CDN and DDoS Capabilities in Azure Static Web Apps

Question

Hi,

I want to deploy a single page application and was exploring the documentation of Static Web Apps.

Documentation says that it provides globally distributed static content. Another part of documentation says that if we use Enter enterprise-grade edge (front door) with static web app, it would provide caching at edge and Global presence in 118+ edge locations across 100 metro cities.

I want to know what is the difference in CDN/edge caching capabilities of Static Web App with and without using enterprise-grade edge (front door).

Second question is regarding DDoS protection. If we don't use enterprise-grade edge, then is DDoS protection provided. If yes, at which all layers L3, L4, L7.

If we use enterprise-grade edge, it will internally use Front door but without WAF. In this case at which all layers L3, L4, L7 will it provide DDoS protection.

Thanks!

Answer 1

Hello @Rajiv Bansal thanks for detailed questions.

To answer your first question about CDN/Edge Caching:

• Without Enterprise-Grade Edge*:*** Azure Static Web Apps provides basic CDN capabilities built-in. This means static content is cached at Azure edge locations, improving performance and reducing latency for users closer to these locations. However, the number of edge locations and caching capabilities may be limited compared to a dedicated CDN service like Azure Front Door.

VS.

• With Enterprise-Grade Edge (Front Door): When you enable enterprise-grade edge, Azure Static Web Apps leverages Azure Front Door, a powerful CDN service with a global network of 118+ edge locations. This provides enhanced caching capabilities, including advanced features like edge rules for fine-grained control over caching behavior and caching policies for optimizing content delivery.

To answer your second question about DDoS Protection:

• Without Enterprise-Grade Edge: Azure Static Web Apps offers some level of built-in DDoS protection, but its capabilities may be limited compared to a dedicated DDoS protection service. The extent of protection varies based on the specific attack type and the severity of the attack.

Vs.

• With Enterprise-Grade Edge (Front Door): Azure Front Door provides robust DDoS protection at all layers (L3, L4, and L7). It uses a combination of network-level and application-level techniques to mitigate DDoS attacks, ensuring the availability and performance of your Static Web App.

overall, if you require advanced CDN capabilities, global presence, and robust DDoS protection, enabling enterprise-grade edge (Front Door) with Azure Static Web Apps is highly recommended.

Hope that helps.

Best,

Grace