Operators CDN

Panorama
CDN Definition
Type of CDN Définition
Telco CDNs are mostly focused on providing live streaming video to end users. Communication service
providers have deployed dedicated CDN networks to take advantage of the commercial opportunity to sell
Telco CDN video content to their customers on a monthly subscription basis. Most major tier 1 communication service
providers such as Verizon, AT&T, Tata Communications, NTT Communications, BT Group and Orange
operate Telco dedicated CDNs.

Enterprises turn to commercial CDNs for web acceleration and optimization, media delivery, and security
services. Content providers such as media companies and ecommerce vendors pay CDN service providers
Cloud CDN to deliver their content to their customers. Commercial CDNs comprise caching servers, storage, reverse
(Commercial) proxies, application delivery controllers, scrubbing servers, and so forth. Commercial CDNs are provided by
the likes of Akamai, Amazon CloudFront, Cloud Flare, CenturyLink (formerly Level 3), Fastly, Incapsula,
Limelight Networks, MaxCDN, and Stackpath.

Namely mixing Private / Telco CDN nodes (dedicated hardware, customized cache based on your content
Hybrid CDN and targeting your users on the edge) with multiple Cloud CDNs.

Source: IDC, 2018

CDN Evolution
The first generation of CDNs focused primarily on static (HTML) content and downloadable files as these were the only two content
types on the web. The principle mechanism of the first generation of CDNs was the creation and implementation of replicas, intelligent
routing, and edge computing methods. Apps and information were split across the servers. CDN was a niche and high-end service and
thus costly.

The second generation of CDNs incorporated dynamic content and rich media such as video on demand (VOD), which comprised
mainly streaming video and audio content among users and from news services. The second generation of CDNs cleared a path for
delivering content to mobile users. Pricing was still high but less expensive than the first generation. The second generation CDNs are
also credited with the usage of peer-to-peer (P2P) and cloud computing techniques to deliver and maintain content. It was still in a
stage of infancy, though.

Today's CDN represents the third generation, expanding its reach to consumers and not just enterprises. It is generally more
affordable and provides enhanced capabilities. These include self- management and configuration as well as autonomic content
delivery. From a vendor perspective, there is more focus on quality of experience (QoE), security, and differentiated vertical
services. Today's CDN incorporates DevOps, mobile edge computing (MEC), and IoT technologies. With the emergence of cloud
computing, CDNs are being hosted on the cloud. Vendors are now providing CDN services as PaaS and SaaS, hosted on IaaS by
public or private cloud providers.

Source: IDC, 2018

Cloud CDN market shares - Transformation of CDN into Edge Application Delivery

The key players in the worldwide CDN services market are Akamai (37.2%),
ChinaNetCenter (12.1%), Cloudflare (5.0%), Verizon (4.3%), Fastly (2.9%), Lumen (2.7%),
and Limelight Networks (2.7%).
CDN services from hyperscalers such as AWS CloudFront, Microsoft Azure CDN, and Google
Cloud Platform (GCP) CDN; CDN resellers; and a large pool of small/niche players in the
market are represented in the "others" segment, which has a 32.8% share.
Over-the-top (OTT) video is the largest segment, delivering on-demand and live video
streams of CDN services revenues, and grew 24.8% over 2020 to $4.9 billion.
Security services grew fastest (35%) over 2020 to reach $1.9 billion and share of 22.9%
revenue share.
Web, email, and data; file sharing; and online gaming represent 12.3% of services
revenues, growing 11.7% YoY.
The need

Global IP traffic will double by 2022 and most of this traffic will be
video (82%).

Manage video traffic efficiently is a MUST for network operators in order

to contain network investments.

The Content Delivery Networks (CDN) and Edge Computing are the
solution for managing video traffic efficiently.
DT

Telco CDN :
DT uses Cisco Open Media Distribution as a CDN solution for its own video services.
DT is not hosting Third party caches in their PoPs location

Cloud CDN : DT is using and reselling Cloud Provider Solution : Akamai AIP, Verizon DMS (Edgecast ),
Fastly
For Fastly : You are testing their Cloud CDN solution and if it goes well you will resell them, you are not
using their managed CDN solution.

CDN Strategy : DT is not hosting Third party caches in their PoPs location.
More than 50 Tbps interconnection capacity globally by partnering with various service providers.
They are focusing on Telco Cloud infrastructure /Edge Computing: 1) How can we guarantee High QoS and QoE
for instance for Gaming, 2) How to maintain the same QoS, so how to book a service (Cloudlet ) on another Telco
Cloud infrastructure network to maintain the same SLA (Telco Edge Datacenter)
DT Cloud CDN

https://globalcarrier.telekom.com/network
Telefonica

Telco CDN :
Telefonica uses DIY telco CDN.
Telefonica is hosting Third party caches in their PoPs location.

Cloud CDN :
Since 2014, Telefonica partners with Akamai for Cloud CDN

CDN Strategy :
The challenge of interconnecting CDNs
Telefónica presents the first prototype of an open and convergent access network that integrates fixed and
mobile, and enables Edge Computing
Telefonica is a member of Streaming Video Alliance (SVT) promoting Open caching
Telefonica interconnexion CDNs

The options
Entrega de contenido de vídeo de terceros
Telefónica
Third Party
Video content
Video content

(Optional)
3
Service 1
Broker
2
Operator
Network Hosting/ Transparent
TCDN HW Sharing Caching

• Telefonica considers that the best option for a network operator is to use a single CDN for all the video
because it’s the only one that allows the operator to effectively control how and where the video traffic
distributed over its network, and therefore the only one that allows controlling the network investments.
3
Telefonica interconnexion CDNs

Opciones basadas en Open Caching Arquitectura Open Cache

• To enable the operator to use a single CDN for all video traffic it’s necessary:
• An standard technical solution for CDN interconnection (CP CDNs with operator CDN).
• The support of the most relevant Content Providers.
• Open Caching is a working group in the Streaming Video Alliance (SVA) whose objective is
the promotion of a standard to allow connection to Content Providers and CDN
interconnection to derive video from one CDN to another one.
• The aim is not defining the standart but to push proposals to other fora (mainly CDN-I in IETF).
• Currently spec is not completed
• Qwilt is the only CDN provider with a proprietary implementation of Open Caching.

Miembros del grupo de

Open Cache (SVA)

4
Verizon

Telco CDN :
Verizon acquired Edgecast, a CDN solution provider in 2014

Cloud CDN :
Stream Routing, Verizon Media’s multi-CDN solution, is CDN-agnostic meaning that decisions about
where to route traffic are made purely on performance metrics with data originating server-side as well
as client-side
https://www.verizondigitalmedia.com/blog/what-to-look-for-in-a-multi-cdn-solution/

CDN Strategy :
Verizon Digital Media Services (VDMS) will launch new platform capabilities, including 4k encoding, multi-
CDN, QoS (quality of service), and tighter integration with key partners
https://www.verizondigitalmedia.com/press-releases/vdms-debuts-4k-multi-cdn-qos-capabilities-nab-2019/
Verizon Cloud CDN - multi-CDN solution

Smartplay Stream Routing :

• They integrate with existing workflows
• They track quality metrics.
• They offer a wide choice of CDNs

With Stream Routing, Verizon Media’s multi-CDN solution, customers exercise a great deal of control over how their content is delivered with
the flexibility to control what content is routed to which CDNs at any given time, for every event, every channel, and over different geographic
regions. This is very advantageous if a company needs to honor pre-existing commitments to particular CDN providers or needs a single
additional CDN to operate in a specific region.

Recently, we expanded our solution to give customers additional flexibility in how they optimize their video delivery worldwide. With dynamic
decisioning, customers can augment their configured rulesets for content distribution and further optimize performance across multiple CDNs.
This approach operates like a meta-CDN, automatically redirecting video streaming traffic and load-shifting to ensure consistent video quality
at all times. Our solution is CDN-agnostic meaning that decisions about where to route traffic are made purely on performance metrics with data
originating server-side as well as client-side.
Centurylink

Telco CDN : A web delivery platform based on developer native interfaces, portable to run on most public
cloud platforms and bundled with a rich ecosystem of microservices

Cloud CDN : CenturyLink Launches CDN Edge Compute

CDN Strategy :
A technology partnership ecosystem to deliver on the following:
- Object storage partnership with IBM to provide fast access, origin, origin shield, and cache efficiency
- Acceleration of application development at the edge in partnership with Section.io. Introduction of edge
compute at all POPs to enhance application development based on containers and open DevOps environment
A growth strategy regions such as Asia/Pacific, the Middle East and Africa, and Latin America
Centurylink Cloud CDN -
CenturyLink Expands CDN Service Capability to Support Growing Demand in EMEA
CenturyLink´s EMEA CDN nodes are in
UK, Ireland, France, Germany, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech
Republic, Denmark, Finland, Hungary, Iceland, Israel, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, South
Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the UAE.
CenturyLink offers CDN services with peak capacity exceeding 120Tbps, delivered through 120 PoPs globally.
CenturyLink serves nine of the world's ten largest media companies for 2019.
Controllable edge platform for web applications
Comcast

Telco CDN :
Comcast uses Apache Traffic Control, an open source CDN solution
Comcast is hosting Third party caches in their PoPs location

Cloud CDN : Comcast partners with DLVR, as per a Multi-CDN approach

Strategy CDN :
Comcast CDN is a regional player, it offers PoPs within the US only
Comcast partners with DLVR for Video Delivery Optimization Services
DLVR achieves proactive multi CDN switching, to manage traffic peaks by load
balancing. https://www.dlvr.com/why-dlvr/proactive-cdn-switching/
Comcast Cloud CDN – Multi CDN
With a Multi-CDN approach, your media will be delivered at broadcast quality without sacrificing download speed.
150+ widely spread POPs providing pervasive, fast, diversified delivery to viewers.

CDN OPTIMIZATION: MEASURE WHAT MATTERS MOST

MANY MAJOR ONLINE VIDEO PUBLISHERS AND CDNS ARE EMBRACING A MULTI-CDN STRATEGY TO OPTIMIZE VIDEO
DELIVERY.

Effective, multi-CDN workflows require proactive, intelligent decisioning driven by predictive analytics, relying on a very
different approach to video streaming measurement.
Comcast CDN now includes DLVR’s multi-CDN optimization, a video delivery optimization service to automate intelligent,
multi-CDN decisions to power peak streaming performance for every viewer on every device.

Cloud-based solutions like DLVR use Direct Stream Measurement (DSM), an approach that has a number of advantages.
French Telcos: SFR, Free, Bouygues

Telco CDN :
SFR uses Akamai and Varnish CDN solution
Free uses DYI telco CDN.
Bouygues uses Broadpeak CDN solution (Shareholder)
SFR, Bougues and Free are hosting Third party caches in their PoPs location

Cloud CDN :
SFR partners with Level3, Amazon and soon Akamai (API) for High audience OTT live broadcast

CDN Strategy : Business focused on France only

Conclusion :
• Telco CDN based on DIY CDN can only be done by a few players; Open source CDN technology such as ATC is a
possible technical alternative

• Next Generation delivery network will add CDNs edge compute nodes capability. It is expected to grow
simultaneously with 5G and IoT.

• Cloud CDN : Growing Popularity of Multi-CDN or hybrid CDN Strategies, even for smaller customers

• Video takes up the largest % of traffic on a CDN, but contributes to the least amount of profitable revenue.

• The CDN trend is moving from basic media traffic delivery and is offering value-added CDN services, such as
enhanced security or sophisticated capabilities that streamline deployments.

• The CDN market is seeing a rise of hyper local CDNs supplemented with additional features and functions like
application firewalls (WAFs), DDoS protection, and bot mitigation.
Thanks

Operators CDN Overview