Content delivery specialist Mirror Image Internet will expand its network through a new contract with data center operator Equinix , the companies announced today. Terms were not disclosed.

Mirror Image will tap into Equinix facilities in Silicon Valley, New York and Washington, D.C., to provide customers with increased capacity and network connectivity.

The data centers are carrier-neutral, giving Mirror Image flexibility to perform increasingly complex tasks such as streaming media delivery, e-commerce transactions and Web computing services, without falling short of service-level agreements.

"By installing additional Content Access Points (CAP) within Equinix sites, we now connect into multiple providers from within that single co-lo," Bob Hammond, Mirror Image's CTO, told internetnews.com.

One of the strengths of Mirror Image's CAP architecture is that the company can add capacity for streaming media and Web computing into existing CAP locations or deploy new CAP facilities into locations where they are needed, Hammond said.

For Mirror Image, the Equinix move comes three weeks after it revamped its content management console. The enhancements included: new daily traffic reports via e-mail; a content refresh tool; and real-time performance monitor with easy-to-read metrics.

The privately held firm's moves are designed to improve reliability, performance and feedback for customers such as outdoor retailer Orvis, tire maker Bridgestone/Firestone and snowboard giant Burton.

In other news in the space, Akamai Technologies announced a multi-year deal with Major League Baseball's online media arm to provide content delivery services for MLB.com and all 30 team Web sites.

The deal includes streaming of live games and on-demand video and audio game-casts. The integration with Akamai began last month and will be complete by Opening Day.

In 2003, MLB.com began selling live video Webcasts for roughly half of regular-season games. MLB.com had more than 500,000 paid subscribers last year, including more than 150,000 for its live video service.