Five Architectural Principles
Qwilt’s Edge Cloud Content Delivery Platform
1. Common Compute and Storage
The edge cloud establishes a massively distributed layer of compute and storage, enabling content delivery from the closest possible location to your subscribers. We built the software that can unlock the potential of this layer from our experience with hundreds of deployments at the true edge of the network – software that is 100% cloud managed, that packs maximum performance in a small form factor and that is elastic and resilient.
100% Cloud Managed
Our customers deploy on-net Qwilt QN software nodes, and this software connects over the Internet to Qwilt’s cloud. We do the heavy lifting of managing, monitoring, and maintaining these edge cloud nodes, making sure they’re giving you the most performance for your unique needs. We also take care of management scaling using the cloud’s elastic scaling capabilities.
Unlike traditional networking solutions, there’s no overlay management software that you need to deploy on site.
It’s all in the cloud.
2. Massively Distributed
The edge cloud delivers unmatched distributed performance enabling apps and content to be streamed from a distance of a few miles to several blocks from your subscribers, thus reducing latency to levels that make immersive and other high-bandwith applications possible.
It’s All About the Distance
The three most important things in content delivery are: location, location, location. Being located closer to the users means there are fewer hops and a shorter distance for light to travel. The result is that there’s a smaller chance packets will encounter congestion and a greater ability to deliver high throughput and faster response times. Unlike traditional CDN nodes that are centrally located in the mid-mile, the edge cloud is deployed at the closest possible locations to the users – often tens of miles to a few blocks away. This proximity allows applications and content leveraging the edge cloud to achieve the best possible QoE. That’s good for you and great for your users.
3. Open API to Publishers
Publishers can use the edge cloud to unlock new content delivery capabilities that only in-network proximity can deliver. To capture this opportunity, an open and comprehensive set of interfaces is required. Qwilt has worked extensively with the Streaming Video Alliance to help drive standardization efforts that benefit the entire ecosystem. Through this work, we offer an ecosystem-friendly set of APIs, making integration simple.
Publishers Onboard to a Single Cloud-based API to Reach a Global Footprint of All ISPs with Open Caching
4. Match Resource to Application
Applications such as video streaming – especially 4K and UHD – require a lot of bandwidth and a lot of storage for caching. Others, like gaming and VR, require split second response time for in-game actions, but not a lot of storage. The edge cloud must have the flexibility to understand which application needs which resource – and be able to adapt accordingly.
Edge Cloud Solution Spotlight – Open Caching
Open caching enables delivery of bandwidth intensive content from the network edge when requested – without requiring any change of the client side. The result is seamless delivery for applications like streaming video allowing publishers to deliver superior quality video to their subscribers.
5. Complements Centralized Cloud
The centralized cloud is still of massive importance. The edge cloud creates a new layer that can work alongside the centralized cloud and when used smartly, establishes a superior application and content delivery infrastructure – the magic is to know when to use which cloud for getting the best performance – think about it like a hybrid car engine that needs to know when to kick in the electric engine and when to use the gas one. At Qwilt we created an end-to-end solution that has the smarts to create one secure fabric across the edge and centralized cloud.
Qwilt Cloud Functions
The Qwilt Cloud – QC – delivers cloud management, edge node connectivity and open publisher APIs which ensure intelligent orchestration of in-network edge cloud resources. Learn more about the functions of the Qwilt Cloud.
Qwilt’s Open Edge Cloud Platform
Need more information?
Visit our Resources center for additional details on Qwilt’s Open Edge Cloud for service providers.