How Can one Access the Netflix?
As in lockdown we everyone watched a stuff at least once on Netflix Right!!!
We all are curious about the huge data available on Netflix. How they work? How much of storage? How those giant servers handle all the data? Etc. questions make us more curious.
What if they decided to just handle all by single server location?
If any service fails all goes down!! Hence they decided to launch the multiple servers at specific geographic areas to balance the load and as per the perspective of backups and not get overworked.
Let’s take a short tour how network works.
Usually we are connected to Internet through Wired Or Wireless media. That can be cables, Ethernet via Routers, Switches etc. The Internet works by chopping data into chunks called packets. Each packet then moves through the network in a series of hops. Each packet hops to a local Internet service provider (ISP) where we pay the fee / pay the subscriptions for the internet/ data to access.
Let’s take this view for how it can be applicable for Netflix.
Suppose, user searches for a Netflix on any platform. Firstly, the Wi-Fi and device (may be laptop or mobile) are connected in one LAN. So, the request get forwarded to our local nearest server ISP. Internet Service Provider(ISP) then forwards the request related data to the main Local Netflix Server(of that particular geographic location) .
Here also can have 2 scenarios: I) where user lives near Local Netflix Server so the request need not to hop from many routers to ISP and ISP to reach Local Netflix Server and have faster access.
II)If user is far living away from Local Netflix Server , the request may get hopped from router 1 to 2, from 2 to 3 and so on….. upto “N” number of routers and to ISP and then to Local Netflix Server.
When our request reaches to the Netflix server it will process the data and respond us. The response will be from Local Netflix server to our ISP and back to the IP of our device.
Once we get the access or user get known to main server; for next time when we request ,the data either get stored or retrieved( as streaming videos ).