Many enterprises may hesitate to switch from a single CDN model to a multi-CDN model, on the one hand because it may seem complicated, which not only involves the need to establish more CDN providers, but also many other operations and Configuration to do, especially if everything seems to be fine with the current single CDN provider. But on the other hand, the multi-CDN strategy can indeed provide greater benefits to enterprises and greatly improve their online business performance and experience.
By incorporating a CDN strategy, businesses can ensure that users from anywhere in the world can access their website content and applications while protecting their websites from service degradation, cyber-attacks and outages. Before deciding whether to pursue a converged CDN strategy, it is important to evaluate key considerations to maximize the benefits of implementing a converged CDN strategy.
Before implementing a converged CDN strategy, for example, you can ask yourself some key questions:
Will my CDN be able to maintain consistent performance across all regions and peak times?
Can I take advantage of the geographical advantages and prices of different CDNs to optimize CDN delivery costs?
Do I have any fallback options if my current CDN provider experiences an outage or becomes overloaded?
What is the risk or impact of disruption to my business?
Even though my CDN says there is an edge node in the region, do I know what the real user performance/experience is?
Is Fusion CDN right for me?
While a converged CDN is useful, businesses need to evaluate, audit and determine if it's worth implementing. In fact, only with proper implementation can users enjoy the wide-ranging benefits of a converged CDN: such as high performance, increased capacity, and even better security.
When evaluating whether a converged CDN strategy is right for you, you should keep the following points in mind:
Type of configuration used : For a long time, many enterprises have actually used multiple CDNs in practical applications, such as using backup CDNs in inactive configurations. Backup and disaster recovery when the primary CDN fails.
But there is a problem with this method: when switching from one CDN to another, this configuration is prone to downtime and may cause inconsistent performance during the switch. Therefore, it makes more sense to look for an active CDN configuration that can be allocated actively. In this way, both CDNs are receiving traffic, and users can enjoy an uninterrupted and seamless experience regardless of a problem with one CDN.
Use the right algorithm for traffic management : When evaluating a converged CDN, you need to use the right algorithm to direct traffic to each server. Of the 4 popular algorithms used (round robin, geography-based, performance-based, cost-based), the nature of your operations will determine the best way to manage traffic. For example, if you operate in multiple regions of the world, a geography-based approach may be best for you. You can direct more traffic to a region that has more CDN capacity than other regions. A cost-based approach may be more effective for companies that stay focused on optimizing costs, with ongoing algorithms that closely track performance changes and route traffic accordingly. If a business relies on the delivery of services such as real-time social media feeds or video streaming, a converged CDN strategy can significantly improve performance.
Measure performance correctly : The best way for a converged CDN strategy to really bear fruit is through frequent performance monitoring from multiple points. When evaluating a converged CDN, checks should be made to ensure the origin and end-user experience are frequently monitored. In fact, measurements should be taken from multiple data centers and ISPs to determine any degradation in performance. Also, end user experience requires the same level of monitoring to ensure that undetectable issues (such as an ISP's performance issues affecting a specific CDN in the region) are caught before they impact your traffic.
