Caching server
Caching server
(also cache server)
Caching server definition
A caching server is a dedicated network server or service acting as a storage. It saves web pages or other internet content locally. By placing previously requested information in temporary storage (or cache), a caching server speeds up access to data and reduces demand on your bandwidth.
See also: DNS cache, memory cache
Caching servers are used to store and deliver web pages, database queries, and files. They sit between the user and the host server, delivering content on behalf of the server to improve performance, reduce latency, and lessen the load on the server.
Caching servers types
- Web cache. It stores web pages that users have accessed and serves these pages during future requests, thereby reducing load times.
- Content delivery network. A globally distributed network of servers that quickly delivers internet content. CDN servers store cached content and serve it to users based on their geographical location.
- Database caching. This involves storing commonly used database queries in memory for quicker access.
- DNS caching. DNS servers store IP addresses associated with domain names. When a DNS request is made, the DNS cache will first check if it has the address on hand. If it does, the request is served from the cache instead of making a request to another DNS server higher up the ladder.