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Checklist · CDN & Edge

CDN & Edge launch checklist — Step by Step 2026

Launching a CDN or edge computing service requires careful planning and execution. This checklist provides a step-by-step guide to ensure a successful launch, covering essential aspects such as performance optimization, security considerations, and global reach. We'll address common pain points such as cache invalidation strategies and DDoS mitigation.

50 checklist items Updated from migrated LaunchTry SEO content

Phase 01

Planning & Infrastructure

10 tasks
  • 1.1
    high1 day

    Define Target Audience & Use Cases

    Identify your ideal customer profile (developers, platform teams) and their primary use cases (static content, video streaming, edge functions).

  • 1.2
    critical2 days

    Select CDN Architecture

    Choose a CDN architecture that aligns with your needs (e.g., pull-based, push-based, hybrid). Consider using Terraform to automate infrastructure provisioning.

  • 1.3
    critical3 days

    Choose CDN Provider(s)

    Evaluate CDN providers like Cloudflare, Fastly, or BunnyCDN based on features, pricing, and performance. Consider multi-CDN strategy for redundancy.

  • 1.4
    high2 days

    Provision Edge Servers

    Provision edge servers in geographically diverse locations to minimize latency. Use tools like AWS CloudFront or Azure CDN for global coverage.

  • 1.5
    critical1 day

    Configure DNS Records

    Configure DNS records (CNAME, A records) to point to your CDN. Use a DNS provider with low latency and DDoS protection.

  • 1.6
    high2 days

    Set up Monitoring & Alerting

    Implement monitoring and alerting using tools like Prometheus and Grafana to track CDN performance and identify issues.

  • 1.7
    medium2 days

    Implement Load Balancing

    Configure load balancing across multiple edge servers to ensure high availability and handle traffic spikes. Use tools like HAProxy.

  • 1.8
    high2 days

    Configure Origin Server

    Optimize your origin server for efficient content delivery. Use caching mechanisms and compression techniques.

  • 1.9
    medium1 day

    Plan for Capacity Scaling

    Develop a plan for scaling your CDN infrastructure to accommodate future growth and traffic demands.

  • 1.10
    high1 day

    Establish a Budget

    Define a budget for CDN infrastructure, bandwidth, and other related costs. Consider the cost implications of various CDN features.

Phase 02

Security Hardening

10 tasks
  • 2.1
    critical1 day

    Implement SSL/TLS Encryption

    Secure all traffic with SSL/TLS encryption. Obtain SSL certificates from a trusted Certificate Authority or use Let's Encrypt.

  • 2.2
    critical2 days

    Configure DDoS Protection

    Implement DDoS protection mechanisms to mitigate attacks. Use Cloudflare or Akamai for comprehensive DDoS mitigation.

  • 2.3
    high2 days

    Set up Web Application Firewall (WAF)

    Deploy a WAF to protect against common web application vulnerabilities like SQL injection and cross-site scripting. Consider using ModSecurity.

  • 2.4
    medium1 day

    Implement Rate Limiting

    Configure rate limiting to prevent abuse and protect against brute-force attacks. Use Nginx's limit_req module.

  • 2.5
    medium1 day

    Enable Hotlink Protection

    Prevent hotlinking to protect your bandwidth and content. Configure your CDN to block requests from unauthorized domains.

  • 2.6
    low1 day

    Implement Geo-Blocking

    Restrict access to your content based on geographic location. Use your CDN's geo-blocking feature.

  • 2.7
    medium3 days

    Regular Security Audits

    Conduct regular security audits and penetration testing to identify and address vulnerabilities.

  • 2.8
    high1 day

    Implement Access Control

    Implement strict access control policies to limit access to your CDN management interface.

  • 2.9
    high2 days

    Monitor Security Logs

    Monitor security logs for suspicious activity and potential security breaches. Use tools like Splunk or ELK stack.

  • 2.10
    high1 day

    Keep Software Up-to-Date

    Keep all software and libraries up-to-date to patch security vulnerabilities. Use automated update tools.

Phase 03

Performance Optimization

10 tasks
  • 3.1
    critical2 days

    Configure Caching Policies

    Define appropriate caching policies for different types of content. Use Cache-Control headers effectively.

  • 3.2
    high1 day

    Enable Compression

    Enable compression (Gzip, Brotli) to reduce the size of transmitted content. Configure your CDN to compress content automatically.

  • 3.3
    high2 days

    Optimize Images

    Optimize images for web delivery. Use tools like ImageMagick or TinyPNG to compress and resize images.

  • 3.4
    medium1 day

    Minify CSS and JavaScript

    Minify CSS and JavaScript files to reduce their size. Use tools like UglifyJS or CSSNano.

  • 3.5
    high1 day

    Leverage Browser Caching

    Leverage browser caching to reduce the number of requests to your CDN. Set appropriate Expires headers.

  • 3.6
    high1 day

    Implement HTTP/2 or HTTP/3

    Enable HTTP/2 or HTTP/3 for improved performance. Most CDN providers support these protocols.

  • 3.7
    medium1 day

    Optimize DNS Resolution

    Ensure fast DNS resolution by using a reliable DNS provider and configuring DNS prefetching.

  • 3.8
    high2 days

    Monitor Performance Metrics

    Monitor key performance metrics like latency, throughput, and error rates. Use tools like New Relic or Datadog.

  • 3.9
    medium1 day

    Test CDN Performance

    Test CDN performance from different geographic locations using tools like WebPageTest or GTmetrix.

  • 3.10
    medium2 days

    Optimize for Mobile Devices

    Optimize your CDN for mobile devices by using responsive images and adaptive delivery techniques.

Phase 04

Testing & Validation

10 tasks
  • 4.1
    high2 days

    Functional Testing

    Verify that all features and functionalities of your CDN are working as expected. Test cache invalidation, edge functions, and other features.

  • 4.2
    high3 days

    Performance Testing

    Conduct performance testing to measure latency, throughput, and other performance metrics under various load conditions. Use tools like JMeter.

  • 4.3
    high3 days

    Security Testing

    Perform security testing to identify vulnerabilities and ensure that your CDN is protected against attacks. Use tools like OWASP ZAP.

  • 4.4
    medium2 days

    Load Testing

    Conduct load testing to simulate high traffic volumes and ensure that your CDN can handle the load. Use tools like Locust.

  • 4.5
    medium2 days

    Failover Testing

    Test failover mechanisms to ensure that your CDN can continue to operate in the event of a failure. Simulate server outages.

  • 4.6
    high1 day

    Cache Hit Ratio Testing

    Monitor and optimize your cache hit ratio to improve performance and reduce origin server load. Use CDN analytics tools.

  • 4.7
    medium2 days

    Geo-Redundancy Testing

    Test geo-redundancy to ensure that your CDN can serve content from different geographic regions in the event of a regional outage.

  • 4.8
    medium1 day

    Mobile Testing

    Test your CDN on mobile devices to ensure that it delivers content efficiently and effectively. Use mobile testing tools.

  • 4.9
    low1 day

    Cross-Browser Testing

    Test your CDN on different web browsers to ensure compatibility and consistent performance. Use browser testing tools.

  • 4.10
    medium2 days

    Regression Testing

    Perform regression testing after making changes to your CDN to ensure that the changes have not introduced any new issues.

Phase 05

Launch & Monitoring

10 tasks
  • 5.1
    criticalOngoing

    Monitor CDN Performance

    Continuously monitor CDN performance metrics like latency, throughput, and error rates. Use real-time monitoring tools.

  • 5.2
    highWeekly

    Analyze CDN Logs

    Analyze CDN logs to identify performance bottlenecks and security threats. Use log analysis tools.

  • 5.3
    criticalAs Needed

    Respond to Incidents

    Establish a process for responding to incidents and resolving issues promptly. Use incident management tools.

  • 5.4
    highMonthly

    Optimize Caching Strategies

    Continuously optimize caching strategies to improve cache hit ratios and reduce origin server load. Use A/B testing.

  • 5.5
    mediumMonthly

    Scale Infrastructure as Needed

    Scale CDN infrastructure as needed to accommodate traffic growth and changing requirements. Automate scaling processes.

  • 5.6
    highQuarterly

    Review Security Posture

    Periodically review the security posture of your CDN and implement necessary security enhancements. Conduct penetration testing.

  • 5.7
    highMonthly

    Update Software and Libraries

    Keep all software and libraries up-to-date to patch security vulnerabilities and improve performance. Use automated update tools.

  • 5.8
    mediumAs Needed

    Communicate with Users

    Communicate with users about CDN performance and any planned maintenance activities. Use status pages.

  • 5.9
    highMonthly

    Track Costs and Usage

    Track CDN costs and usage to optimize spending and identify areas for improvement. Use cost management tools.

  • 5.10
    lowOngoing

    Stay Up-to-Date

    Stay up-to-date with the latest CDN technologies and best practices. Attend industry conferences and read relevant publications.

Pro tips

  • Regularly purge your CDN cache to ensure that users are always seeing the latest content. Use cache invalidation APIs provided by your CDN provider or consider using a service like Fastly's Instant Purge.
  • Leverage edge functions to execute code at the edge of the network. This can improve performance and reduce latency. Vercel and Cloudflare Workers are popular options.
  • Implement a robust monitoring system to track CDN performance and identify potential issues. Use tools like Datadog or New Relic to monitor key metrics.
  • Optimize your images for web delivery to reduce file sizes and improve page load times. Use tools like ImageOptim or TinyPNG.
  • Consider using a multi-CDN strategy to improve redundancy and availability. Distribute your content across multiple CDN providers like Cloudflare, Akamai and BunnyCDN.