---
owner_slack: "#govuk-2ndline"
title: Fall back to AWS CloudFront
section: Deployment
layout: manual_layout
parent: "/manual.html"
last_reviewed_on: 2019-06-28
review_in: 6 months
---

There is a backup Content Delivery Network (CDN) that can be used in case Fastly is down.
This backup CDN is currently provided by AWS CloudFront.

**Important** At the time of writing, GOV.UK will be served
by static mirrors and not the origin of GOV.UK if you fallback to the backup CDN.

## Procedure

You will have to make 2 DNS changes to GOV.UK:

1. you will have to ask JISC (very few people are authorised to make such changes) to change
   the cname of `www.gov.uk` to the `www` AWS CloudFront distribution domain.
   You can log into the AWS web console to find the `www` AWS CloudFront distribution domain.

2. you will have to change the cname of `assets.publishing.service.gov.uk` to the
   the `assets` AWS CloudFront distribution domain using the usual gov.uk processes.
   You can log into the AWS web console to find the `assets` AWS CloudFront distribution domain.

---
owner_slack: "#re-govuk"
title: Fall back to AWS CloudFront
section: Deployment
layout: manual_layout
parent: "/manual.html"
last_reviewed_on: 2019-06-28
review_in: 6 months
---

There is a backup Content Delivery Network (CDN) that can be used in case Fastly is down.
This backup CDN is currently provided by AWS CloudFront.

**Important** At the time of writing, GOV.UK will be served
by static mirrors and not the origin of GOV.UK if you fallback to the backup CDN.

## Procedure

You will have to make 2 DNS changes to GOV.UK:

1. you will have to ask JISC (very few people are authorised to make such changes) to change
   the cname of `www.gov.uk` to the `www` AWS CloudFront distribution domain.
   You can log into the AWS web console to find the `www` AWS CloudFront distribution domain.

2. you will have to change the cname of `assets.publishing.service.gov.uk` to the
   the `assets` AWS CloudFront distribution domain using the usual gov.uk processes.
   You can log into the AWS web console to find the `assets` AWS CloudFront distribution domain.

Move infra-heavy manual to RE GOV.UK to monitor
Move infra-heavy manual to RE GOV.UK to monitor

This manual looks heavily reliant on intervention by RE if we were
ever to make use of it, not least because it says the level of access
required means most people can't run it themselves. It's also missing
a lot of detail about the individual steps involved.
