What is a benefit of caching at the edge of the network?

Caching at the edge of the network significantly enhances performance and speed for users. This is achieved because edge caching stores copies of frequently requested content closer to the end-users, which reduces the distance that data must travel. By serving content from a location that is geographically closer to the user, latency is minimized, leading to faster load times for web pages and smoother experiences for streaming or downloading content.

Additionally, edge caching alleviates the load on the origin servers, as repeated requests for the same content can be fulfilled from the edge cache rather than having to go back to the origin server for each request. This not only speeds up individual requests but can improve the overall efficiency and responsiveness of the network as well.

In contrast, the other choices either introduce challenges (increased storage requirements, higher latency, and decreased security) or reflect misconceptions about the purpose and advantages of caching. Caching is fundamentally aimed at improving user experience, making the benefit of improved performance and speed the most accurate choice.