Why edge caching matters now
OTT platforms, sports streaming and short-video apps have huge audiences in smaller cities. Serving them from a few central locations means long paths, more congestion and more variability in quality. Caches placed close to viewers reduce all three.
What a good edge location needs
- Proximity to local access networks.
- Peering with those networks, so traffic does not cross paid transit.
- Power and space for cache appliances.
- Reliable fill from your origin or upper-tier caches.
Micro PoPs provide all four in a compact, standard footprint.
Planning placement
Start with your analytics. Which regions show the highest growth, the longest start-up times or the most rebuffering? Overlay that with the access networks serving those viewers and the Micro PoP locations nearby. The best first sites are where audience size and poor experience overlap.
Filling the cache efficiently
Cache fill traffic can be substantial during big releases. Using the Peer1IX fabric or a private connection to bring content to the Micro PoP keeps fill predictable and avoids competing with user traffic on the public internet.
Working with local ISPs
The ISP connected at the Micro PoP will route its subscribers to your cache via peering. Share your prefixes, make sure your route objects and ROAs are in order, and agree on capacity expectations for big events.
Measuring success
- Video start-up time per region.
- Average delivered bitrate.
- Rebuffering ratio at peak hours.
- Share of traffic served from edge versus central locations.
Next steps
Talk to our team about cache space at upcoming Micro PoPs, or see the locations map.
