Kubernetes The Ideal Foundation for a High Performance open source CDN Tomas Boros

Kubernetes API Server is a highly extensible platform with Custom Resource Definitions (CRDs), making it an ideal foundation for building custom orchestration controllers. As a former CDN developer, I set out to create EdgeCDN-X, an open source CDN built entirely on K8S. Via CRDs and controllers, EdgeCDN-X ensures fast, reliable deployment of services across global edge regions. At the core of the platform, CoreDNS acts as a GSLB, routing customers to the nearest edge location based on GeoIP. Combined with active health checks and intelligent fallback strategies, the routing engine guarantees clients are always connected to a healthy, available edge. Nginx caching and SR-IOV enabled NICs deliver high-performance content delivery directly to end users. This talk dives into the challenges I encountered while building EdgeCDN-X and highlights the powerful features of the Kubernetes API server, showcasing why it’s the perfect platform for building reactive, scalable controllers.