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While Video Streaming includes integrated CDN delivery by default, you can create dedicated custom CDN resources for advanced use cases that require additional protection, custom configuration, or different billing models.

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What is a custom CDN resource?

A custom CDN resource is a separate CDN product that you create and configure independently from the default Video Streaming setup. It provides:
  • Advanced security policies (geo-blocking, referrer validation, IP restrictions)
  • Custom domain names (e.g., video.yourdomain.com)
  • Granular caching control and CDN settings
  • Different billing model (per-GB instead of per-minute)
  • Separate access policies for different content types
Key difference: The default Video Streaming CDN is fully integrated and billed per-minute. A custom CDN resource is a separate service billed per-GB with more configuration options.

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When to use a custom CDN resource

Consider creating a custom CDN resource if you need:
FeatureDefault streaming CDNCustom CDN resource
Billing modelPer-minute (all-inclusive)Per-GB (bandwidth only)
Custom domainsNot available✅ Supported
Geo-blockingNot available✅ Country access policies
Referrer validationNot available✅ Domain restrictions
IP allowlists/blocklistsNot available✅ IP access policies
Secure tokensRequires custom resource✅ Configurable
Advanced cachingDefault settings✅ Full control
Separate policiesOne policy for all✅ Multiple resources
Important: Custom CDN resources are billed per-GB of bandwidth consumed, not per-minute like standard streaming. This is a separate CDN product that must be activated with a paid tariff.

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Common use cases

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1. Geo-blocking for broadcasting rights

Scenario: You have broadcasting rights only in specific countries (e.g., sports events, regional content). Solution: Create a custom CDN resource with Country access policy to restrict content to specific regions. Example:
  • Allow only: Stream available only in Dominican Republic, Mexico, and Brazil
  • Block: Stream blocked in specific countries while available elsewhere

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2. Custom domain names

Scenario: You want to deliver video from your branded domain instead of default clientID.gvideo.io. Solution: Create a custom CDN resource with a CNAME pointing to your domain (e.g., video.yourdomain.com). Benefits:
  • Brand consistency
  • Professional appearance
  • Custom SSL certificates

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3. Protected and public content separation

Scenario: You have both free public content and paid/protected content. Solution: Create two custom CDN resources:
  • public.yourdomain.com – No restrictions, free content
  • protected.yourdomain.com – Secure tokens enabled, paid content

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4. Referrer validation for embedding control

Scenario: You want to prevent other websites from embedding your videos without permission. Solution: Create a custom CDN resource with Referrer validation to allow embedding only on approved domains. Example:
  • Allow embedding only on mywebsite.com and *.mywebsite.com
  • Block embedding on all other sites

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Security and access control policies

Custom CDN resources unlock powerful security features through CDN access policies. See the full documentation: Control access to content with country, referrer, IP, and user agents policies.

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Country access policy (geo-blocking)

What it does:
  • Restrict content availability by country or region
  • Support for both allowlists (allow only) and blocklists (block specific countries)
  • Applied at CDN edge servers for fast enforcement
Use cases:
  • Broadcasting rights compliance (e.g., “available only in EU countries”)
  • Regional content distribution
  • Regulatory compliance for specific markets
How to configure:
  1. Navigate to CDN > CDN resources > Select your resource > Security
  2. Enable Country access policy
  3. Choose Allow only (whitelist) or Block (blacklist)
  4. Select countries from the list
  5. Save changes
Example configuration: 
Policy: Allow only
Countries: United States, Canada, United Kingdom
Result: Content accessible only from these three countries

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Referrer access policy

What it does:
  • Control which websites can embed your video content
  • Prevent unauthorized hotlinking
  • Protect against content theft
Use cases:
  • Allow embedding only on your own websites
  • Prevent competitors from embedding your content
  • Control distribution channels
How to configure:
  1. Navigate to CDN > CDN resources > Select your resource > Security
  2. Enable Referrer access policy
  3. Choose Allow referrer policy or Block referrer policy
  4. Add domains:
    • www.domain.com – specific domain only
    • *.domain.com – all subdomains
  5. Save changes
Example configuration: 
Policy: Allow referrer policy
Domains: *.mywebsite.com, *.partner-site.com
Result: Content can only be embedded on these domains

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IP access policy

What it does:
  • Restrict access based on IP addresses or CIDR ranges
  • Create IP allowlists or blocklists
  • Network-level access control
Use cases:
  • Corporate content delivery (allow only company IP ranges)
  • Block known bot networks or abusive IPs
  • Partner-specific content delivery
How to configure:
  1. Navigate to CDN > CDN resources > Select your resource > Security
  2. Enable IP access policy
  3. Choose Allow IP policy or Block IP policy
  4. Add IP addresses or CIDR ranges
  5. Save changes

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User agent policy

What it does:
  • Control access based on user agent strings
  • Block or allow specific browsers, devices, or bots
  • Useful for device-specific content delivery
Use cases:
  • Block known scrapers or bots
  • Deliver content only to mobile devices
  • Restrict access to specific applications
For complete documentation on all access policies, see: Control access to content with country, referrer, IP, and user agents policies.

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Billing: per-GB vs. per-minute

Understanding the billing difference is crucial when choosing between default streaming and custom CDN resources.

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Default streaming CDN (per-minute billing)

What’s included:
  • Video transcoding
  • CDN bandwidth
  • Storage
  • All streaming features
Billed based on: Total minutes of content streamed to viewers Example:
  • 10,000 minutes streamed = billed for 10,000 minutes
  • Simple, predictable billing
Best for:
  • Most streaming use cases
  • When you want all-inclusive pricing
  • When you don’t need advanced CDN features

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Custom CDN resource (per-GB billing)

What’s included:
  • CDN bandwidth only
  • No transcoding costs (already covered by streaming)
  • No storage costs (already covered by streaming)
Billed based on: Total gigabytes of data transferred Example:
  • 100 GB transferred = billed for 100 GB at your CDN tariff rate
  • Plus your streaming costs (transcoding, storage)
Best for:
  • When you need advanced CDN features (geo-blocking, custom domains)
  • High-volume delivery where per-GB is more cost-effective
  • When you need separate billing for different content types
Cost consideration: Custom CDN resources add per-GB bandwidth charges on top of your streaming costs. Evaluate whether the additional features justify the added cost.

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How to set up a custom CDN resource for streaming

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Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure:
  1. Active CDN subscription – Activate the CDN product
  2. Paid CDN tariff – Free tariff does not support streaming
  3. Video Streaming active – Your streaming account must be active

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Step 1: Activate CDN product

  1. Log in to your Gcore account
  2. Navigate to CDN in the main menu
  3. Click Activate CDN service if not already active
  4. Select a paid tariff that fits your bandwidth needs
Important: The free CDN tariff cannot be used for streaming delivery. You must select a paid plan.

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Step 2: Create a new CDN resource

  1. Navigate to CDN > CDN resources
  2. Click Create CDN resource
  3. Configure the resource:
Origin settings:
  • Origin source: Your Video Streaming subdomain (e.g., 12345.gvideo.io)
  • Origin protocol: HTTPS
  • Origin pull protocol: HTTPS
CDN settings:
  • CDN resource name: Descriptive name (e.g., “Streaming - Protected Content”)
  • CNAME (custom domain): Optional – Add your custom domain if needed
Example configuration: 
Resource name: Streaming Geo-Blocked Content
Origin: 12345.gvideo.io
CNAME: video-us.mywebsite.com
  1. Click Create resource
For detailed instructions, see: Create a CDN resource

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Step 3: Configure security policies (optional)

After creating the resource, configure security policies as needed:
  1. Go to CDN > CDN resources > Select your resource
  2. Navigate to Security tab
  3. Configure:

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Step 4: Contact support to enable streaming

Critical step: For legal and technical reasons, you must contact Gcore support to activate streaming delivery on your custom CDN resource. What support will do:
  • Apply necessary Streaming Rules to route streaming traffic correctly
  • Ensure proper manifest and chunk delivery
  • Verify CDN resource is properly configured for streaming
How to contact:
  • Contact: Gcore Support
  • Provide: Your CDN resource ID and streaming client ID
Important: Do not skip this step. Streaming will not work correctly on a custom CDN resource without support configuration.

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Step 5: Update your application

Once support confirms the setup is complete:
  1. Test the new CDN resource:
    • Replace clientID.gvideo.io with your custom domain in video URLs
    • Verify playback works correctly
    • Test security policies (if configured)
  2. Update your application:
    • Change video URLs to use the new custom CDN resource
    • Deploy the changes
    • Monitor playback metrics
Example URL change: 
Before: https://12345.gvideo.io/videos/12345_ABcdefg123HiJ/master.m3u8
After:  https://video.mywebsite.com/videos/12345_ABcdefg123HiJ/master.m3u8

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Multiple CDN resources for different policies

You can create multiple custom CDN resources pointing to the same streaming origin, each with different security policies. This allows sophisticated content delivery strategies: Example setup:
CDN resourceDomainSecurity policyUse case
Resource 1public.mysite.comNo restrictionsFree, public content
Resource 2protected.mysite.comSecure tokensPaid/private content
Resource 3us-only.mysite.comCountry: US onlyUS-specific content
Resource 4eu-only.mysite.comCountry: EU onlyEU-specific content
Benefits:
  • Separate billing per resource
  • Different security policies
  • Granular access control
  • Easier monitoring and analytics

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Troubleshooting

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CDN resource not delivering content

Problem: 404 or 502 errors when accessing content through custom CDN resource. Solution:
  • Verify support has configured Streaming Rules for streaming
  • Check origin settings (should be your streaming subdomain)
  • Ensure CDN tariff is paid and active

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Secure tokens not working

Problem: 403 errors even with valid tokens. Solution:
  • Verify secure token is enabled on the CDN resource
  • Check token generation matches CDN configuration (IP binding, etc.)
  • Ensure expiration time is in the future
  • See Video secure token for implementation details

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Geo-blocking not working

Problem: Content accessible from blocked countries. Solution:
  • Verify country access policy is enabled and saved
  • Check policy type (Allow only vs. Block)
  • CDN changes can take 5-15 minutes to propagate
  • Test from a VPN or proxy in the target country

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Custom domain not working

Problem: DNS errors or certificate issues with custom domain. Solution:
  • Verify CNAME record points to your CDN resource
  • DNS propagation can take 24-48 hours
  • Ensure SSL certificate is valid
  • Check CDN resource status in portal

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Next steps

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Need help?

For assistance with custom CDN resources: