Google is branching out into the content-delivery business with a service that plans to utilise its globally distributed edge caches.

The alpha release of Google Cloud CDN service is being aimed at developers that want applications to load quickly. It works by using the company’s edge caches to cache HTTP load balanced content close to your users, the company said.

The idea is that by caching content at the edges of the company’s network, content can be delivered faster.

Google isn’t alone in offering this service; Amazon Web Services offers CloudFront CDN, while Microsoft also has a CDN offering.

To strengthen its offering, Google has started partnerships with CDN providers such as Fastly, CloudFlare, Highwinds and Level 3, in addition to Akamai, perhaps the biggest name in the content delivery network business.