What is a network of servers that locates the nearest server to minimize delay or download time?

A Content Delivery Network (CDN) is a network of servers designed to deliver web content, such as images, videos, and scripts, to users based on their geographic location. By strategically positioning servers in various locations around the world, CDNs can minimize the distance that data must travel, thereby reducing latency and download times. When a user requests content, the CDN directs that request to the nearest server, which allows for faster and more efficient data retrieval.

This architecture is particularly effective for improving the performance of websites and applications that experience high traffic or serve global audiences. By caching content on multiple servers, CDNs also reduce the load on the origin server, allowing for better overall performance and reliability.

The other options represent different networking components or technologies. A network interface card (NIC) is a hardware component that allows a device to connect to a network. A router directs data packets between different networks, while an unmanaged switch connects devices on a local network but does not provide the intelligence or optimization features that a CDN offers.