Image transformation in hybrid sourcing architecture

A system for providing clients with image transformations when using a hybrid distribution architecture, comprising:

• a cloud service, hosting an original image;
• and
• a content distribution network (CDN) in communication with the cloud service, a client device, and an image transformation service, wherein the CDN is configured to:
• provide content assets, including the original image, in conjunction with the cloud service, wherein the CDN uses the cloud service as a source from which to cache and tier the content assets;
• cache the content assets for provision to the client device without requiring authentication of a client;
• receive from the client device a request for an image transformation of the original image;
• in response to determining that the CDN does not store a transformed image that corresponds to the request:
• transmit the request from the CDN to the cloud service;
• receive, at the CDN from the cloud service, a redirect response for the request identifying the image transformation service to handle the request;
• forward the request and the original image from the CDN to the image transformation service according to the redirect response;
• receive, at the CDN from the image transformation service, a transformed image based on the original image according to the request;
• and
• transmit the transformed image from the CDN to the client device.

A method for providing clients with an arbitrary number of transformed images when using a hybrid distribution architecture, comprising a cloud service and a content distribution network (CDN), wherein the CDN uses the cloud service as a source for an original image, and both the cloud service and the CDN are configured to provide the original image to a client device, the method comprising:

• receiving, at the CDN, a request for a transformed image based on the original image from the client device;
• determining whether the CDN caches the transformed image;
• in response to determining that the CDN caches the transformed image, transmitting the transformed image from the CDN to the client device;
• in response to determining that the CDN does not cache the transformed image, transmitting the request from the CDN to the cloud service;
• and
• in response to the cloud service not caching the transformed image:
• receiving, at the CDN, a redirect response from the cloud service identifying an image transformation service to handle the request;
• transmitting the original image and the request from the CDN to the image transformation service according to the redirect response;
• receiving, at the CDN from the image transformation service, the transformed image based on the original image according to the request;
• transmitting the transformed image from the CDN to the client device;
• and
• caching the transformed image with the original image in the CDN.