Capterra Glossary
POP (Point of Presence)
A point of presence (POP) is an access point or location at which multiple networks or communication devices share a connection. As it pertains to the internet, a POP is where users can connect to their ISP at a local access point. POP includes infrastructure such as routers, servers, network switches, and multiplexers. Major ISPs typically have multiple POPs in different locations to enable large-scale connectivity. Content delivery networks (CDNs) also maintain various POPs in strategic locations. By storing data in POP servers closer to those requesting it, CDNs are able to deliver this data quickly and reliably.
What Small and Midsize Businesses Need to Know About POP (Point of Presence)
Businesses that depend on consistent network performance should think carefully about their physical POP infrastructure. Choosing the right POP and/or ISP can make a major difference in terms of network speed, uptime, and security.
Related Terms
- Synchronous
- Software as a Service (SaaS)
- Intranet
- Security Orchestration, Automation and Response (SOAR)
- Identity and Access Management (IAM)
- Managed Service Provider (MSP)
- Haptics
- WAN (Wide-Area Network)
- Service-oriented Architecture (SOA)
- Augmented Reality (AR)
- Chief Information Officer (CIO)
- Security Information and Event Management (SIEM)
- Platform as a Service (PaaS)
- Service-Level Agreement (SLA)
- Scalability
- Data Center
- Authorization
- Multitenancy