Inktomi, Nortel, Cisco battle it out in content networking

Adam Pasick

NEW YORK: As the Internet carries more and more video, music and images, from
‘Star Wars’ previews to corporate Webcasts, creating a speedy network
increasingly depends on being able to sniff out what kind of data the network is
carrying.

It's called content networking, and some of the biggest names on the
Internet, like Cisco Systems Inc. and Inktomi Corp., are battling to take the
lead. Simply put, content networking is the ability for networks to inspect the
packets of data coursing through them, and act accordingly. That means the big,
‘rich media’ files get special attention.

"If you're looking for pictures of Ashley Judd. I have to have Ashley
Judd on every server if I can't look into the packet," said Allegro
Networks' David Callisch, who formerly worked on content networking at Nortel
Network. But, if the network can look into the packets of data and find the
Ashley Judd requests, those packets can be sent to a dedicated Ashley Judd
server, vastly improving the network's efficiency.

Put another way, if a normal network sends on every puzzle piece without
looking at it, content networking takes a closer look, sorting like colors and
edge pieces.

Choose your own flavor

When it comes to real-world applications, the definition of content networking
isn't as clear. "It's really a race between Inktomi, Cisco and Nortel - and
to a lesser extent, Akamai Technologies - to deliver a complete content
networking solution," said WR Hambrecht analyst Prakesh Patel.

Internet caching firm Inktomi has weighed in with a software-centric style of
content management that the company thinks will help it face off against
industry giants. The idea is to leverage caching expertise - storing multiple
copies of frequently requested data - into a leading role in a broad and
lucrative new sector.

"Routers from firms like Cisco and Juniper (Networks) are blazingly
fast, but they basically just move bits," said Inktomi president and chief
executive David Peterschmidt. Inktomi argues that intelligent networking is
especially important as ‘rich’ media hog increasing amounts of network
bandwidth.

"Video and audio are a thousand times larger than other types of data,
and worse, they're impolite," said Inktomi's Kevin Brown. "They step
all over your mission-critical applications." Inktomi's software-centric
content networking model is to partner with hardware manufacturers to make
intelligent servers. It has announced pacts with Compaq Computer Corp. and
Hewlett-Packard Co. in recent weeks.

"It's a combination of traditional networking - how to move packets fast
- with applications and systems software," Brown said.

But will it be viable for Inktomi?

However, not everyone is convinced that Inktomi's software is the answer,
especially as companies like Oracle Corp, Nortel and Cisco ramp up their own
content networking efforts. The last two have entered the content networking
arena with the high-profile, multibillion dollar acquisitions of Alteon
WebSystems and ArrowPoint, respectively, and they aim to make sure that mostly
hardware-based systems dominate.

"Inktomi is competing against switching, server, storage and software
firms - that's a lot of competitors," said Pacific Crest Securities analyst
Brent Bracelin, who said he has his doubts whether Inktomi can survive as a
stand-alone firm. WR Hambrecht analyst Patel was slightly more optimistic on
Inktomi's outlook. The company made an important acquisition of its own, Fast
Forward Networks, which he thinks may give it the edge.

"Inktomi just needs more market share. Cisco has more resources. But
it's unclear whether they have the technology," he said.

(C) Reuters Limited 2001.