[djrogers]

>I think tests like this that rely on a built-out network and well-placed CDNs and such are probably junk.

Depends on the goal - here Netflix wants to see how fast you can stream from their "built-out network and well placed CDNs" so testing those is completely relevant. For their purposes, testing a bunch of unoptimized and unrelated services would be "junk".

[niftich]

> here Netflix wants to see how fast you can stream from their [CDNs]

Absolutely right; but also in this case, Netflix' and the average downloader's needs align, given that the bulk (by share of bytes) of legal speed-sensitive downstream traffic is video.