Akamai Goes It Alone for HTTP Flash Streaming

Written by Ryan Lawler

Tuesday, September 29. 2009 at 03:40 PM EDT 1 comment

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Akamai Technologies Inc. (Nasdaq: AKAM) is rolling out a new platform for delivery of high-definition (HD) video delivered via Adobe Systems Inc. (Nasdaq: ADBE)'s Flash, Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq: MSFT)'s Silverlight, and the Apple Inc. (Nasdaq: AAPL) iPhone, based on its global network of HTTP edge servers.

The implementation of the Akamai HD Network will allow the company to serve and cache video assets closer to the end user, because it depends on 50,000 or so edge servers that the company has deployed in ISP networks around the world.

The only problem? Not all of the protocols named actually support HTTP streaming right now. While Silverlight and the iPhone both use HTTP streaming, the most recent version of Adobe's Flash Media Server (FMS), version 3.5, does not.

What's more, the beta version of FMS 4.0 -- which sources say will support HTTP streaming -- is not expected before the beginning of next year. Which means Akamai isn't waiting for Adobe to release a new version of FMS before it turns the capability on.

On the Webcast announcing the new HD delivery platform, Akamai CTO Tom Leighton confirmed that Flash video being streamed via HTTP would be separate from the company's existing streaming architecture using FMS 3.5 and RTMP, Adobe's proprietary streaming protocol.

"Both are running, and customers can elect to use one or both protocols," Leighton said.

Despite moving on with delivery of HTTP-based Flash without Adobe, Akamai CEO Paul Sagan said that his company looked forward to partnering with Adobe on new Flash-based technologies.

Interestingly enough, in a statement sent to Contentinople, Adobe didn't try to take any credit for helping Akamai to deploy HTTP-based streaming using Flash. The statement mentions the "long-standing partnership" between the companies and how they are "exploring new ways to integrate Flash Media delivery technology within Akamai's network."

But it doesn't mention cooperation on this initiative, and instead plays up the "extensibility" of the Flash platform itself, which allowed Akamai to implement the technology for HTTP streaming.

The Adobe statement reads:

As the leader in online video, Adobe is always exploring ways to better provide the highest quality video experience to our customers. Adobe has a long-standing partnership with Akamai and as part of these efforts, Akamai and Adobe are exploring new ways to integrate Flash Media delivery technology within Akamai's network. Akamai's HD for the Adobe Flash Platform is a great example of the extensibility of the Adobe Flash Platform and further enhances content delivery methodologies that help ensure Flash remains the highest quality, most scalable media delivery platform. If you have specific questions about the HD Network, we suggest you contact Akamai directly.