Highwinds Licensed CDN Lays Groundwork for CDN Federation

WINTER PARK, Fla., Oct. 5, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Highwinds®, a leader in content delivery, network and cloud-based IP services, today announced the expansion of its managed services portfolio to include a Licensed CDN (content delivery network) offering for ISPs, telcos and MSOs.  It enables last-mile providers to create new CDN-based revenue streams by delivering advanced CDN capabilities to their customers, while alleviating the strain over-the-top (OTT) content is putting on their networks.  Highwinds Licensed CDN was architected to support the Federated CDN model and allows providers to rapidly and seamlessly transition between Highwinds' multiple CDN solution tiers – reselling, managed hosting and licensing.

"We've been licensing our software and providing managed hosting services to ISPs and telcos since 2003, and we currently have 63 customers in this space.  We were also the first CDN to offer a reseller model, complete with private-labeling, APIs, and a high degree of R&D transparency," said Steve Miller, chairman and CEO of Highwinds.  "As such, responding to the CDN needs of last-mile providers with a licensing and federating platform was a natural next step for us."

Highwinds Licensed CDN enables customers to add CDN services to their solutions portfolio and grow in a way that both leverages their own network strengths and subsidizes their network expansion.  With a multi-tiered licensing approach rooted in Highwinds' hallmark flexibility and scalability, Highwinds Licensed CDN allows carriers to seamlessly transition between various tiers without ever re-provisioning their customer accounts.  The platform supports the complete build-out of a lightning-fast, powerful, advanced CDN, and lays the groundwork for federation with Highwinds CDN and other federation partners.  The platform's opportunities include:

• CDN Reseller – Highwinds' network and StrikeTracker® console were built from the ground up to support a reseller model, and today, Highwinds has an extensive global reseller channel.  Any communications provider that joins Highwinds' reseller program can brand StrikeTracker as its own and can immediately begin reselling Highwinds CDN.  Highwinds' resellers can provision and manage their own customers, pricing, billing, etc.
• CDN Managed Hosting – Providers can grow their network through Highwinds' managed hosting services, while leveraging the cost advantages of their own network and data centers.  Highwinds provides capacity planning, rollout assistance and ongoing support.
• Licensed CDN Operation – In true licensing fashion, last-mile providers license the CDN software stack and operate the CDN directly.  Highwinds provides equipment recommendations, capacity planning and cross-functional training.  All licensees receive access to Highwinds' full suite of CDN services and ongoing software upgrades.
• Federated CDN – Providers may elect to expand their CDN footprint through federation, interconnecting their CDN with Highwinds CDN and other federation partners to cross-deliver traffic.  CDN federation members benefit from a larger footprint without further deployment, giving each member the ability to sell global delivery, reduce local transport costs, and complement existing transit and peering relationships.

"With the rapid growth of OTT video being delivered over last-mile networks around the world, the CDN space is obviously interesting to telcos and other communications providers.  For some, it makes perfect sense to design their own CDN.  For most, it does not," said Josh Gagliardi, Highwinds' CTO.  "Our Licensed CDN platform is designed for the vast majority who need instant-on, flexible, scalable, reliable CDN solutions – now.  It also delivers the unique hardware infrastructure and solid software foundation on which the Federated CDN must be built."

Gagliardi will be presenting on an expert panel entitled, "Outlining the Possible Different CDN Federation Models and Structures," at the CDN World Summit in London on Oct. 27.

About Highwinds Network Group, Inc.

Highwinds is a content delivery, network and cloud-based IP services business that offers a comprehensive suite of CDN solutions, including content storage and IP software.  The company delivers content and rich media over its high-performance RollingThunder® network to millions of global users every day.  Highwinds CDN customers gain unprecedented command and control with its StrikeTracker® console and open APIs.  Highwinds is headquartered in Winter Park, Fla., and maintains data centers around the world.  For more information, visit www.highwinds.com.

Highwinds, RollingThunder and StrikeTracker are registered trademarks of Highwinds Network Group, Inc.

All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

SOURCE Highwinds