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You’ll want to watch for HTTP/2-related updates to your monitoring tools. HTTP/2 is binary; it
will no longer allow system analysts to go through processes line by line for troubleshooting
purposes. Plain text debugging will no longer be possible.

How good is HTTP/2 for website optimization?

When the list of advantages of HTTP/2 became public, people were understandably enthused
about what it meant for website optimization. However, that enthusiasm soon led to site owners
speculating that they could do away with their content delivery networks (CDNs).

This is not the case. A CDN’s global network of servers ensures that your website’s users are
always redirected to the server nearest their location.

Having short distances between your users and servers will do more for page load time than
any of the improvements offered by HTTP/2.

The combination of a CDN’s global servers and HTTP/2’s web content format improvements will
give the end user the best possible load times and browsing experience.

Additionally, CDNs offer benefits that have nothing to do with page load time or HTTP/2. Having
a CDN’s network of servers ensures load balancing, making your website more reliable. A
premier CDN will also provide security, including protection from DDoS attacks.

In short

HTTP/2 is a great thing. It’s going to improve your website’s performance, speeding up page
load times for users and reducing the resources consumed as well as the load on your servers.

While there’s really nothing you need to do in order to keep your website and applications
working with HTTP/2, there are things you can do to optimize your website’s performance with
HTTP/2, including either continuing to use your CDN, or investing in a CDN if you don’t already
have one.

About the Author

Patrick Vernon is a freelance writer, specialising in business and
Tech related content. Patrick has gained experience writing for a
variety of magazines and websites, researching the latest internet
security tips and offering his advice to the public.

68 Cyber Warnings E-Magazine – February 2016 Edition
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