Company snapshot
| Category | Highwinds | MediaNova |
|---|---|---|
| Status | defunct | active |
| Founded | — | — |
| Headquarters | — | — |
| Website | — | — |
| Docs | — | — |
Overview
Highwinds Network Group, Inc., founded in 2002, provided content delivery network (CDN) services, cloud storage, IP transit, and colocation, serving clients like Blip.TV, Hudl, Valve, and CCP Games. Its RollingThunder network supported video streaming and gaming content delivery. Acquired by StackPath in 2017, Highwinds CDN was integrated into StackPath’s offerings but was discontinued in November 2023 as StackPath exited the CDN business. The service is now defunct, with no active operations.
MediaNova is a content delivery network (CDN) and cloud security provider founded in 2005, headquartered in Istanbul, Turkey. It offers services like web acceleration, video streaming, and API caching, with a focus on the EMEA region. The company serves industries such as media, e-commerce, and telecommunications, with notable customers including Turkcell, Vodafone, and Hepsiburada. MediaNova’s platform includes advanced security features and real-time analytics. It received significant investment from Turkven in November 2024, strengthening its market position.
Network & Architecture
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MediaNova operates over 50 points of presence (PoPs) across 21 countries, with a strong presence in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Its global Anycast DNS network routes user requests to the nearest server, optimizing latency and resilience. The CDN is optimized for EMEA, offering direct access to major carriers and ISPs. However, its smaller PoP count compared to competitors like Akamai or Amazon CloudFront may limit global reach outside EMEA.
Feature comparison
| Feature | Highwinds | MediaNova |
|---|---|---|
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
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MediaNova uses a pay-as-you-go (PAYG) model with pricing based on data transfer and additional features. Estimated costs include $0.04–$0.20 per GB for data transfer and $0.006 per 10,000 HTTP/HTTPS requests. WAF, DDoS protection, and edge computing may incur extra charges. No free tier is publicly documented, and pricing is enterprise-focused. Full details are available at https://www.medianova.com/pricing/.
Integrations & DevEx
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MediaNova offers an API-first Cloud Panel for configuration, analytics, and management of CDN resources. Real-time logs and analytics provide granular insights into traffic and performance. No Terraform or SDK support is documented. The platform supports custom cache rules, image optimization, and security configurations, but lacks explicit CI/CD or migration tools.
When it fits
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- Businesses targeting the EMEA region, particularly MENA, benefit from MediaNova’s optimized regional PoPs and low latency.
- Enterprises needing robust security features like WAF, DDoS protection, and bot management for web and API traffic.
- Media and e-commerce companies requiring video streaming and image optimization for fast content delivery.
When it doesn’t
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- Organizations needing extensive global coverage may find MediaNova’s 50+ PoPs insufficient compared to larger providers like Cloudflare.
- Developers seeking advanced edge compute features or Terraform integration may need more robust platforms.
- Small businesses or startups looking for a free tier or low-cost entry may find MediaNova’s enterprise focus less accessible.
History & Notes
Highwinds operated a global network with over 70 points of presence across North America, South America, Europe, Asia, and Australia, known as RollingThunder. It secured significant funding, including $55 million in 2008 and $205 million in 2013, to expand its CDN infrastructure. After its 2017 acquisition by StackPath, Highwinds’ services were merged but faced integration challenges. Customer feedback on StackPath’s CDN, including Highwinds, highlighted declining support and price increases. Akamai acquired approximately 100 enterprise accounts from StackPath in 2023, but smaller customers needed to find alternatives independently.
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