> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.gcore.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# Use custom CDN resources with video streaming
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.
## About custom CDN resources
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
**Info**
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.
## When to use a custom CDN resource
Consider creating a custom CDN resource if you need:
| Feature | Default streaming CDN | Custom CDN resource |
| ---------------------------- | -------------------------- | ------------------------- |
| **Billing model** | Per-minute (all-inclusive) | Per-GB (bandwidth only) |
| **Custom domains** | Not available | ✅ Supported |
| **Geo-blocking** | Not available | ✅ Country access policies |
| **Referrer validation** | Not available | ✅ Domain restrictions |
| **IP allowlists/blocklists** | Not available | ✅ IP access policies |
| **Secure tokens** | Requires custom resource | ✅ Configurable |
| **Advanced caching** | Default settings | ✅ Full control |
| **Separate policies** | One policy for all | ✅ Multiple resources |
**Warning**
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.
## Common use cases
### 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](/cdn/cdn-resource-options/security/control-access-to-the-content-with-country-referrer-ip-and-user-agents-policies#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
### 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
### 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
### 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](/cdn/cdn-resource-options/security/control-access-to-the-content-with-country-referrer-ip-and-user-agents-policies#allow-referrer-policy) to allow embedding only on approved domains.
**Example:**
* Allow embedding only on `mywebsite.com` and `*.mywebsite.com`
* Block embedding on all other sites
## 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](/cdn/cdn-resource-options/security/control-access-to-the-content-with-country-referrer-ip-and-user-agents-policies).
### 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 > **Access**
2. Enable [Country access policy](/cdn/cdn-resource-options/security/control-access-to-the-content-with-country-referrer-ip-and-user-agents-policies#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
```
### 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 > **Access**
2. Enable [Referrer access policy](/cdn/cdn-resource-options/security/control-access-to-the-content-with-country-referrer-ip-and-user-agents-policies#allow-referrer-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
```
### 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 > **Access**
2. Enable [IP access policy](/cdn/cdn-resource-options/security/control-access-to-the-content-with-country-referrer-ip-and-user-agents-policies)
3. Choose **Allow IP policy** or **Block IP policy**
4. Add IP addresses or CIDR ranges
5. Save changes
### 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](/cdn/cdn-resource-options/security/control-access-to-the-content-with-country-referrer-ip-and-user-agents-policies).
## Billing: per-GB vs. per-minute
Understanding the billing difference is crucial when choosing between default streaming and custom CDN resources.
### 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
### 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
**Warning**
Custom CDN resources add per-GB bandwidth charges **on top of** streaming costs. Evaluate whether the additional features justify the added cost.
## How to set up a custom CDN resource for streaming
### Prerequisites
Before you begin, ensure:
1. **Active CDN subscription** – Activate the [CDN product](/cdn/getting-started/create-a-cdn-resource/overview)
2. **Paid CDN tariff** – Free tariff does not support streaming
3. **Video Streaming active** – Your streaming account must be active
### Step 1: Activate CDN product
1. Log in to your [Gcore account](https://portal.gcore.com/)
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
**Info**
The free CDN tariff cannot be used for streaming delivery. A paid plan must be selected.
### 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
```
4. Click **Create resource**
For detailed instructions, see: [Create a CDN resource](/cdn/about-cdn-resources-interface-how-it-is-arranged)
### 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 **Access** tab
3. Configure:
* [Country access policy](/cdn/cdn-resource-options/security/control-access-to-the-content-with-country-referrer-ip-and-user-agents-policies#country-access-policy) for geo-blocking
* [Referrer access policy](/cdn/cdn-resource-options/security/control-access-to-the-content-with-country-referrer-ip-and-user-agents-policies#allow-referrer-policy) for embedding control
* [Secure tokens](/streaming/interaction-with-cdn/video-secure-token) for access control
### 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](mailto:support@gcore.com)
* Provide: Your CDN resource ID and streaming client ID
**Warning**
Do not skip this step. Streaming will not work correctly on a custom CDN resource without support configuration.
### 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
```
## 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 resource | Domain | Security policy | Use case |
| ------------ | ---------------------- | ---------------- | -------------------- |
| Resource 1 | `public.mysite.com` | No restrictions | Free, public content |
| Resource 2 | `protected.mysite.com` | Secure tokens | Paid/private content |
| Resource 3 | `us-only.mysite.com` | Country: US only | US-specific content |
| Resource 4 | `eu-only.mysite.com` | Country: EU only | EU-specific content |
**Benefits:**
* Separate billing per resource
* Different security policies
* Granular access control
* Easier monitoring and analytics
## Troubleshooting
### 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
### 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](/streaming/interaction-with-cdn/video-secure-token) for implementation details
### 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
### 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
## Next steps
* **Set up access control:** See [Video secure token](/streaming/interaction-with-cdn/video-secure-token)
* **Learn about CDN features:** Browse [CDN documentation](/cdn)
* **Optimize caching:** Configure [CDN caching rules](/cdn/cdn-resource-options/cache/specify-cache-lifetime-on-a-cdn-resource-or-origin)
* **Monitor performance:** Set up [CDN resource monitoring](/cdn/view-statistics-of-a-cdn-resource)
## Need help?
For assistance with custom CDN resources:
* **Contact support:** [Gcore Support](mailto:support@gcore.com)
* **Contact your personal manager** (if applicable)
* **Documentation:** [CDN documentation](/cdn)