server space as well.
The disadvantage, however, is that it can also lead to some problems especially if you are negligent in updating your Time to Live settings or forgets to purge your PoP servers. What happens is that it can cause redundant traffic because web page data are re-queried even before they were changed.
Origin Pull CDN can also be slower at times, especially if the web page is requested for the first time because that is the moment that the PoP server will be pulling data from the Origin server before delivering the content to the web visitor.
What is Push CDN?
Push CDN, on the other hand, is the complete opposite of Origin Pull CDN and not only by name. In Pull CDN, the PoP server is responsible for the content being delivered. With Push CDN, it all falls on you, the website owner or developer.
Instead of waiting for the PoP server to pull the web page data when a request is made, you are already pushing the content you want on the PoP servers even before any request is made. These contents and its data and elements will be cached until it is deleted or purged.
With Push CDN, you are the dictator. What you push on the PoP server is what will appear on the web visitor’s device when they make a web request.
Why Choose Push CDN?
While Push CDN takes more time to configure and set up, it is much more flexible and accurate when it comes to delivering the right content at the right time.
This is a much more straightforward way of doing things and leaves little room for an error in content delivery to be made.
Origin Pull CDN Vs. Push CDN – What to Choose?
This comparison, in no way, is saying that one way is better than the other. Each has its own advantage and disadvantage and it falls on you, as the owner to decide, which way of getting data into the PoP servers do you prefer
BelugaCDN Content Delivery Network Solutions
No matter what your choice, whether you go for origin pull CDN or Push CDN, BelugaCDN is able to offer you a reliable but affordable CDN service.
For as low as $20 per month, you get access to one of the industry-leading CDN solutions in the market.
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