Company snapshot
| Category | Alibaba Cloud CDN | Mlytics |
|---|---|---|
| Status | active | active |
| Founded | — | — |
| Headquarters | — | — |
| Website | — | — |
| Docs | — | — |
Overview
Alibaba Cloud CDN, operated by Alibaba Cloud, is a global content delivery network with over 1,200 points of presence (POPs) across more than 70 countries. It specializes in accelerating content delivery for websites, video streaming, and large-scale downloads, particularly in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region and China. The service supports a range of industries, including e-commerce, gaming, and media, with a strong focus on compliance with China’s regulatory requirements. Customers include enterprises and developers needing low-latency delivery in APAC markets. The platform integrates with other Alibaba Cloud services like Elastic Compute Service (ECS) and Object Storage Service (OSS) for streamlined content hosting.
Mlytics is a Singapore-based MultiCDN platform founded in 2017, specializing in AI-driven traffic steering to optimize web and video streaming performance. It aggregates multiple CDN providers, routing traffic based on real-time performance metrics. The platform serves businesses needing global content delivery, particularly in video streaming and markets like China. Mlytics integrates with major CDNs like Akamai, Cloudflare, and Amazon CloudFront. It is recognized for its analytics and security features, catering to enterprises and developers. Customers include Fortune 500 companies and video streaming providers.
Network & Architecture
Alibaba Cloud CDN operates over 1,200 POPs globally, with a significant presence in APAC, including China, where it holds a Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) license for compliance. The network leverages extensive peering with local ISPs in China to ensure low-latency delivery. It uses tiered caching and origin shield to reduce origin server load. The service is optimized for high-traffic scenarios like e-commerce events (e.g., Singles Day), but its coverage in Africa and Latin America is less extensive compared to North America and EMEA.
Mlytics operates a global network with over 214 points of presence (PoPs) and 30,000+ real user monitoring (RUM) nodes, with a strong presence in APAC, China, India, Southeast Asia, and emerging markets. Its proprietary decision engine uses AI to route traffic to the fastest available CDN based on latency and availability. The platform supports access to China without an ICP license, leveraging partnerships with local providers. Specific peering details are not publicly disclosed. Limitations may include less coverage in Africa and Latin America compared to larger providers like Akamai.
Feature comparison
| Feature | Alibaba Cloud CDN | Mlytics |
|---|---|---|
waf | ✓ | ✓ |
bot_mitigation | ✗ | ✓ |
ddos | ✓ | ✓ |
rate_limit | ✗ | ✗ |
http3_quic | ✓ | ✗ |
tls13 | ✓ | ✗ |
tiered_cache | ✓ | ✗ |
origin_shield | ✓ | ✓ |
instant_purge | ✓ | ✗ |
stale_while_revalidate | ✗ | ✗ |
stale_if_error | ✗ | ✗ |
image_optimization | ✓ | ✗ |
video_vod | ✓ | ✓ |
video_live | ✓ | ✓ |
drm | ✗ | ✗ |
hls_dash_packaging | ✗ | ✗ |
websockets | ✗ | ✗ |
signed_urls | ✓ | ✗ |
edge_compute | ✓ | ✗ |
functions | ✗ | ✗ |
kv_storage | ✗ | ✗ |
api_first | ✗ | ✓ |
realtime_logs | ✓ | ✓ |
log_push | ✓ | ✗ |
terraform | ✓ | ✗ |
Legend: ✓ = Supported, ✗ = Not supported, — = Not listed
Pricing
Alibaba Cloud CDN uses a pay-as-you-go (PAYG) model with pricing based on traffic volume and region. A free trial is available, offering up to 12 months of usage for select services like Elastic Compute Service, which integrates with CDN. Per-GB pricing varies by region, with China typically higher due to regulatory compliance costs. Detailed pricing is available at https://www.alibabacloud.com/product/cdn/pricing.
Mlytics operates a pay-as-you-go (PAYG) model with flexible pricing plans, allowing businesses to scale usage without long-term commitments. No public per-GB pricing is available, but cost savings of up to 25% are claimed via the CDN Marketplace. A free trial is offered for testing the platform. Enterprise plans include 24/7 support and custom configurations. For detailed pricing, visit https://www.mlytics.com/pricing/.
Integrations & DevEx
The service supports Terraform for infrastructure-as-code, enabling automated configuration of CDN domains. SDKs are available for multiple languages, facilitating integration with CI/CD pipelines. Real-time logs and analytics are accessible via the console or API, with log push capabilities for external storage. A self-service diagnostics tool helps troubleshoot issues like page loading failures. Domain transfer tools simplify migrations across Alibaba Cloud accounts.
Mlytics supports API-driven integrations, including the Mlytics MCP Server for managing CDN sites and DNS records. Real-time logs and analytics are available through a unified dashboard, simplifying multi-CDN management. The platform offers real user monitoring (RUM) and synthetic monitoring for performance tracking. No Terraform or CI/CD-specific tools are documented. Migration tools support seamless transitions from other CDNs, with expert assistance to minimize downtime.
When it fits
- Businesses targeting APAC and China markets, especially those needing MIIT-compliant CDN services.
- E-commerce and media companies handling high-traffic events with video streaming or large downloads.
- Users integrating with Alibaba Cloud’s ecosystem (ECS, OSS) for end-to-end content management.
- Businesses needing Multi-CDN for video streaming, especially in APAC and China markets.
- Enterprises seeking AI-driven traffic steering with real-time analytics and RUM.
- Developers requiring an API-first platform with flexible, PAYG pricing.
When it doesn’t
- Organizations prioritizing extensive coverage in Africa or Latin America, where POP density is lower.
- Small businesses seeking simple, low-cost CDN solutions without complex integrations.
- Users requiring advanced bot mitigation or managed WAF rules, which are not fully supported.
- Organizations needing extensive edge compute or serverless functions, which Mlytics does not offer.
- Companies focused on regions like Africa or Latin America, where coverage is less robust.
- Users requiring advanced video features like HLS/DASH packaging or DRM, which are not supported.
History & Notes
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