IBM teams with NetApp for CDN platform
 
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IBM and Network Appliance are expanding their relationship for offering customers platforms for content delivery networks.
I think it's fair to say that commitments from companies like these show that enterprise CDNs (eCDN) are starting to get increased attention. Businesses are starting to take a harder look at how eCDNs can improve corporate network performance, and vendors are rolling out products and services to making setting up eCDNs easier.
ECDNs go beyond simple caching to provide the intelligence companies need to dictate what content is cached, how it is moved, where it is moved and who has access to it. The latest agreement between IBM and Network Appliance builds on a previous alliance between the companies.
The agreement takes IBM's middleware, servers and services and combines them with NetApp's content delivery appliances and software. The companies say what they're offering is a simple way for companies to set up eCDNs. The platform could be used to improve the performance of company portals, streaming media files and business applications such as enterprise resource planning and customer relationship management.
Here's the way the eCDN platform will work. Content will be stored in NetApp NetCache appliances, which can handle HTML, XML Web content, documents, images and most IP-based streaming media formats, including MPEG4. The NetCache appliances sit on the edge of a corporate network and distribute content quickly from there directly to end users, the companies say.
The platform, which has been pre-integrated for interoperability, combines IBM xSeries servers, IBM WebSphere and IBM ContentManager with Network Appliance NetCache content delivery appliances and management software, including ContentDirector and DataFabric Manager.
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Denise Dubie is a Staff Writer covering network management at Network World. She also works as a freelance writer in the Boston area. You can reach her at ddubie@nww.com.
