Inktomi, Adero and AOL Announce Content Delivery Alliance

A triumvirate formed by Inktomi, Adero, and America Online said today they were starting an alliance called the "Content Bridge" to focus on content distribution and delivery.

The deal was touted by many to be an attack on delivery leader Akamai.

The biggest news here is that AOL will be deploying Inktomi and Adero services on its network. Inktomi will deliver infrastructure technology, Adero will ensure content is updated across and provide billing services and America Online will deploy Content Bridge technology in its network.

America Online also made a minority equity investment in privately-owned Adero.

The "Content Bridge" is expected to begin rolling out in Fall 2000.

Other members participating in this alliance are Digital Island, Exodus Communications, Genuity, Mirror Image Internet, Madge.web and NetRail.

"Inktomi has focused for years on ways to build intelligence and efficiency into the network," said David Peterschmidt, president and chief executive officer of Inktomi. "By providing a highly efficient mechanism for cooperation among networks, we believe Content Bridge represents the next phase in evolving the Internet, allowing all participants in the content distribution value chain to deliver the next generation of fast, reliable Internet services."