CacheFly CDN: Complete Implementation & Optimization Cheat Sheet

Introduction to CacheFly CDN

CacheFly is a high-performance Content Delivery Network (CDN) specializing in TCP anycast technology for faster file delivery. Founded in 2002 as the world’s first TCP anycast-based CDN, CacheFly focuses on delivering static content, video, and large files with minimal latency across global regions.

Why CacheFly Matters:

• Optimized for throughput-intensive content delivery (video, downloads, etc.)
• TCP anycast routing provides automatic traffic optimization
• Global network presence with points of presence (PoPs) on six continents
• Performance-focused architecture designed for static content acceleration
• Specialized in Time To First Byte (TTFB) optimization

Core CacheFly Concepts

CDN Architecture

CacheFly Network Structure

CacheFly’s network consists of strategically placed PoPs across:

• North America
• Europe
• Asia
• South America
• Australia
• Africa

Each PoP contains edge servers that cache and deliver your content to users in that region, reducing latency and improving load times.

TCP Anycast Technology

Unlike traditional CDNs that use DNS-based geographic routing, CacheFly uses TCP anycast which:

• Automatically routes users to the closest available server based on network topology
• Reduces connection hops and routing inefficiencies
• Provides natural load balancing and failover
• Eliminates DNS propagation delays when changing routing

Setting Up CacheFly: Step-by-Step Process

1. Account Setup and Configuration

1. Sign up for a CacheFly account at cachefly.com
2. Choose your plan based on bandwidth requirements
3. Access the CacheFly Control Panel
4. Configure your origin server settings:
   • Origin domain/IP
   • Port settings
   • SSL/TLS requirements

2. Zone Configuration

# Example zone configuration in CacheFly Control Panel
Zone Name: example-zone
Origin: origin.yourdomain.com
Default TTL: 86400 (24 hours)
Follow Redirects: Yes
HTTP/2 Support: Enabled
HTTP/3 (QUIC): Enabled

3. DNS Integration Methods

Option A: CNAME Method

# DNS Configuration Example
assets.yourdomain.com  CNAME  example.cd.cachefly.net

Option B: Custom Domain + CNAMEs

# Step 1: Add custom domain to CacheFly
cdn.yourdomain.com

# Step 2: Create CNAME for your domain
cdn.yourdomain.com  CNAME  example.cd.cachefly.net

Option C: Zone Apex (A Record) Approach

# For root domain acceleration
# Configure with CacheFly support for specific IPs
yourdomain.com  A  203.0.113.1
yourdomain.com  A  203.0.113.2

4. Origin Pull Configuration

# Origin Pull Settings
Origin Protocol: HTTPS
Origin Host Header: origin.yourdomain.com
Origin Path: /content
Custom Cache Keys: Yes
Follow Redirects: Yes
Maximum Connections: 10
Connection Timeout: 60s

5. SSL/TLS Setup

1. Generate or upload SSL certificate
2. Configure SSL settings in Control Panel:
   • Protocol versions (TLS 1.2, 1.3)
   • Cipher preferences
   • HSTS settings
3. Test SSL configuration using:

   curl -I https://cdn.yourdomain.com
   

Key CacheFly Features and Capabilities

Content Management

Performance Optimization

Compression Settings

# Example compression configuration
Compress Content: On
Compression Level: 6
Compress Types: text/html, text/css, application/javascript, application/json
Minimum Size: 1KB
Maximum Size: 10MB

Image Optimization

# Example image optimization settings
Enable WebP Conversion: Yes
Image Quality: 85
Strip Metadata: Yes
Progressive JPEG: Yes
Auto-Optimize: Yes

Security Features

Access Controls

# IP Access restrictions example
Allow: 192.168.1.0/24, 203.0.113.0/24
Deny: 198.51.100.0/24

Token Authentication

# URL token example
https://cdn.yourdomain.com/video.mp4?token=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9

HTTPS Configuration

# HTTPS settings example
TLS Versions: 1.2, 1.3
Ciphers: TLS_AES_128_GCM_SHA256, TLS_AES_256_GCM_SHA384
HSTS: max-age=31536000; includeSubDomains; preload
OCSP Stapling: Enabled

Analytics and Reporting

• Real-time Dashboard: View current traffic metrics
• Traffic Reports: Analyze bandwidth usage, requests, and cache efficiency
• Geographic Distribution: View traffic by country/region
• Status Codes: Monitor HTTP response codes
• Cache Analysis: Evaluate cache hit/miss ratios
• Export Options: CSV, JSON, API access

CacheFly API Integration

Authentication

# API Authentication example
curl -X GET https://api.cachefly.com/v3/account \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_TOKEN"

Common API Operations

Purge Cache

# Purge specific URL
curl -X POST https://api.cachefly.com/v3/zones/example-zone/purge \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_TOKEN" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"urls": ["https://cdn.yourdomain.com/path/to/file.jpg"]}'

Check Zone Status

# Get zone information
curl -X GET https://api.cachefly.com/v3/zones/example-zone \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_TOKEN"

Update Cache Rules

# Update cache settings
curl -X PUT https://api.cachefly.com/v3/zones/example-zone/cache-settings \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_TOKEN" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"default_ttl": 86400, "rules": [{"pattern": "*.jpg", "ttl": 604800}]}'

CDN Comparison: CacheFly vs. Other Providers

Common CacheFly Challenges and Solutions

Challenge: Cache Invalidation Issues

Symptoms:

• Outdated content being served
• Purge requests not taking effect
• Inconsistent content across regions

Solutions:

• Use wildcard purge for related content
• Implement versioned file names (e.g., style.v2.css)
• Check TTL settings and adjust if necessary
• Verify purge API responses for success
• Consider implementing cache busting query parameters

Challenge: Origin Connection Problems

Symptoms:

• 502/504 errors
• Intermittent availability
• Slow content delivery

Solutions:

• Increase origin connection timeout
• Verify origin server capacity
• Implement origin health checks
• Check for IP restrictions on origin server
• Configure backup origins
• Review origin pull settings

Challenge: SSL/TLS Certificate Issues

Symptoms:

• Browser security warnings
• Certificate errors in console
• Mixed content warnings

Solutions:

• Verify certificate validity and expiration
• Ensure certificate covers all necessary domains
• Check for complete certificate chain
• Configure proper SSL/TLS versions
• Implement proper redirects from HTTP to HTTPS
• Use HSTS for additional security

Challenge: Cost Management

Symptoms:

• Unexpected bandwidth charges
• Budget overruns
• Inefficient resource usage

Solutions:

• Implement proper cache TTLs
• Monitor bandwidth usage with alerts
• Optimize file sizes with compression
• Consider traffic limiting for hotlinking
• Use image optimization features
• Analyze traffic patterns to identify anomalies

Best Practices for CacheFly Implementation

Performance Optimization

• Implement Browser Caching: Set appropriate Cache-Control headers
• Enable Compression: Configure Gzip/Brotli for text-based assets
• Use Image Optimization: Enable WebP conversion and optimization
• Implement HTTP/2: Enable for parallel asset loading
• Preload Critical Assets: Use Link headers for key resources
• Minimize Origin Requests: Set long TTLs for static content
• Use Cache Tags: Organize content for efficient purging

Security Recommendations

• Always Use HTTPS: Secure all content delivery
• Implement HSTS: Enforce secure connections
• Use Secure Ciphers: Configure modern, secure cipher suites
• Enable Token Authentication: For sensitive content
• Configure Access Controls: Restrict by geography or IP
• Implement CSP Headers: Enhance content security
• Regular Security Audits: Review settings periodically

Operational Efficiency

• Automate Purge Operations: Use API for content updates
• Implement Monitoring: Set up alerts for performance issues
• Document Configuration: Maintain clear records of settings
• Regular Performance Testing: Benchmark from multiple locations
• Use Logs Effectively: Analyze for optimization opportunities
• Staged Rollouts: Test changes in limited regions first
• Backup Configurations: Maintain copies of all settings

CacheFly Control Panel Overview

Configuration Templates

Basic Static Website

Zone: static-website
Origin: origin.example.com
Default TTL: 86400
Compression: Enabled
HTTP/2: Enabled
Cache Rules:
  - *.html: 3600
  - *.css, *.js: 604800
  - images/*: 2592000
HTTPS: Required

Video Streaming

Zone: video-streaming
Origin: video-origin.example.com
Default TTL: 300
Large File Optimization: Enabled
HTTP/2: Enabled
Range Request Caching: Enabled
Cache Rules:
  - *.m3u8: 60
  - *.ts: 86400
  - *.mp4: 86400
Token Authentication: Enabled

API Acceleration

Zone: api-acceleration
Origin: api.example.com
Default TTL: 60
Bypass Cache for: Set-Cookie, Authorization
Respect Origin Cache Headers: Yes
CORS: Enabled
Cache Rules:
  - /static/*: 3600
  - /data/*: 300
Origin Health Checks: Enabled

Resources for Further Learning

Official Documentation

• CacheFly Knowledge Base
• CacheFly API Documentation
• CacheFly Status Page

Community Resources

• CacheFly Blog
• CDN Planet Comparisons
• Web Performance Calendar

Tools for Testing and Monitoring

• WebPageTest – Performance testing from multiple locations
• Pingdom – Uptime and performance monitoring
• KeyCDN Performance Test – CDN speed testing
• GTmetrix – Website performance analysis
• CDN Check Tool – Verify CDN implementation