CDN Business Models

The CDN industry has several business models in play. I personally see four prevailing business models. Each one is different from an operations, sales, engineering, and ordering standpoint.  Here is a snapshot of the four business models: Amazon CloudFront &

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CDN Features: DDoS Mitigation & WAF

The lifecycle for CDN features are short lived. A new feature might be key differentiator, that helps in winning business against the competition, but it only last for a while. The CDN feature lifecycle is 2 years max. CDNs must

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Open source, the engine that powers the CDN

Open source caching software is the engine the powers many CDNs. Without it, the CDN industry would most likely be smaller today. Free open source software enables startups to start small, and scale later. Fastly uses Varnish, Netflix & CloudFlare

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Is PeerCDN a CDN

Yahoo recently acquired PeerCDN for an undisclosed amount. PeerCDN is a next generation peer-to-peer (P2P) CDN that runs entirely in javascript. According to their website, their software can reduce bandwidth cost by 90%. The statement above raises two interesting questions.

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Deeper Look Into Yottaa

Yottaa, a startup CDN located in Akamai’s backyard, is growing rapidly. They are adding a ton of customers, and expanding their feature set. Now with the latest infusion of VC cash, they must plan on going in a new direction,

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Who would Acquire Aryaka Networks

Aryaka Networks, the first and only WAN Optimization as-a-Service company, is shredding the competition. It has received $54M in funding, and is backed by the top VCs. The question arises, who is going to acquire Aryaka? Aryaka is not a

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Is MPLS Dead

Lately, there has been much in the press regarding MPLS and its future. Is it dead or is it a dying breed in the WAN ecosystem? Instead of generalizing about MPLS in the enterprise, it would be more useful to

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Pivot #1 for Limelight Networks

In my previous post, I discussed Limelight Networks’ (LLNW) OVP/CMS offering. Today, I just read that LLNW has sold off its web content management business to Upland Software. This is an excellent move. LLNW can now focus on re-inventing itself.

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Is Limelight Networks Spread Too Thin

Limelight Networks (LLNW) offers CDN services, CMS, OVP, instructor-led classes and staff augmentation. At their core, they’re overwhelmingly a CDN. They have POPs, routers, thousands of servers, multi-carrier connectivity, caching software, and so on. The reason they’ve broadened their service

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The New Limelight Networks

Limelight Networks (LLNW), once the dominant #2 CDN right behind Akamai, has been on a path of revitalization. A new executive team is in place, and their value proposition has broadened, in order to reach the office of the Chief

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Should AT&T buy Akamai

Seeking Alpha reported that the rumors of a possible acquisition by AT&T were driving up Akamai’s stock price. In such a situation, the rumor could have very well been started by a bored teenager in Australia. Regardless, let’s assess the

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Can EdgeCast Surpass Akamai in 12 Months

I am sure Akamai is regretting their decision not to buy EdgeCast. If not, they will after this post. There are probably a few dozen CDN executives that haven’t considered the repercussions of the Verizon acquisition. I have, and the

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Telco CDN Cost Structure

Telcos from all over the world are getting into the CDN game. Many are licensing CDN platforms, while others are acquiring CDNs; and a few brave souls are trying to build their own. There seems to be an ongoing debate,

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Google vs CloudFlare

The top selling feature of any CDN is undoubtedly, performance. The faster the CDN delivers content, the more the website owner makes, and the more companies flock to that CDN. That is why EdgeCast and Fastly tout performance every chance

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The Aftermath: AT&T acquires Akamai

In my previous post, I addressed the rumor of why AT&T won’t acquire Akamai. In this post, I will evaluate the aftermath of an AT&T acquisition. There is going to be a clash of cultures. Akamai employees, an innovative bunch

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