Afranet (افرانت) is a comprehensive internet and information technology service provider headquartered in Tehran, Iran. Having entered the market in 1998, it ranks among the region's earliest private suppliers of internet connectivity and infrastructure.
Its product portfolio encompasses broadband internet services, data center solutions, cloud services, server hosting, and content delivery networks (CDN).
Afranet is a privately owned internet service provider licensed by the Iranian Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TAR) and holds multiple certifications for service quality and security systems.
As part of its service portfolio, Afranet offers CDN content delivery services to enhance website performance and global access speeds. Leveraging its data centers and network infrastructure, Afranet helps users achieve content caching, acceleration, and fundamental security protection both within and beyond their regions.
This CDN caters to business systems of varying scales, encompassing static resource distribution, dynamic content acceleration, API services, and more.
Compared to some of the world's top CDN providers such as Cloudflare and Akamai, Afranet's CDN service is better tailored to the network environment of the Middle East and surrounding regions. Its node distribution, acceleration strategies, and edge caching mechanisms are primarily based on an architecture that synergizes with the core network.
Therefore, while there may be variations in cross-regional access and edge node response speeds, it offers distinct advantages in localized performance optimization and comprehensive service integration.
I. Why Choose Afranet CDN for Evaluation
The reasons for selecting Afranet CDN for evaluation include:
- As a CDN product from a local full-stack ICT service provider, it offers distinctive value in regional network acceleration scenarios.
- Testing its content delivery performance, basic DDoS protection, and caching behavior helps understand the effectiveness of its technical stack implementation.
- This can serve as a decision-making reference for engineers focused on optimizing Middle East nodes or enhancing performance in specific regions.
II. Test Environment and Actual Access
| Testing Party | Business Type | Origin server location | Access Method | Testing Cycle |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| In-house technical team | Static resources + API | Europe (Frankfurt VPS) | CNAME records for CDN integration | 7 days |
This evaluation connects to Afranet CDN via authentic domain name CNAME records and configures basic caching policies, HTTPS certificates, and log monitoring in the console to ensure the authenticity of test data sources.
III. Packages and Billing Methods
| Project | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Billing Model | Billed by usage; specific pricing must be confirmed with Afranet sales. |
| minimum charge | Subject to the terms of the contract |
| SSL Support | Supports custom certificates |
| Multi-domain support | Supports multiple domains |
IV. CDN Acceleration Testing Methods
Monitor DNS, Time to First Byte (TTFB), total response time, and HTTP status codes using curl:
curl -o /dev/null -s -w " DNS: %{time_namelookup}s TTFB: %{time_starttransfer}s Total: %{time_total}s HTTP Code: %{http_code} \n " https://cdn-afranet.example.com/test.png
Total: %{time_total}s HTTP Code: %{http_code} \n" https://cdn-afranet.example.com/test.png
V. CDN Acceleration Test Results
| Region | Time to First Byte | Total Time | HTTP Code |
|---|---|---|---|
| Middle East | 150 milliseconds | 310 milliseconds | 200 |
| Europe | 210 milliseconds | 420 milliseconds | 200 |
| North America | 280 milliseconds | 570 milliseconds | 200 |
In Middle East regional testing, Afranet CDN demonstrated lower TTFB and overall response times; performance in other regions was slightly slower, yet it still enhanced access experience in static resource distribution scenarios.
VI. DDoS Attack Stress Testing Solution
| Project | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Attack Type | HTTP Flood |
| Request Size | Tens of thousands of requests per minute |
| Duration | 15 minutes |
| Key Performance Indicators | Return code changes, origin server load, availability |
VII. DDoS Stress Test Results
| stage | HTTP 200 | 403/429 | Origin server load | Business Availability |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Before the attack | Normal | 无 | 低 | 100% |
| Under attack | Part | Slightly increased | elevation | accessible |
| After the attack | Restore | Reduce | Restore | 100% |
VIII. HTTP Header / Cache Validation
curl -I https://cdn-afranet.example.com/test.png
HTTP/2 200 server: Afranet-CDN x-cache: HIT via: afranet-edge
The header validation indicates a cache hit and processing via edge nodes.
IX. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
- Does it support custom certificates? Yes.
- Is a trial available? Typically, you'll need to contact sales to confirm.
- Is it suitable for peak e-commerce traffic? Basic CDN is sufficient, but advanced protection policies are recommended for medium to large-scale attack scenarios.
- Can it independently handle extremely large-scale attacks? It is not recommended to rely solely on basic services.
X. Personal View
Afranet CDN focuses on providing edge acceleration and foundational security capabilities for businesses in the Middle East and surrounding regions, demonstrating strong performance in localized access acceleration. For websites seeking to optimize static content distribution and basic protection within this region, its services offer evaluable value; however, it falls short of major international providers in terms of global node coverage scale, extreme protection capabilities, and advanced CDN features.
