IP: WEB-PAGE DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM COULD UNCLOG INTERNET TRAFFIC JAMS

[Dave Farber <farber () cis upenn edu>]

Another interesting thing about Sandpiper is one of the founders is David A. Farber -- no relative. But I met him while 
I was at UC Irvine and he was an undergrad. I am on their Advisory Board. djf



Rival startups Sandpiper Networks and Akamai Technologies have 
both developed a way to reduce congestion on the Internet by 
distributing the contents of a Web site over server computers 
that are spread out across the Internet. Sandpiper this week is 
expected to announce that America Online has made an investment 
in the company and will user Sandpiper technology in its network. 
Services offered by Sandpiper and Akamai can be used to ease traffic 
caused by big Web events. Last year the Los Angeles Times used 
Sandpiper to manage the demand for the Starr Report. The caching 
technique, which makes available additional copies of popular Web 
pages, currently offers some congestion relief. However, the original 
producer of a page has no control over the cache, and cannot update 
material or keep track of the number of hits on the replicated page. 
(New York Times 04/26/99)