Glossary - Video CDN [EN]
File
Files are the content we deliver to the endpoint user. Due to the cloud nature of Video CDN, files need to be imported prior to serving (with some exceptions).
The system is designed to work mainly with big-sized media content. The most popular formats for that are: 3gp, avi, f4v, m4v, mkv, mp4, mpeg, mpg, mov, ogv, webm, wmv, and others.
There is no explicit list of file types supported (but there are some limitations).
Resource
A resource is a set of configurations that define how your content is delivered to end-users globally. It specifies the origin (where your content is stored, like an object storage or HTTP server) and other settings, such as import behavior and security, for delivering your content via Video CDN’s worldwide network of edge nodes.
Domain
Domain is a unique identifier (hostname) through which content on the CDN is accessed. It serves as the entry point for visitors and defines how requests are routed to your content.
System domains are provided by the Video CDN service. Custom domains are customized by the user additionally. Within a single resource (namespace), you can configure multiple domains — each operating independently with its set of access rules, certificates, and settings.
Although files in the CDN are uploaded without being bound to a specific domain by default, domain-specific rules can be defined. These rules allow you to associate certain directories or files with a given domain and override global CDN settings where necessary. This enables precise control over how content is delivered per domain.
Folder
Folder is a directory in the storage file system where a resource’s files are stored.
Origin
Origin is the source of content: a primary server or location where the original, authoritative version of your website’s content is stored, from which a Content Delivery Network (CDN) fetches and distributes content to end users.
It’s quite a universal entity. It may be our hosted servers (with FTP or Rsync daemon) or our cloud storage, as well as external servers or object storages (yeah, we appreciate diversity and freedom of choice), or even HTTP resources. Technically, it’s still the same remote folder from which files are fetched.
Video CDN imports files from origins and/or proxies requests to them. Import may include all the files from the origin, or only those that are absent.
Redirector
A redirector is a host that receives the clients’ initial request. At the instant of the request, the redirector checks and analyzes the request for 50+ parameters (domain, a file itself, its location, user’s location and network, current server load, your settings, URL parameters, statistics of previous uploads, etc.) and chooses the optimal edge node.
Edge Node
Edge node is a high-performance server, optimized for content storage and streaming, situated at the periphery of a network, bringing computing resources, storage, and processing closer to the end-users and devices that generate or consume data.
CDN constantly monitors visitors’ access to your files, traffic, bitrate, and network load, and based on these statistics, it regulates a count of file copies and their disposition at edge nodes.
Cookies
HTTP cookies are small pieces of data that websites store on a user’s computer. They allow websites to remember information about users, such as login details, preferences, or items in a shopping cart, enabling features like personalized content and seamless browsing experiences.
CDN Content Delivery Network
A geographically distributed network of servers that cache and deliver web content to users more quickly by locating content closer to their physical location, reducing latency and improving website performance.
DDoS Distributed Denial of Service
A type of cyberattack where multiple compromised computer systems, often orchestrated as a botnet, flood a targeted network, server, or online service with an overwhelming volume of traffic.
Hotlinking
Using someone else’s content on the site or other platform without any rights to do so, for instance, by embedding in the site’s HTML code tags <img>, <video> or similar, referring to another site’s assets in order to save money on hosting and profit from other people’s content.
VDN Video Delivery Network Video CDN
A globally distributed network of servers designed to efficiently deliver video content to users by storing copies of video files on servers geographically closer to the viewers.
DASH MPEG-DASH Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP
An international standard and popular adaptive bitrate streaming technology that enables high-quality video and audio content to be delivered seamlessly over the internet to a wide range of devices.
HLS HTTP Live streaming
An adaptive bitrate streaming protocol developed by Apple in 2009 and now widely adopted for delivering video and audio content over the internet. It works by breaking video into small, manageable segments delivered over standard HTTP, allowing devices to seamlessly adjust the quality of the stream based on network conditions to minimize buffering and ensure smooth playback.
HTTP HTTP/1.1
HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) is the core communication protocol for the World Wide Web, enabling web browsers and servers to exchange data, primarily hypertext documents. It operates on a client-server model, where a client (like your browser) sends an HTTP request for a resource (like a webpage), and the server sends an HTTP response with the requested data. Key characteristics include its stateless and text-based nature, the use of request methods (like GET and POST), and its foundation for creating the web.
HTTPS
HTTPS (HyperText Transfer Protocol Secure) is an encrypted version of the HTTP protocol. It uses TLS to encrypt all communication between a client and a server. This secure connection allows clients to safely exchange sensitive data with a server, such as when performing banking activities or online shopping.
HTTP/2
A major revision of the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) that significantly improves web performance by reducing latency and overhead, primarily through features like multiplexing, header compression, and request prioritization.
TLS usage is mandatory for the protocol.
HTTP/3
The third major version of the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), an IETF standard adopted in 2022 is designed to improve web communication by addressing limitations of previous versions, particularly those related to the TLS and TCP. It utilizes the QUIC protocol, which runs over UDP, as its transport layer, leading to faster connection establishment and better performance on high-latency or unreliable networks.
IPv6
The latest version of the Internet Protocol, a suite of standard protocols for the network layer of the internet, designed to replace IPv4 due to its address depletion and limitations. IPv6 provides a significantly larger address space (128 bits compared to IPv4’s 32 bits), enabling a vast number of unique IP addresses for the ever-growing number of internet-connected devices.
TLS Transport Layer Security
A cryptographic protocol designed to provide privacy and data integrity for internet communications by securing the connection between two computer systems, a client and a server, through encryption and authentication.
KVS Kernel Video Sharing
A professional-level Content Management System specifically designed for building and managing video-centric websites and networks. It provides a platform for creating and hosting various video-related sites, such as video tubes, sharing sites, community platforms, and more, offering features like video conversion, HD and mobile video support, responsive templates, and search engine optimization.
UNIX Timestamp
A numerical representation of a specific moment, defined as the number of seconds that have elapsed since January 1, 1970, at 00:00:00 Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). This specific point in time is known as the Unix epoch.