Architecture
Akamai Connected Cloud
AAM runs natively on Akamai Connected Cloud — same infrastructure as Akamai's CDN and security products. Traffic flows from the edge through GTM and App & API Protector before reaching AAM.
Deployment model
Not a third-party gateway bolted on via API. AAM runs as a managed service inside Akamai Connected Cloud, on the same private backbone as the CDN and security products — edge-to-AAM traffic never crosses the public internet.
Single-vendor stack
Edge and compute both on Akamai. No AWS, Azure, or GCP in the data path.
Multi-region by default
AAM deploys across Akamai's global data centers; GTM routes to the nearest healthy region.
Private backbone transit
Edge-to-gateway traffic stays on Akamai's private network — lower latency, no public exposure.
Request flow
Every request passes through Akamai's edge before reaching AAM. Cached responses are served at the PoP; uncached or dynamic requests proceed through the full stack.
Akamai Edge
CDN serves cached responses, App & API Protector filters DDoS/bot/web attacks, and GTM routes to the nearest healthy AAM region.
AAM on Akamai Connected Cloud
Validated traffic reaches AAM, running natively on Connected Cloud, which applies auth, rate limiting, transforms, and routing.
Origin
Only policy-compliant, Akamai-originated traffic reaches your backend — verified at the network or application layer.
Global Traffic Manager
GTM routes every request at the DNS layer to the nearest healthy AAM region. Transparent — no client changes.
Geographic routing
Each user resolves to the nearest AAM region. Latency gains of 20ms+ are typical.
- Region selected at DNS resolution
- Weighted load balancing
Health monitoring & failover
GTM probes every region and drops unhealthy ones instantly — no TTL delay, no manual step.
- Configurable liveness tests
- Automatic removal + recovery
Data residency
Pin EU traffic to EU regions, US to US — GDPR and sovereignty without manual rules.
- Country/region routing
- Regions on five continents
One platform, programmable end to end
AAM doesn't just sit behind the edge — it drives it. Caching, bot and threat defense, observability, and AI guardrails all run from one policy layer, with programmatic control over the whole stack.
Augmented bot management
App & API Protector scores every request at the edge. AAM turns that signal into policy per route, consumer, and plan.
API threat detection
Gateway enforcement plus continuous behavioral analysis across the estate — catches abuse and data exposure, not just bad requests.
Programmatic edge caching
Drive the Akamai CDN cache from AAM: fragment-aware invalidation for dynamic APIs a standard cache can't touch. GraphQL is the classic case.
Real-time observability
Every request streams into TrafficPeak as structured OpenTelemetry events — queryable in seconds.
Agentic guardrails
Firewall for AI inspects prompts and model output — protection HTTP-level rules can't see.