---
title: "Vendor Strategy Guides"
description: "Evaluate providers and operating models against reliability, control, cost, and delivery requirements."
canonical_url: https://optimi.com/en/guides/tags/vendor-strategy
md_url: https://optimi.com/en/guides/tags/vendor-strategy.md
---

# Vendor Strategy Guides

Evaluate providers and operating models against reliability, control, cost, and delivery requirements.

- [Managed Edge vs DIY](/en/guides/managed-edge-vs-diy.md): Compare managed edge services with a self-operated CDN, DNS, WAF, and observability stack using a buyer-specific TCO, staffing, resilience, and supplier-risk framework.

- [China CDN and ICP](/en/guides/china-cdn-icp-rollout.md): Understand when Mainland China hosting or CDN delivery introduces ICP requirements, how China DNS and Cloudflare China Network work, and how to plan a phased rollout.

- [Managed CDN RFP Scorecard](/en/guides/managed-cdn-partner-rfp-scorecard.md): Evaluate managed CDN partners with an evidence-led RFP scorecard covering resilience, security, observability, SLAs, commercial terms, onboarding, and exit readiness.

- [CDN Cost Optimization](/en/guides/cdn-cost-optimization.md): Model CDN delivery, request, origin, shielding, and observability costs. Measure byte offload and cache fragmentation before changing policy.

- [CDN Data Residency](/en/guides/global-cdn-data-residency-sovereignty.md): Evaluate CDN and edge data residency, transfers, logs, security telemetry, processor controls, and exit plans without mistaking an EU region for a compliance conclusion.

- [SaaS Edge Economics](/en/guides/saas-edge-economics.md): A practical framework for SaaS leaders to attribute delivery costs, design availability and tenant isolation, protect origins, and produce evidence for data-residency decisions.