Choosing a server location: test the route, not just the map

A nearby location can be a useful starting point, but geography alone does not describe a network connection. Your users, their internet providers, and the routes between networks all affect the experience.

Start with your audience

Identify where your visitors or application clients connect from. If the audience spans several regions, decide which traffic is most sensitive to response time. Administrative access, API calls, and downloads may have different priorities.

Measure from representative connections

Test from networks your users actually use. Repeat measurements at different times and compare latency, packet loss, and transfer behavior. A single result is a snapshot, not a guarantee of future performance.

Use Looking Glass as one input

A Looking Glass helps inspect connectivity from a provider network. Combine that view with tests from the client side, because inbound and outbound paths can differ. Check the current product page for the appropriate test endpoint.

Include the application

Network latency is only one part of page or API response time. Database queries, caching, asset size, and server load also matter. Test the experience that your users will have, rather than relying on a network benchmark alone.

Review TudCloud’s Hong Kong and Seattle pages for current plans and network testing links.