CDN Expansion Launched By Internap

Internap Network Services (INAP) recently announced plans for a global expansion of its VitalStream content delivery network (CDN) in Europe and Asia. The expansion is the company's first strategic move in streaming media since Internap acquired Vitalstream for $217 million in February.

"This is a major initiative and significantly increases the current capacity of Internap's CDN, positioning us as a leader in the space," said James P. DeBlasio, president and chief executive officer for Internap. "Internap's network will be scaled to deliver the industry's most robust solution, meeting the needs of customers in the rapidly growing streaming media and content delivery market."

Internap will expand its CDN capabilities in its London data center, and launch delivery points in Tokyo and Hong Kong, providing additional geographic reach to streaming media services for Internap's existing 3,000 customers. The expansion will occur in scheduled phases throughout the year, and "adhere to the company's disciplined approach to managing capital expenditures while strengthening service reliability," Internap said.

Internap says the global CDN will dramatically improve performance in each region. Internap will store and deliver content at points of presence (PoPs) in local markets to improve the speed and delivery of customer traffic. These local PoPs enable Internap to optimize speed and performance for rich media applications, such as video and audio streams. Currently, Internap has 43 global service delivery points and 3 major origin CDN PoPs located in Los Angeles, Washington D.C. and Amsterdam. The expanded platform will also enhance Internap's ability to launch new applications, such as IPTV channels, over its IP network.

"Our goal is to provide superior solutions for our customers enabling them to effectively stream and download audio and video content," said Philip N. Kaplan, chief strategy officer for Internap and general manager of the VitalStream CDN. "Our global expansion, complete with unique and advanced features, will enhance the solutions we provide our customers, allowing them to focus on their business and not the underlying technologies."