Whether you deploy a single CDN or rely on a multi-CDN strategy, an origin shield is a must-have to reduce the load on the origin, protect it from overload, and safeguard performance and QoE. 

Multi-CDN strategies have changed the content delivery landscape, making it more competitive and comprehensive as things aren't limited to just one CDN. In the old days, content providers turned to a single CDN and demanded high-performance content delivery, and when the CDN inevitably ran into a problem, the content provider would move to another, and then another, before finally recognizing -- as the entire industry has -- that a multi-CDN strategy makes the most sense for delivering the best end-user experience.

Video traffic makes up at least 80% of the content that gets delivered, and as the demand for smooth video streaming continues to dominate, the ways in which content gets delivered are becoming more creative and more customized.

One of the most common ways to satisfy the unpredictable nature of video traffic is to adopt a hybrid approach, or a multi-CDN strategy, letting content owners, broadcasters and technology companies deploy resources flexibly where and as needed to deliver superior video experiences at scale.