The shift from traditional broadcasting to streaming, coupled with the need to leverage existing infrastructure, are driving factors behind the need for more flexible and scalable Content Delivery Networks (CDNs). These challenges are further exacerbated by growing demand for live events, like sports, where low latency streaming and efficient management of unpredictable traffic surges are crucial.

However, the adoption and management of CDNs brings its own set of challenges. These range from having limited expertise, to orchestrating changes without disruptions, integrating with existing systems and more.

Recent updates to Varnish Enterprise 6, the industry’s most feature-rich web cache and HTTP accelerator, include the new Massive Storage Engine (MSE 4) and updated Traffic Router, which aim to address these emerging challenges. Major telcos and broadcasters worldwide have swiftly adopted these enhancements to optimize and augment their content delivery, from origin to the edge.

Many leading broadcasters and telcos rely on Varnish Software to support their migration from linear to streaming distribution. RTÉ, for example, uses Varnish Enterprise 6 to power flexible live and on-demand video streaming, while future-proofing its HD and potential UHD delivery capabilities.

Since deploying Varnish, RTÉ was able to minimize backend storage reads and maximize cache efficiency, allowing it to support greater traffic volumes at higher bitrates without additional hardware. In addition, RTÉ has found many unique creative use cases for Varnish Enterprise 6, which have helped rapidly implement new features and capabilities. For example, RTÉ is using Varnish Configuration Language (VCL) to integrate dynamic ad insertion, customizing responses based on client requests.

Tele2, a Swedish telecom operator with multinational operations, leveraged Varnish Enterprise when migrating its entire video distribution to streaming TV, enhancing the appeal of its triple play offering (TV, Phone and broadband). This massive undertaking involved replacing 500,000+ STBs and implementing a private CDN with Varnish Enterprise.

With Varnish, Tele2 was able to increase its redundancy without investing in additional hardware. In particular, the Varnish Traffic Router ensured traffic could be automatically rerouted when any location went down, guaranteeing true resilience in the face of unexpected traffic spikes.