As part of the deal, Inktomi agreed to invest in PRIMUS, though financial terms were not disclosed.

With the deal, PRIMUS, an application service provider, hopes to deliver broadband content and streaming media much more rapidly to businesses.

PRIMUS will incorporate Inktomi's Traffic Server, Content Delivery Suite and Traffic Server Media-IXT as core infrastructure technology within its global facilities-based network. PRIMUS is deploying a global IP network spanning Europe, Asia-Pacific and North America to deliver a suite of bundled services, including high speed data, Internet, Web hosting, hosted applications and e-business offerings.

K. Paul Singh, chairman and chief executive officer of PRIMUS, said the deal was important because it allows his firm to vastly improve its global streaming media and content delivery reach.

"Inktomi's alliance with PRIMUS reinforces our leadership position in delivering essential Internet infrastructure technology to the world's leading networks," said David Peterschmidt, president and chief executive officer of Inktomi.

For PRIMUS, the play was the firm's second global deal in the last six weeks. In May, the firm grabbed InterNeXt S.A., an Internet service provider with national facilities-based operations in France, for an undisclosed sum.

PRIMUS has also taken steps to branch out its domestic arms. In June, the firm enlisted Compaq Computer Corp. to provide a full suite of professional services and an integrated application service provider (ASP) infrastructure for its new enterprise data center in Virginia.

Perhaps best noted for its search engine technology, Thursday's deal with PRIMUS speaks to the other half of the Inktomi's capability -- content delivery and infrastructure. The firm's last major play was its purchase of Ultraseek, a subsidiary of Walt Disney's Go.com, to add enterprise search technology to its business.

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Inktomi shelled out $344 million in that stock and cash deal.