Webinar: What is a Modern CDN and Why is it Important?

Introduction

• Purpose: Explore evolution and current state of CDNs, benefits, applications, provider selection.
• Speaker: Lee Chen, VP Corporate Development and Strategic Partnerships at Fastly.
• Background: Experience in media, tech startups, and esports.

Topics Covered

1. Evolution of CDNs
2. Benefits of Modern CDNs
3. Real-World Applications
4. How to Select a Modern CDN Provider
5. Features to Look for in a CDN

Evolution of CDNs

• Early Internet Challenges: Poor user experiences due to latency, inconsistent data from multiple copies.
• Birth of CDNs: Created caches to store static content globally, mitigating some consistency issues.
• Legacy Architecture Limitations: Struggled with dynamic content updates, thundering herd problem, and lack of real-time observability.

Modern CDN Features

• Large PoPs at Internet Crossroads: Enhances efficiency, lowers latency.
• Real-Time Caching and Compute: Ability to run complex applications at the edge.
• Request Collapsing/Shielding: Reduces load on origin servers.
• Advanced Security: Inline protection from bad actors.
• API for Real-Time Control: Programmability and instant cache invalidation.
• Observability: Real-time logs for troubleshooting and insights.

Benefits of Modern CDNs

• Performance: Faster page load times and improved user experiences.
• Scalability: Handle massive traffic spikes without degrading performance.
• Security: Protects against attacks, ensures safe user interactions.
• Cost Efficiency: Reduces infrastructure burden and associated costs.

Real-World Examples

• Gannett (USA Today): Instant cache invalidation for up-to-date news; 98.86% improvement in global configuration push time.
• Stripe: Handles unpredictable spikes, 80% reduction in checkout times, increased revenue protection.

Choosing a Modern CDN Provider

• Developer-Friendly: Integration into development workflows, enabling faster innovation.
• Business Alignment: Evaluate total cost of ownership and cloud resources.
• Try Before You Buy: Ensure the CDN can meet your needs before committing.

Key Features of a Modern CDN

• Performance: Fast, performant, and well-connected network.
• Customization: Ability to customize and run applications at the edge.
• Security: Native security features.
• Integration: Seamless integration with existing developer tools and processes.

Q&A Highlights

• Developer Control: Importance of real-time configuration changes and observability for troubleshooting.
• Web Standards and Open Source Support: Fastly’s commitment to supporting web standards and open-source projects.
• Handling Live Events: Strategies for managing traffic spikes during events like the Super Bowl.

Conclusion

• Fastly’s Commitment: Continuous improvement and strong customer support.
• Next Steps: Explore Fastly with a free trial.

These notes summarize the key points from the webinar, offering a comprehensive overview of modern CDN technology and considerations for selecting a provider. They are designed as a study aid for anyone looking to deepen their understanding of CDN infrastructure and its impact on web performance and security.