CDN provider (Content Delivery Network) Akamai Technologies have launched two cloud-based products Akamai Cloud Wrapper and Akamai Direct Connect in order to help broadcasters and streamers mitigate costs and challenges while deploying to the cloud. With this launch, Akamai will be optimizing the connectivity between public cloud infrastructures without making amends to existing workflows.
Akamai say that television and broadcasting organizations have already deployed cloud technologies to better their streaming quality, but face issues when it comes to delivering OTT (Over The Top) services via the cloud. They claim that since more and more broadcasters are moving to the cloud, content libraries are growing, only to put the onus on storage efficiencies.
By launching Cloud Wrapper, Akamai claim that they will be providing broadcasters with a dedicated cache footprint within their delivery network that maximizes origin offload (percentage of users reaching the origin servers) and reduces data fees. Whereas, with Direct Connect, Akamai say that they will be eliminating the unreliability of delivering content from the origin over the internet.
Speaking about the launch, Campbell Foster, Vice President, Media Industry and Product Marketing, Akamai, commented:
Akamai broke and rebroke live TV streaming volume records this year, and we believe we are only at the early part of the meteoric rise in streaming popularity for live, linear and on-demand television.
Through innovative solutions such as Cloud Wrapper and Direct Connect, Akamai is striving to stay well ahead of the adoption curve.
Our customers’ streaming services are evolving into increasingly significant parts of their business operations, and Akamai is committed to helping them fully realize the vital role of the Akamai Edge in their efforts.
The CDN provider says that they will be unveiling these offerings at the IBC (International Broadcasting Convention) event in Amsterdam. Industry experts opine that the company has taken some major steps in boosting their business among various segments including domain and hosting, especially after their deal with CIRA a few months ago.