Overview
Microsoft Azure CDN provides content delivery services through a global network of edge nodes, integrated with Azure’s cloud ecosystem. It serves enterprises, developers, and media companies, offering caching, security, and analytics. The service supports web content, video streaming, and edge compute capabilities. Azure partners with Akamai and Verizon for its underlying infrastructure in some configurations.
Network & Architecture
Azure CDN operates over 100 points of presence (POPs) globally, with strong coverage in North America, EMEA, and APAC. It leverages Microsoft’s global backbone and partnerships with Akamai and Verizon for optimized routing and peering. The service supports HTTP/3 and dynamic content acceleration. Limited public data exists on specific peering arrangements or regional performance nuances.
Features
| Feature | Supported |
|---|---|
waf | ✓ |
bot_mitigation | ✗ |
ddos | ✓ |
rate_limit | ✗ |
http3_quic | ✓ |
tls13 | ✓ |
tiered_cache | ✓ |
origin_shield | ✓ |
instant_purge | ✓ |
stale_while_revalidate | ✓ |
stale_if_error | ✓ |
image_optimization | ✓ |
video_vod | ✓ |
video_live | ✓ |
drm | ✗ |
hls_dash_packaging | ✗ |
websockets | ✓ |
signed_urls | ✓ |
edge_compute | ✓ |
functions | ✓ |
kv_storage | ✗ |
api_first | ✓ |
realtime_logs | ✓ |
log_push | ✓ |
terraform | ✓ |
Legend: ✓ = Supported, ✗ = Not supported
Pricing
Azure CDN uses a pay-as-you-go (PAYG) model with tiered pricing based on regions and usage. No free tier is offered, and pricing is enterprise-focused. Example: data transfer costs ~$0.08/GB in North America (subject to change). Full details at https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/pricing/details/cdn/.
Integrations & DevEx
Azure CDN supports Terraform for infrastructure-as-code. SDKs are available for multiple languages (Python, .NET, Java). Real-time logs and analytics integrate with Azure Monitor. Migration tools are provided for importing configurations from other CDNs. The API-first approach simplifies integration with CI/CD pipelines.
When it fits
- Enterprises already using Azure services, seeking seamless CDN integration.
- Organizations needing global reach with strong North America and EMEA presence.
- Developers requiring edge compute with Azure Functions and Terraform support.
When it doesn’t
- Small businesses or startups looking for a free tier or lower-cost options.
- Users needing specialized video features like HLS/DASH packaging or DRM.
- Those requiring detailed public data on network peering or POP specifics.