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This appears to be additional to CDNs. Apple is saying they will put their own servers directly into ISPs data centers as a cache for content requests that woul

This appears to be additional to CDNs. Apple is saying they will put their own servers directly into ISPs data centers as a cache for content requests that would normally go to a CDN. So the path for downloading data would go from your computer to your ISP and if the data you requested is cached on your ISPs Apple Edge Cache server then it wouldn't even go to a CDN. This is an attempt to address your complaint which may well be caused by slowness of traffic between the CDN and your ISP.

jedberg 7y ago
CDNs already use servers in your local ISP. That’s how they speed things up. This is no different than how Akamai or Netflix or Cloudflare builds their CDN. Most likely these Apple edge servers sit in cabinets and network segments adjacent to those other CDNs.
- reggieband 7y ago
  Sure, that is the best case scenario. Apple using it's own servers would have several advantages including they would presumably be able to tune/seed the cached content based on superior knowledge of consumption. They also wouldn't be competing for the same limited CDN space as others. Not to be flippant, but I recognized your name and when I visited your bio I see you now work at Netflix. You could probably find an excellent answer as to why Apple would choose to start its own program rather than rely on existing CDN colocation by asking your internal team why Netflix does the same. My guess, without inside knowledge, is it is a combination of price and performance.
  - jedberg 7y ago
    I know why Netflix does what it does, I helped build it. :) What I'm saying is that Apple is probably already doing the same thing (using their own servers in colocations). They're just opening it up to the public now.
    - reggieband 7y ago
      Well, edge cache doesn't appear to be brand new (I found https://www.c8k3.com/blog/caching-in-apples-new-cache-program https://www.c8k3.com/blog/caching-in-apples-new-cache-progra... which dates from Dec 2019) but it does appear to be an analogue to programs like the one you helped build at Netflix. So while they probably have been doing this in some limited fashion (e.g. through direct outreach), it is entirely possible your own ISP wasn't included. Hopefully your download speeds will increase if/when your ISP signs up for the program. I'm not sure what you mean that this is being "opened up to the public now". This seems to be limited to ISPs as far as I can tell. I'm not sure who, other than an ISP, would be doing 25Gb/s of Apple-content related traffic.

jedberg 7y ago

CDNs already use servers in your local ISP. That’s how they speed things up. This is no different than how Akamai or Netflix or Cloudflare builds their CDN. Most likely these Apple edge servers sit in cabinets and network segments adjacent to those other CDNs.

reggieband 7y ago
Sure, that is the best case scenario. Apple using it's own servers would have several advantages including they would presumably be able to tune/seed the cached content based on superior knowledge of consumption. They also wouldn't be competing for the same limited CDN space as others. Not to be flippant, but I recognized your name and when I visited your bio I see you now work at Netflix. You could probably find an excellent answer as to why Apple would choose to start its own program rather than rely on existing CDN colocation by asking your internal team why Netflix does the same. My guess, without inside knowledge, is it is a combination of price and performance.
- jedberg 7y ago
  I know why Netflix does what it does, I helped build it. :) What I'm saying is that Apple is probably already doing the same thing (using their own servers in colocations). They're just opening it up to the public now.
  - reggieband 7y ago
    Well, edge cache doesn't appear to be brand new (I found https://www.c8k3.com/blog/caching-in-apples-new-cache-program https://www.c8k3.com/blog/caching-in-apples-new-cache-progra... which dates from Dec 2019) but it does appear to be an analogue to programs like the one you helped build at Netflix. So while they probably have been doing this in some limited fashion (e.g. through direct outreach), it is entirely possible your own ISP wasn't included. Hopefully your download speeds will increase if/when your ISP signs up for the program. I'm not sure what you mean that this is being "opened up to the public now". This seems to be limited to ISPs as far as I can tell. I'm not sure who, other than an ISP, would be doing 25Gb/s of Apple-content related traffic.