This is a second part of the informative guest post created by Will Vuong. We recommend you to go and read the first part about what CDN is, how they differ from each other and what are the performance gains. This time we cover CDN pricing and support
Content Delivery Networks and Pricing
Price options vary between different CDNs and it is important that you fully understand what you are paying for. A big price tag does not equal the best performance or the greatest reach. Take the time to evaluate and understand what the CDN has to offer for the price you are presented with.
Also be aware of additional or hidden costs that you may not anticipate. Not all CDNs will not have an all inclusive price plan and may require additional cost for the following:
Better Performance – Some CDN’s may place you on the “standard” network and require a premium for the higher performing network.
Features – Some features (as mentioned above) may or may not be included in your price plan. Always review what you are getting for the price you are paying.
Midgress Traffic – charges for traffic exchanged between PoPs.
Burst Traffic – Some CDNs may charge a higher rate for any traffic that exceeds the contractual limit.
Support – quality and around the clock support may not always be included in your price plan.
Carefully review the pricing structure and know exactly what you may be paying for. Evaluate each and every performance metric, feature and service item to determine if the price point provides you with the best value. The key is not to get the lowest price, but the best price.
Content Delivery Networks and Support
All CDNs provide support, but the quality, availability and cost will vary. Some important things to consider about support include:
- Is support available 24/7/365?
- Are there different support levels associated with additional costs?
- How responsive is the support staff?
- How fast do problems get resolved?
- Dedicated account manager that knows you and your business needs?
- Is the support staff local or outsourced?
- Technical knowledge level of the support staff?
There are many factors to consider when selecting a CDN that best fits your web performance and business needs. Understand what your needs are and focus on providers that satisfy them. Always take the time to evaluate the solutions, features and benefits that makes sense for your business. The point is not to select the best CDN, but to select the CDN that best meets your needs.
Will Vuong is a web enthusiast and is naturally curious about all things technology and design. He is also a digital marketer specializing web communications and search and is currently leading these efforts at CDNetworks. Connect with Will at Google+ or tweet him at @willv
