Setting up a multi-region CDN

Multi-region is built in#

On AWS, “multi-region” means manually provisioning CloudFront distributions, configuring origins per region, and managing replication. Edge CDN is global by default. A single deployment serves from 988 locations worldwide. Every user is routed to the nearest edge node, with no region selection required.

This guide walks through creating a deployment, configuring cache rules, and monitoring geo-distribution.

Creating a deployment#

In the Edge console, create a new CDN deployment. Set your origin: a VM, storage bucket or external URL. Add your domains; Edge provisions SSL automatically. The deployment is live across all edge locations immediately.

Multiple domains: add as many domains as you need. Each can point to the same deployment, which is useful for subdomains (e.g. cdn.example.com, assets.example.com) or multiple apex domains.

How Edge routes requests#

When a user requests content, Edge uses DNS and Anycast to route them to the nearest node. That node checks its cache; on a hit, it serves the response. On a miss, it fetches from origin and caches the response for subsequent requests.

You don’t configure geography. The network handles it. Users in Tokyo, London, and São Paulo each hit the closest node automatically.

Cache rules for different content types#

Set path-based cache rules to optimise behaviour:

• Static assets (/assets/*, *.js, *.css): long TTL (7–30 days)
• Images (/images/*): long TTL, with image optimisation enabled for format detection (WebP/AVIF where supported)
• Dynamic content (/api/*): short TTL or cache bypass
• HTML pages: short TTL (0–5 min), or bypass for personalised pages

See caching strategies for detailed guidance.

Monitoring per-region performance#

The console includes a geo distribution page for each CDN deployment. It shows traffic and cache hit rates by region or country. Use it to verify that requests are distributed globally and to identify regions where hit rates are low. Low hit rates are a sign you may need to adjust cache rules or TTLs for that traffic pattern.

Image optimisation for global audiences#

Edge’s image optimisation automatically detects browser support for WebP and AVIF. Each user gets the best format their browser supports, which means smaller files and faster loads. This is particularly valuable for global audiences on mixed devices and connections.

Enable image optimisation in the deployment settings. Use query params (e.g. ?w=800) for resizing; format conversion happens automatically based on Accept headers.

Dynamic content and Edge Storage as origin#

For dynamic content, use short TTLs or cache bypass. Path-based rules let you exempt /api/* or user-specific paths from caching.

Edge Storage as CDN origin: for static sites (HTML, CSS, JS, images), use Edge Storage as the origin. You get a truly serverless setup with no VMs and no origin management. Upload files to storage and the CDN serves them globally. Ideal for documentation sites, marketing pages, and SPAs with static builds.