Streaming Media Cache Appliance

High-performance architecture provides platform for major streaming media formats.

by Wayne Kawamoto [February 4, 2000]

Network Appliance, Inc. recently announced availability of its NetCache 4.1 appliance for distributing high quality streaming media. Based on the new NetCache caching architecture, NetApp's steaming media appliance promises to automatically and transparently serve quality streaming media reliably and efficiently from the edge of any ISP, content distributor, or corporate enterprise network to thousands of users while reducing the need to add more media servers or network bandwidth.

According to the company, streaming media delivery is problematic, because when multiple end users wish to access the same content, they each receive a stream from the origin server that results in unnecessary congestion of both the server and the network. NetApp's Streaming Media Appliance promises to solve this problem by distributing the streaming media content to the edge of the network near the end users, which alleviates the demands on the origin server and the network. Also, with the full streaming media support in NetCache, Network Appliance is the first company to support all three major streaming formats: Apple QuickTime, Microsoft Windows Media, and RealNetworks' RealSystem G2.

The NetCache Streaming Media Appliance also supports all forms of standard Internet traffic including HTTP, FTP and NNTP and enabling protocols such as Web Cache Control Protocol (WCCP), Network Element Control Protocol (NECP) and Internet Content Adaptation Protocol (ICAP).

"Live Webcasts and on-demand streaming video and audio will become as common as television and radio broadcasts in the near future, especially as today's technology infrastructure to support widespread streaming media becomes broadly deployed," says Amit Pandey director of NetCache marketing for Network Appliance. "The NetCache Streaming Media Appliance is designed to help alleviate the delivery problems that plague streaming media today and make broadcast quality streaming media a reality in corporate and service provider's networks."

Pricing and availability
NetCache customers with software subscription plans can upgrade to NetCache 4.1 at no additional cost. Pricing for a NetCache streaming media appliance with one NetCache streaming media protocol (Apple, Microsoft, or Real) starts at under $10,000.

Look for a full review of NetCache 4.1 the week of Feb. 7.

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