CDN Resources

A CDN resource is a host (e.g. a specific webserver), the content of which you are going to distribute over the network of edge servers.

There are three types of CDN resources in the OnApp Control Panel:

  • HTTP CDN resource type supports both Push and Pull population.
  • VoD CDN resource type (Pull and Push types) allows using on-demand video streaming service - uploading video and streaming to the end-users.
  • Live Streaming CDN resource type allows broadcasting content using CDN.

Only servers added to the edge groups assigned to the resource will distribute/cache the host's content.  

To activate the CDN Resources menu, at least one CDN Edge Group with at least one edge server or marketplace location must be available.

Apart from the CDN Resources permissions enabled, the following requirements must be met for the publisher to be able to create respective resources. If the requirements are not met,  the publisher will not be able to create a particular resource type:

Resource TypeHTTP PullHTTP PushVoD PullVoD PushLive Streaming

Requirements
based on user
Edge group

User bucket must include
an edge group with at least
one location that supports HTTP.

User bucket must include
an edge group with at least
one location that supports HTTP Push,
and an HTTP storage server.

User bucket must include
an edge group with at least
one location that supports VoD Pull.



User bucket must include
an edge group with at least
one location that supports VoD Push,
and a streaming storage server

User bucket must include
an edge group with at least
one location that supports live streaming.

HTTP CDN Resource

There are two types of HTTP CDN resources:

  • HTTP Pull is used for the delivery of small static content, such as images, CSS, and pdf files, via CDN edge servers. When a user requests content, it's cached on edge servers.
  • HTTP Push is used for the delivery of large files (>3 MB), such as game patch, software installer, etc., via CDN edge servers. HTTP Push allows users to upload content to the CDN storage server without the origin.
 The detailed workflow for HTTP Pull CDN Resource
  1. The end users create a HTTP Pull CDN resource from the control panel.
  2. The end users specify an origin (website) where the files of the website have to be stored.
  3. A visitor requests content from the website.
  4. The OnApp core CDN logic determines which CDN edge server (owned or subscribed) is appropriate for content delivery.
  5. The CDN edge server fetches files from the specified origin (website).
  6. The visitor loads the content at the fastest speed.

Site owners may set the cache expiry on the origin or define it in the advanced settings of the relevant CDN Resource. To offer HTTP Pull service to your clients, you need HTTP edge servers. You can build it on your own, or subscribe for HTTP CDN locations in OnApp Federation (via the dashboard).

 The detailed workflow for HTTP Push CDN Resource
  1. The owner of the content uploads the files to the HTTP CDN storage server.
  2. A visitor requests content from a website.
  3. The OnApp core CDN logic determines which edge server is appropriate for content delivery.
  4. The edge server fetches the files from the CDN storage server and cache them.
  5. The visitor downloads the files at the fastest speed from the CDN edge server.

Video On Demand CDN Resource

A VoD CDN Resource is using for the delivery of static video files within the CDN via the following protocols: RTMP (Flash Player), RTSP (Android OS), MPEG-TS, Microsoft Silverlight (Microsoft Smooth Streaming), HDS (HTTP Dynamic Streaming), Apple iOS HLS. 

There are 2 types of VoD CDN resources: VoD Push and VoD Pull.

 The detailed workflow for VoD Push CDN Resource
  1. The content owner should first upload the video files to the CDN storage server.
  2. The CDN storage server distributes the files to the streaming edge servers automatically.
  3. A visitor requests to view the videos.
  4. The OnApp core CDN logic determines which streaming edge server is appropriate for content delivery.
  5.  A visitor loads the video at the fastest speed.
 The detailed workflow for VoD Pull CDN Resource
  1. The end users create a VoD Pull CDN resource from the control panel.
  2. The end users specify an origin where the video files have to be stored.
  3.  A visitor requests to view the videos.
  4.  The OnApp core CDN logic determines which streaming edge server is appropriate for content delivery.
  5. The streaming edge server fetches video files from the specified origin.
  6. A visitor loads the video at the fastest speed.

Live Streaming CDN Resource

A Live Streaming CDN Resource delivers live streaming within the CDN via the following protocols: RTMP, RTSP (Android OS), MPEG-TS, Microsoft Silverlight (Microsoft smooth streaming), HDS (HTTP Dynamic Streaming), Apple HLS.

 The detailed workflow for Live Streaming CDN Resource
  1. The content owner publishes the live event through a video camera, live encoder, etc., using a publishing point server within the CDN (internal publishing point), or using the existing external publishing point for the live streaming source (external publishing point).
  2. The live streaming is served through the streaming edge servers within the CDN.
  3. A visitor requests to view the live event.
  4. The OnApp core CDN logic determines which streaming edge server is appropriate for content delivery.
  5. Visitor loads the video at the fastest speed.