How to put large file downloads on a CDN

Distribute installers, datasets and game patches through Cloud CDN with large-file optimisation, Origin Shield and versioned URLs.

Release day is a read storm. A single origin disk will saturate before 210+ caches would. Version the filename, cache for a long time, shield first-byte, and token-protect anything that should not be public.

Versioned objects skip purge

app-1.4.2.exe never needs invalidation. latest.exe does. Prefer hashes in the name and a tiny pointer file with a short TTL or purge.

Large-file optimisation

Cloud CDN is built for large objects on a 200+ Tbps network — installers, zips, datasets, game depots — not only website assets.

Range requests and resumes

Download managers will request ranges. Validate a large test object through the distribution before launch day.

Do not Brotli a zip

Leave already-compressed binaries alone. Brotli and Gzip are for text. Recompressing a zip wastes CPU and can hurt.

Frequently Asked Questions

Cloud CDN is built for large-file delivery. Plan unusually large catalogues with Aptranet.

Purge the pointer and binary URLs, or point the pointer at a previous version.

Yes. Token authentication can expire or sign artefacts that should not be public yet.

Put this on Cloud CDN.

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