ISPCON CDN FaceOff —continued

Content alliance
In his iBAND keynote, Jim Ricotta, Senior Director of Marketing, described Cisco's Content Alliance [also see ISP-Planet's article on the alliance]. Founded in August, the Alliance plans to develop open standards for the advancement of content networking and to deliver key technologies like content peering. Charter members include Cable & Wireless, Digital Island, Exodus, Genuity, Global Center, Mirror Image, NaviSite, PSINet, ServInt, and Network Appliance.

With content peering, web site owners can work with their preferred hosting service provider, but gain the reach of the combined peered networks. "Creating a set of IETF standards to let CDNs interoperate will enable the next level of growth," said Ricotta. "Market expansion is the key driver for this movement to build a layer of intelligence on the Internet."

The Alliance plans to test and endorse a content peering standard, working Internet drafts through the IETF Content Peering Workgroup, led by Mark Stuart Day, Cisco Senior Scientist. This group's goal is to allow different CDNs—implemented using differing technologies or under different administrative domains—to cooperate with each other, forming a larger "virtual CDN". Among the nine Internet drafts considered at this group's December IETF BOF were two co-authored by Day: "Content Distribution Network Peering Scenarios" and "A Model for CDN Peering".

Cisco's Alliance is an integral part of its own CDN system, comprised of five technology areas: Content Distribution and Management, Content Routing, Content Edge Delivery, Content Switching, and Intelligent Network Services. Cisco markets products in each area, and plans to invite service provider Alliance members to participate in an upcoming CDN field trial.

Key Differences?
With so much in common, many industry analysts were perplexed: Why form two groups? iBAND invited Ricotta and Fink to explain how their agendas differ.

According to Fink, "Content Bridge is a contractual agreement to deploy service and pay for it. Cisco's Content Alliance is just an industry forum." Fink observed that both organizations share end goals: paying members of the value chain and enabling settlements. "The details of our approaches differ," said Fink. "Content Bridge is focusing on deployment first, and standards second."

Ricotta indicated that having several groups contribute to the development of content peering standards is healthy. The IETF is an appropriate venue for working out differences in approach. But this doesn't really answer the question. And keen readers will note cross-over participation by Digital Island, Exodus, Genuity, MirrorImage, and Sun. Why?

Digital Island's explanation can be found in its November quarterly report. As a founding member of Cisco's Alliance, "Digital Island became a preferred Cisco partner for content routing as well as core network infrastructure technologies." Furthermore, Digital Island "expanded its relationships with AOL and Inktomi by joining the Content Bridge alliance to take advantage of a much larger distribution channel." In other words, gain market traction wherever it can be found.

Leading the pack
After all, as Fink emphasized, both initiatives want to avoid a single source market, controlled by Akamai. Open interfaces, he believes, are required to facilitate a competitive multi-player market. "Both Content Bridge and Cisco's Content Alliance are committed to requiring no modification of HTML," said Fink.

Akamai modifies HTML source by converting embedded URLs into ARLs (Akamai Resource Locators). ARLs are used to route requests for embedded objects to the nearest, fastest edge server in Akamai's CDN. Static "Akamaization" can be accomplished by running a utility to rewrite selected URLs or by using a web publishing tool that "Akamizes" content. Dynamic rewriting is possible with load balancers (e.g., Alteon, CacheFlow, F5 Networks) that "Akamize" on the fly, based on rules.

To date, Akamai has been quite successful with this approach, serving 2800 customers from over 6000 edge servers in 54 countries. Akamai's Accelerated Network Partner (AANP) program attracts ISPs to co-locate Akamai edge servers at ISP POPs. AANP members receive Akamai servers at no cost [also see ISP-Planet's article on the AANP].

When asked to comment on content peering initiatives, Akamai Network Architect Andy Champagne asked, "Who's driving peering? These alliances are being founded by vendors and service providers. The market push really needs to come from content creators."

Champagne also wondered whether any standards-based solution can really keep up with new services, and worried that peering solutions will be very complex. Nonetheless, if standards evolve and market demand emerges, Akamai will have no choice but to go with the flow.

Conclusion
Recent news indicates trouble at Adero. According to Boston.com's DigitalMASS, Adero released up to 75% of its staff in mid-December. Do Adero's woes place Content Bridge in jeopardy? "I think Adero's problems are specific to Adero," said Melanie Posey, IDC analyst. However, "People haven't been knocking down the doors to sign up for Content Bridge." Although big hitters HP and Intel joined recently as Technical Advisors, the last provider to join was FastForward Networks, an Inktomi acquisition.

According to Joel Yaffe, Giga Information Group analyst, Content Bridge faces two big hurdles. First, due to close coupling with Inktomi, Content Bridge "cannot count on the support of competing cache vendors (e.g., CacheFlow, Cisco, Network Appliance, Cobalt, Entera, Infolibria, Dell, Compaq) for its content peering standards." But Compaq joined Content Bridge, Cobalt was acquired, and collaboration at the IETF should address this concern.

Furthermore, Adero "places significant responsibility into the hands of a service provider with a limited operating history…and legacy content distribution customers. In other words, it will be an uphill battle for Adero to establish its credibility as an impartial arbiter," said Yaffe. Fink acknowledged that Adero is itself a CDN operator, but said "We're working to create two separate business entities within 12 months to eliminate competition with Content Bridge partners." For Content Bridge to be successful, more than one clearinghouse may be required.

Yaffe also expressed reservations about Cisco's Content Alliance. By working through the IETF, it hopes to gain broader support. However, the current working group "lacks the participation of other leading network equipment vendors (e.g., Lucent, Alcatel, Nortel Networks), which could limit the real-world applicability of IETF standards," said Yaffe.

And standards take time. "Enterprise users should keep a watchful eye on the development of content peering standards, but should not expect to see any meaningful developments from these alliances for at least 12 months," said Yaffe.

What does this mean for ISPs? Access providers can dabble with minimal infrastructure investment, or just wait and see. Hosters are more likely to feel real market pressure to offer content delivery as a premium service.

So, if Akamai invites you to the party, should you join? Or should you hook into Content Bridge? Or jump on the Cisco Alliance bandwagon? Ultimately, the right answer may depend upon vendor relationships. If you're a Cisco shop, keep an eye on the Alliance. If Inktomi is your cache of choice, consider Content Bridge. If you're a green-field provider, a no-cost box from Akamai probably sounds attractive.

Finally, if you're intrigued and want to learn more, consider attending The Content Delivery Networks Event, February 21-23, 2001, at the Javits in New York City.

—End

 

Related articles:
	[Oct. 20, 2000]	Edgix, Edge Service Provider
	[Sep. 25, 2000]	Clearway's FireSite Delivers
	[Nov. 30, 1999]	Introducing the Content Delivery Network

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