Initial situation
For optimum performance, we use high-performance servers with large reserves. Fast hard disks in parallel operation, large RAM memory and a gigabit connection to the Internet ensure short loading times.
Our hosting tariffs are designed for 500,000 page impressions per month, a managed server can also cope with 20 million page impressions. All elements of the website are delivered from our server location in Germany.
Advantages of a CDN
By using a Content Delivery Network (CDN), websites are delivered by additional servers distributed around the world. This offers several advantages:
- By distributing to several servers, accessibility is guaranteed even when a large number of requests are made in a short period of time. This often happens during events or television commercials.
- The content is delivered from a server close to the visitor. This reduces transmission times. The so-called edge servers are currently located at 40 locations worldwide.
- By outsourcing the requests to many servers, the load on our servers is reduced, which in turn leads to better performance.
Which CDN provider?
It is almost impossible for website operators to run their own servers at multiple locations worldwide. High investments and long-term contracts with data centers would be required.
Content delivery networks are offered by companies such as Akamai, Amazon, Level3 or Limelight. We have opted for Amazon Web Services for CDN delivery. According to a study by Frost & Sullivan, the performance is very good in comparison.
Use of TYPO3 with a CDN
A single web page consists of the HTML code and a large number of images, CSS and JavaScript files, videos or PDF documents. The HTML file contains text and navigation, while the content of the other files is static.
With the solution we offer, the HTML file is still delivered from our servers in Germany, but all other elements are delivered via the edge servers in the CDN. This is done by rewriting the links to the static elements to a subdomain (e.g. cdn.my-domain.com). The content of this subdomain is automatically transferred to the CDN and made available for retrieval in all locations worldwide. This is done completely transparently so that no further changes to the website are necessary.
If a text change is made or new content is added to a website, it is immediately available in the entire CDN. When images or documents are updated, they are also available immediately, provided a different file name is used. Files are cached in the CDN for 24 hours by default, but this period can be shortened if required.
As only static content is delivered by the CDN, statistics such as Piwik, Google Analytics and awstats continue to work. The same applies to functions such as search, forms and other dynamic content.
To use the CDN with TYPO3, we simply install and configure an extension and a subdomain. If necessary, delivery via the CDN can be stopped at any time.
Costs for using the CDN
A one-off flat rate of 100 euros is charged for setting up the CDN in TYPO3. The use of the CDN costs 25 euros per month, which already includes 100 GB of data volume. Additional data volume is charged at 2.50 euros per 10 GB. Billing always takes place at the end of a calendar month.
The costs apply per TYPO3 installation or TYPO3 database. If there are several domains in a project, the costs only apply once per project. However, all domains within a project must be taken into account for the data volume.
The CDN service can be terminated at any time with a notice period of 30 days. Re-activation after termination is subject to a reduced set-up fee of 50 euros.
All prices quoted include 19% VAT.
Cost estimate for the CDN
In order to estimate the expected costs for using the CDN service, the amount of data currently required must be determined. The current data volume can be called up for each domain in the Statistics menu item in the customer menu. In addition to the consumption in the current month, the data for the last 12 months can also be called up.
If you have any questions about the estimated costs, you can also call us.
CDN application example: Event portal
Every year in summer, the cultural event Extraschicht takes place on a weekend in the Ruhr region. Over 200 events take place at 80 locations on a Saturday in June.
The website for the event has an elaborate visual design. In addition to images and videos, there are also animations and PDF files with the event program, travel information and press reports. The website is hosted on a premium package (30 euros/month).
Data volume
In 11 months of the year, the data volume amounts to 100-200 GB. In the month of the event itself, the volume rises to over 2,000 GB, with a good 200 GB being allocated to the day of the event itself. After all, visitors want to download the current event program on this day.
The result is over 400,000 page views - in one day. The CDN service from jweiland.net has been used for the project since 2013.
Only one request is made to our server per page request, the data volume of the HTML page is around 5 kB. The remaining 75 requests for static content (images, CSS, Javascript, PDF files) with a data volume of approx. 2.5 MB were delivered via several CDN servers.
By using the CDN service, the website was always fully accessible at high speed. The costs for using the CDN in this dimension amounted to 25 euros for 11 months of the year and around 175 euros for the month of the event (incl. 19% VAT).
The TYPO3 CDN service ensures that the website is always available, even with many simultaneous accesses and to the satisfaction of the visitors.
CDN application example: globally active group
A manufacturer of construction machinery sells its products worldwide. The website contains many product descriptions with images and PDF files, which are used by both end customers and the sales department. Approximately 80% of the hits come from outside Germany.
To ensure that the website can be accessed at high speed worldwide, all static content (images, PDF, CSS, Javascript) is delivered from the nearest of the 50 data centers distributed around the world. Only the HTML code itself, which accounts for only about 1% of the data volume, is delivered from the data center in Germany. For a visitor to the website from Australia, only a few kilobytes of data have to be transferred from Germany; the lion's share is delivered from a data center in Sydney.
Fast access worldwide
The amount of data delivered via the CDN is approx. 500 GB per month. The costs for data transfer are therefore around 125 euros. An alternative would be to operate servers for hosting in many data centers worldwide, but the costs would be considerably higher.
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