Gcore Deploys AVEQ’s Surfmeter for End-to-End Streaming QoE Diagnostics and CDN Optimization
We’re thrilled to announce a collaboration with Gcore, a global provider of edge AI, cloud, network, and security solutions. Gcore is now using our Surfmeter solution for their CDN offering, to take monitoring of streaming video performance and Quality of Experience (QoE) to the next level. Read on to learn more about how Gcore uses Surfmeter.
For a company like Gcore, with a massive global network, ensuring a great streaming experience for every user is a constant challenge. Having a globally distributed set of caching nodes already helps in delivering the optimal performance to each end-user. But when it comes to the complex interactions of applications with the underlying network, that’s where Surfmeter comes in.
Gcore is using Surfmeter to get a real-world view of their network performance through automated, active measurements of streaming video quality, just like the end-users would. This isn’t just about server-side logs; it’s about understanding what users at home, in front of the screen, are actually experiencing. With Surfmeter, their engineering teams can measure what the users see, identify and squash potential bottlenecks or suboptimal configurations, and work together with Gcore’s customers to improve QoE.
How does it work? Real streaming measurements!
We’re helping Gcore simulate and analyze scenarios in which users browse to different video streams. Our software runs both on network nodes close to the data centers in which the CDN caches are deployed, as well as selected end-user locations with real ISP connections. Surfmeter opens the video stream from the same platform/player that end-users would use, ensuring that measurements are representative of the real world. In contrast to other monitoring solutions where streams (manifests, video segments) are only being checked for availability, we don’t make assumptions or use third-party playback engines. Our approach therefore allows us to replicate precisely how a video player requests and decodes data served from the CDN.
When performance issues do pop up, Surfmeter provides the deep insights Gcore’s engineers need to find the root cause quickly. Whether the problem is in the CDN, with peering partners, or on the server, we help them pinpoint it. By monitoring individual video requests, including their headers and timings, and combining them with Gcore’s internal logging, Gcore gains complete visibility and observability into their streaming pipeline. Furthermore, Surfmeter can perform ping (latency) and traceroute tests from the same device that measures the video QoE – all in one go. This provides capabilities for engineers to combine the collected data through one API, rather than manually connecting to a box and troubleshooting from a terminal.
Finally, Surfmeter can also be used to compare the performance against other services or network providers. By deploying Surfmeter probes at customer-like locations, streaming from any source via different ISPs is possible. Soon, our platform will also support the monitoring of general HTTP resources, like CDN assets. This will give our clients even more visibility into their entire delivery chain.
This collaboration is all about Gcore’s commitment to transparency and using data to provide the best possible service to their customers. We’re proud to be a part of that!
About Gcore
Gcore is a global edge AI, cloud, network, and security solutions provider. Headquartered in Luxembourg, with a staff of 600+ operating from ten offices worldwide, Gcore provides its solutions to global leaders in numerous industries. The company manages its own global IT infrastructure across six continents, with one of the best network performances in Europe, Africa, and LATAM, due to the average response time of 30 ms worldwide. Gcore’s network consists of 210 points of presence around the world in reliable Tier IV and Tier III data centres, with a total capacity exceeding 200 Tbps.
About Us
At AVEQ, we provide advanced Quality of Experience (QoE) analytics for video streaming and network performance. Our flagship product, Surfmeter, is designed for streaming providers, CDN and network operators, and regulators who need objective, end-user-centric data to validate performance and diagnose service quality issues. Grounded in research from its origins, our solutions deliver the precise insights needed to validate and optimize the full width of quality of experience. Companies trusting AVEQ include Tier-1 ISPs, OTT and network providers in the EU and the US, as well as benchmarking providers in the DACH region.