In a bid to help reduce bandwidth requirements for
clients such as Internet Service Providers and content providers, Inktomi
Corp. and RealNetworks, Inc. today
said they will team up in a solutions partnership.
The companies’ alliance calls for a strategic joint development, marketing and
distribution agreement in producing the industry’s first
streaming media cache solution. The solutions will allow network
providers to deliver RealAudio and RealVideo files to
users at faster speeds with improved quality and will also decrease network
congestion, the firms stated.
Inktomi said the partnership is its first step in its value added services
strategy for Inktomi’s Traffic Server platform, which is expected to
develop new revenue streams
and services from its scalable software architecture.
The co-developed Inktomi/RealNetworks solution aims to incorporate the native
streaming process of RealNetworks’ RealSystem G2, next generation multimedia
delivery system, with Inktomi’s updated Traffic Server model, which is a
scalable and flexible network cache. The two systems will be integrated
through the deployment of a set of
tightly integrated software plug-in components created by the companies.
According to the companies, the use of multiple geographically distributed
servers, real-time streaming, and intelligent on-demand caching instead of
batch file
copying, allows RealAudio and RealVideo
files to move closer to users at minimal network cost with greater security,
increased response time and clarity of desktop media. Caching increases
accessibility and delivery
of popular media clips, and lowers large traffic
spikes that result when too many users try to access news or other popular
content.
The companies contend that through the solution, ISPs, hosting providers
and corporate network managers will be able to increase meeting the demands
of user scalability and
reliability, along with being able to multiple bandwidth capacity
and lowering existing infrastructure costs.
“Caching represents a critical component of the Internet’s
infrastructure and we are pleased to be working with Inktomi to bring a
new class of streaming media performance to our customers,” said Len
Jordan, senior vice president, Media Systems, RealNetworks, Inc. “The
combination of Inktomi’s powerful caching platform and our market
leading streaming technology is a big win for network infrastructure
providers.”
“Inktomi’s mission is to build out and extend the Internet’s
infrastructure,” said Paul Gauthier, chief technology officer of
Inktomi. “Together with RealNetworks, Inktomi is working to change the
way that content is delivered on the Internet by embedding intelligence
into the fabric of the network.”
