Download large image files from GCS

jayachandran_r · 04-08-2022 04:50 AM

Can I request help to understand ways in which we can download large (1 to 2 GB) image files to end-users across the globe? Files are stored in Cloud Storage. Authorized users are across the globe and access via corporate network. The request & response will traverse to Google cloud only through corporate HQ in Europe via corporate VPN. Presently these files are served with many on-premise file servers near the users connected via local LAN. These near-the-user file servers are delta-updated every hour from the central file-server at corporate HQ via VPN.

kumards

Hi @jayachandran_r ,

You could consider using a CDN-enabled HTTPS LB with the Cloud Storage bucket configured as the LB's backend, as described in https://cloud.google.com/cdn/docs/setting-up-cdn-with-bucket.

I'm not quite sure about the options for ensuring that access to the bucket is limited to your corporate users. Based on some internal research, Signed URLs/cookies could be an option. Or, you could use a proxy server running on a Compute Engine VM and configured as a Cloud CDN backend service. I haven't tried either of these methods though. I'm hoping other experts in this forum will chime in with their thoughts.