Untitled Quiz

Amazon CloudFront Overview

• Amazon CloudFront has a Service Level Agreement (SLA) which provides service credits for uptime below their commitment.
• Users can manage Amazon CloudFront through the AWS Management Console without writing code, enabling low latency delivery for web content.

Tools and Libraries

• Various management tools and programming language libraries are available through the Amazon CloudFront resource center.
• Domain apex mapping (e.g., example.com) to CloudFront is done via Amazon Route 53 with Alias records, without extra charge for queries.

Regional Edge Cache

• Regional Edge Caches are strategically placed to enhance performance and reduce operational costs by keeping more content closer to end users.
• This caching layer is enabled by default in all CloudFront distributions and incurs no additional charges.

Geo Restriction and Content Control

• Geo Restriction allows content access based on the viewer's location, with 403 Forbidden status for restricted countries.
• The accuracy of the CloudFront GeoIP database is reported to be 99.8%.

Custom Error Messages and Cache Control

• Custom error messages can be configured for various HTTP errors to align with branding.
• By default, files in edge locations are checked for updates every 24 hours unless cache control headers specify otherwise.

Invalidation Requests

• Invalidation can remove files from edge locations; 3,000 invalidation requests are allowed concurrently per distribution.
• Exceeding invalidation limits will prompt an error response until existing requests are completed.

Compliance Standards

• Amazon CloudFront meets PCI DSS Merchant Level 1 compliance and is HIPAA eligible with a Business Associate Agreement (BAA).
• It complies with SOC (System & Organization Control) measures, with reports available through AWS Artifact.

HTTP and WebSocket Support

• Supported HTTP methods include GET, HEAD, POST, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, and OPTIONS.
• WebSocket protocol connections are established automatically with no additional configuration needed.

Security and Encryption

• HTTPS delivery can utilize custom domain names and SSL certificates via SNI or Dedicated IP models, with SNI available at no additional cost.
• Field-Level Encryption safeguards sensitive user data during uploads to the origin server and enhances security against internal access risks.

Content Delivery and Access Control

• CloudFront provides private content delivery with secure request signing to restrict file access.
• AWS Shield Standard is included to protect against common DDoS attacks, with AWS WAF available for custom security rules.

Header and Cookie Management

• Custom request headers can be added or modified when forwarding to the origin server for validation and request distinction.
• CloudFront can forward HTTP cookies for personalized content delivery and can log cookie values in access logs. Query string parameters can also be included in cache keys for dynamic content.### Query Parameters and Caching
• Amazon CloudFront allows specific query parameters to be used in cache keys through a whitelist feature.
• Up to 10 query parameters can be whitelisted for cache key configuration.
• Supported parameter types include URI query parameters as defined in RFC3986, specifically after the '?' character and separated by '&'.

Compression and Data Delivery

• CloudFront supports automatic gzip compression for text and binary data.
• Clients must include the Accept-Encoding: gzip header for compression to function.
• Streaming delivers audio and video without prior downloading, utilizing technologies like HLS, MPEG-DASH, HDS, and Smooth Streaming.

Video Streaming Protocols

• CloudFront supports on-demand video streaming for formats like HLS and MPEG-DASH, requiring conversion via AWS Elemental MediaConvert before being stored.
• Live streaming is also supported with services such as AWS Elemental MediaPackage and MediaStore.

Usage Limits

• Users can request higher limits for usage, accommodating over 10 Gbps or 15,000 requests per second.
• CloudFront distribution limits can be verified in the AWS service limits reference.

File Size and Logging

• The maximum file size for delivery through CloudFront is 20 GB.
• Access logs can be enabled for detailed request logging, which includes information like IP address, request time, and cache status.

Reporting Features

• CloudFront offers comprehensive reporting options to monitor cache statistics, user locations, and overall usage.
• Reporting can be accessed through the AWS Management Console.

Cost Allocation and Tagging

• Cost allocation tagging is supported to categorize and monitor spending across AWS resources.
• Tags can help group resources by various criteria such as project or application name.

API Call History and Monitoring

• AWS CloudTrail can be used to access the history of all API calls made within an account.
• Amazon CloudWatch enables real-time monitoring and alerting for performance metrics.

Lambda@Edge Functionality

• Lambda@Edge allows execution of custom code at AWS edge locations without server management.
• Code can be triggered by specific events within the CloudFront request flow, such as Viewer Request or Origin Response.

IPv6 Support

• IPv6 utilizes a larger address space than IPv4, allowing for approximately 340 trillion trillion unique addresses.
• CloudFront fully supports IPv6, ensuring no performance changes when compared to IPv4.
• Separate distributions should be used for Trusted Signer URLs with IP whitelists and to accommodate both IPv4 and IPv6 access.

Pricing Structure

• CloudFront charges based on Data Transfer Out, HTTP/HTTPS Requests, Invalidation Requests, and Dedicated IP Custom SSL certificates.
• New AWS customers receive a free usage tier for CloudFront, including 50 GB Data Transfer Out and 2 million HTTP/HTTPS requests each month for the first year.
• Data transfer from AWS origins to CloudFront is free for all AWS regions.

Tax Considerations

• Pricing for CloudFront services generally excludes applicable taxes, duties, and fees, except for specific conditions outlined for certain regions, such as Japanese Consumption Tax.### Understanding 304 Responses
• A 304 response indicates that the requested content has not changed, leading to no message body being sent.
• Charges for a 304 response include costs for the HTTP/HTTPS request and Data Transfer Out to the Internet.
• Data transfer fees are incurred due to HTTP headers, impacting overall bandwidth usage.

Amazon CloudFront Price Classes

• Price Classes allow selection of less expensive Amazon CloudFront regions to reduce delivery costs.
• By default, CloudFront uses its global network to minimize end-user latency in content delivery.
• Certain regions may incur higher costs due to elevated service fees, leading to increased charges for users in those areas.

Configuring Price Classes

• Users can configure CloudFront distributions through the AWS Management Console or Amazon CloudFront API.
• Choosing a Price Class that excludes some locations may result in higher latency for viewers in those excluded geographic areas.
• Occasionally, CloudFront may still serve from edge locations outside the selected Price Class, but charges will apply only for the least expensive option within the chosen class.

Performance Considerations

• If performance is prioritized, opting for all locations is recommended for optimal low latency.
• Customization through Price Classes provides flexibility in balancing cost and performance based on specific content delivery needs.