Akamai backs .Net
 
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Last month we talked about how Mirror Image Internet is readying its content delivery network to handle applications and transport Web services. Now Akamai is getting in on the action. Akamai announced earlier this month that it has partnered with Microsoft to develop support within EdgeSuite for Microsoft's Web services push, .Net.
EdgeSuite is Akamai's service that enables businesses to move not just static content, but also dynamic content to the edge of the Internet. With EdgeSuite for Microsoft .Net, businesses will be able to push .Net applications out to the edge as well.
McAfee.com is planning to use the service and expects dramatic performance improvements because of it. McAfee CIO Doug Cavit says that by moving processing of Web services out to the edge, his customers will get antivirus software and services more quickly and more reliably. In addition, Cavit says, by pushing processing out to the edge he reduces the demand on his internal infrastructure.
Cavit says CDNs are a natural fit when it comes to Web services. "If you can create a Web services infrastructure that runs on the edge, then it eliminates a lot of the reliability and other issues related to Web services," he says. "Reliability and availability and speed are pretty critical [to Web services]. So if you can cache your Web service on the edge, just like you do content, then you can really do some interesting things."
Akamai also says that, as part of its alliance with Microsoft, it is piloting a new Web service security standard that will enable it to offer security services such as third-party authentication and authorization.
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Denise Dubie is a Staff Writer covering network management at Network World. She also works as a freelance writer in the Boston area. You can reach her at ddubie@nww.com.
