Video content has become increasingly popular in recent years, with the rise of streaming services, online courses, webinars, and more. However, streaming high-quality video content comes with its own set of challenges, such as buffering, latency, and bandwidth issues. This is where a video content delivery network, or video CDN, comes into play. 

What is a video CDN?

A video content delivery network, or video CDN, is a specialized type of CDN designed to support the delivery of streaming video content. It works by relying on a network of globally distributed servers that are strategically located around the world to reduce latency, minimize buffering time, and prevent the video's source server from being overloaded with requests.

CDN vs. Video CDN

While most CDNs can deliver video content alongside other web content such as HTML, images, JavaScript, and CSS style sheets, video CDNs are tailored specifically to streaming video. They are designed to handle the high traffic and bandwidth requirements of streaming video content and provide a better streaming experience for end-users.

Reducing video streaming latency

Minimizing the distance between the content and the viewer is essential in reducing latency.
A video CDN has servers distributed around the world to reduce the distance between the user and the content, thus elimintaing the buffering and improving the viewing experience.

Preventing origin server overload

Using the many servers of a CDN means that the server where the stream originates will not become overwhelmed with requests for the stream. A group of servers can handle streaming video to thousands of viewers far better than a single server can.

Optimizing bandwidth 

The use of multiple distributed servers of a CDN ensures that streaming content does not exceed network bandwidth, which can slow down data delivery and cause buffering issues.

Caching video segments

A video CDN caches each individual video segment just like an image, HTML page, or JavaScript code can be cached by a CDN. When a user requests a stream, the CDN caches the video segments as soon as they arrive from the stream's origin. When the next user requests the same stream, the CDN can deliver those segments from the cache, which is much faster.

Caching a live stream

In live streaming, there is no stored version of the video ready to go. However, the process is similar. The CDN caches the video segments (little chunks of video) as they are created in real-time, instead of caching a previously created video. The stream is then served to viewers from the cache instead of directly from the stream's origin. This efficient caching can make the stream closer to "live" than fetching the stream directly from the origin server.

Challenges of finding and configuring a CDN

Finding and setting up a CDN can be a complex and time-consuming process. There are many different providers to choose from, each with its own set of features, pricing options, and technical requirements. It is important to choose a CDN that can meet the specific needs of your business and provide reliable and fast content delivery.

Technical aspect

When it comes to setting up a CDN, it can be a complex and technical process. It often involves configuring various settings, such as caching, security, and SSL certificates. It may also require the use of specialized tools and software, as well as the expertise of a team of experienced engineers.

Cost related aspect

Another factor to consider is pricing. There are several different pricing models for CDNs, including pay-as-you-go, monthly subscription, and annual contract. Some providers also offer usage-based pricing, where the cost is based on the amount of content delivered or the number of requests made. With an array of complex pricing schemes and opaque terms and conditions, it’s often difficult to decipher which option would best suit your requirements.

One of the key benefits of CDNs is that they can help to reduce the cost of content delivery. However, it is important to carefully consider the pricing model and ensure that it is both cost-effective and aligns with the specific needs of your business.

Worldwide coverage CDN by Callaba

At Callaba, we understand the challenges of setting up and managing a CDN. That’s why we offer a fully managed service that takes care of all of the technical aspects of content delivery. 

Covering 100+ countries

At Callaba, we understand the importance of a fast and reliable content delivery network. That’s why we offer a worldwide video CDN that is available in 275 cities and 100+ countries. With our CDN, you can be sure that your content will be delivered quickly and efficiently to users around the world.

With our worldwide video CDN, you can be sure that your content will be delivered quickly and efficiently to users around the world.

Guaranteed video delivery

But that’s not all! Callaba’s CDN is designed to keep your server from getting overloaded. Instead of taking your video from the origin multiple times, it only takes it once and delivers it to your audience in small chunks. This ensures fast and uninterrupted delivery to 95% of viewers worldwide.

Transparent pricing at $0.03 per GB

Callaba’s CDN is priced with consumers in mind, offering a usage-based model at $0.03 per GB.

For comparison, AWS offer is $0.085 per GB. 

We offer transparent and straightforward pricing, so you can be confident that you are getting the best value for your money, whether you are just starting out or are already established in the industry.

Turnkey service

We can take on any project and we’ll do all the setup ourselves. Our team of experts will work with you to determine your specific needs and help you choose the best CDN solution for your business. We will then handle all of the technical setup and configuration, so you can focus on creating and delivering your content.

Getting started is easy

Contact us today to learn more about how our worldwide video CDN can help take your streaming to the next level.