Amazon CloudFront

If you prefer you can watch the video version on YouTube

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Welcome to issue #2 of the “AWS services shorts”, In each issue, I present to you an AWS service and explore what its strengths and weaknesses are, discover some use cases, and finally what the most common mistakes people are making with it.

Today’s issue is about CloudFront!

Let’s start 😊

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Amazon CloudFront is a content delivery network (CDN). Its primary purpose is to improve the performance, reliability, and availability of your websites, applications, and content by distributing them to global locations closer to your end-users.

CloudFront docs home: https://docs.aws.amazon.com/cloudfront/ 

Strengths

Extensive network of edge locations

They enable it to deliver content from the nearest location to the end-users, reducing latency and improving load times.

• https://aws.amazon.com/cloudfront/features/?whats-new-cloudfront.sort-by=item.additionalFields.postDateTime&whats-new-cloudfront.sort-order=desc#Global_Edge_Network 

Scalability

The service automatically scales to accommodate varying levels of traffic, ensuring consistent performance even during traffic spikes.

Security

CloudFront supports integration with AWS services like AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM) and Amazon Certificate Manager (ACM), allowing you to control access to your content and secure it with SSL/TLS certificates. AWS Shield is enabled by default.

• https://aws.amazon.com/shield/ 

• https://aws.amazon.com/cloudfront/features/?whats-new-cloudfront.sort-by=item.additionalFields.postDateTime&whats-new-cloudfront.sort-order=desc#Security 

• https://docs.aws.amazon.com/AmazonCloudFront/latest/DeveloperGuide/security.html

• https://docs.aws.amazon.com/AmazonCloudFront/latest/DeveloperGuide/SecurityAndPrivateContent.html 

Integration with AWS Services

CloudFront seamlessly integrates with other AWS services like Amazon S3, Amazon EC2, AWS Lambda, and more, making it easy to integrate the CDN into your existing AWS infrastructure.

• https://docs.aws.amazon.com/AmazonCloudFront/latest/DeveloperGuide/DownloadDistS3AndCustomOrigins.html 

Weaknesses

Complex Configuration

The array of configuration options can be overwhelming for beginners.

Pricing Complexity

While CloudFront's pricing model is designed to be flexible, it can be challenging to predict costs accurately.

• https://aws.amazon.com/cloudfront/pricing/ 

• https://docs.aws.amazon.com/AmazonCloudFront/latest/DeveloperGuide/CloudFrontPricing.html 

Limited Real-Time Analytics

While CloudFront provides some usage metrics, real-time analytics might be limited compared to specialized analytics tools.

• https://aws.amazon.com/cloudfront/reporting/ 

• https://docs.aws.amazon.com/AmazonCloudFront/latest/DeveloperGuide/reports-and-monitoring.html 

Common Usage Scenarios

Website Acceleration

Deliver static and dynamic content, such as images, CSS, JavaScript, and HTML files, quickly to users around the world.

• https://docs.aws.amazon.com/AmazonCloudFront/latest/DeveloperGuide/IntroductionUseCases.html 

Video Streaming

Stream videos, live events, and on-demand content efficiently to a global audience.

• https://docs.aws.amazon.com/AmazonCloudFront/latest/DeveloperGuide/IntroductionUseCases.html#IntroductionUseCasesStreaming 

• https://aws.amazon.com/cloudfront/streaming/ 

Secure Content Delivery

Distribute content securely using SSL/TLS encryption and access controls, ensuring sensitive data remains protected.

• https://docs.aws.amazon.com/AmazonCloudFront/latest/DeveloperGuide/using-https.html 

• https://docs.aws.amazon.com/AmazonCloudFront/latest/DeveloperGuide/using-https-alternate-domain-names.html 

API Acceleration

Accelerate API requests by leveraging CloudFront's global network, reducing latency for API consumers.

• https://aws.amazon.com/cloudfront/dynamic-content/ 

Common Mistakes

Poor Cache configuration 

Neglecting to set appropriate cache behaviors can result in unnecessary origin requests and slower performance. Failing to manage cache invalidation effectively can lead to outdated content being served to users.

• https://docs.aws.amazon.com/AmazonCloudFront/latest/DeveloperGuide/ConfiguringCaching.html 

Neglecting Security Settings

Not implementing proper security measures, like using SSL certificates or restricting access, can expose your content to risks.

• https://docs.aws.amazon.com/AmazonCloudFront/latest/DeveloperGuide/security.html 

Underestimating Costs

Without understanding CloudFront's pricing model, you might end up with unexpected costs due to high data transfer or request rates.

• https://aws.amazon.com/cloudfront/pricing/ 

• https://docs.aws.amazon.com/AmazonCloudFront/latest/DeveloperGuide/CloudFrontPricing.html 

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I hope you find this overview useful!

Did you like it? Too long? To short? Something is missing?

Please let me know with a comment! 🙏

Your feedback is truly precious to me 😊

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Attributions:

• Icons from www.freepik.com

• Music by Sergii Pavkin from Pixabay