Continent 8 Launches SecureEdge CDN With Varnish Software

Continent 8 Technologies has launched SecureEdge CDN, a managed content delivery service built on Varnish Software technology and deployed across its own private network.

Announced on October 20, the product combines website and application acceleration with security controls for iGaming operators and suppliers. Standard protection includes DDoS mitigation and a web application firewall, while an advanced firewall with bot detection is available as an add-on.

According to Varnish, Continent 8 is the first partner to deploy its CDN in a Box service in production on its own infrastructure. 

Content Delivery Closer to Players

A content delivery network uses geographically distributed servers to serve content closer to end users. By caching reusable content, it can reduce loading times and the number of requests reaching an operator’s original servers.

For gambling businesses, those capabilities can support websites, applications and video delivery, particularly when traffic rises around major sporting events or tournaments.

SecureEdge is aimed at sportsbook, casino, live dealer and platform operators. Continent 8 says the service processes and filters traffic closer to users to reduce delays and pressure on underlying infrastructure.

When an operator’s origin servers are hosted with Continent 8, the company says both the origin and CDN can operate on the same managed private network.

The product also includes support for backup origins, allowing delivery to continue if a primary origin becomes unavailable. Operators can monitor traffic and cache performance through real-time statistics. 

Standard Protection and Optional Bot Detection

The standard web application firewall addresses the OWASP Top 10 categories of common web application security risks.

An optional Advanced WAF adds managed security rules and bot detection. This distinguishes the additional bot protection from the security functionality included in the base service.

DDoS mitigation is designed to address attacks that overwhelm services with traffic, while the firewall filters potentially malicious application requests. Together, these controls sit alongside the CDN’s content-delivery functions. 

Continent 8 also lists managed TLS certificates and tools for immediately removing or refreshing cached content, including through an API.

Those cache controls allow operators to update material distributed across the network without waiting for existing cached copies to expire. 

Operators Can Control Delivery Locations

SecureEdge allows customers to choose where content is served from, helping them align delivery with target markets and jurisdiction-specific requirements.

That capability is relevant to operators working across regulated markets with different infrastructure obligations. Continent 8 presents location control as part of the service’s configuration, alongside its existing hosting, connectivity and cybersecurity offering.

Varnish supplies the underlying CDN technology, while the service is delivered under the Continent 8 brand. The arrangement uses Continent 8’s existing private network, which the companies say spans more than 100 locations worldwide.