In the dynamic environment of the internet, Akamai Technologies features considerably in optimizing content delivery and dealing with internet traffic and user expectations that keep increasing. Founded in 1998 by MIT professor Tom Leighton and his graduate student Daniel Lewin, Akamai perfected the idea of edge computing to speed up internet traffic. Akamai Intelligent Edge Platform, consisting of about 360,000 servers in 135 countries, minimizes latency by keeping copies of web content in different locations, thus providing quicker access for users. The platform, featuring a peak bandwidth of 250 terabits per second, incorporates advanced software for device-level detection and threat identification and network condition monitoring at a lower level. The world’s largest corporations and government organizations on the Fortune 500 list, top e-commerce retailers, and video streaming services use Akamai.
Nevertheless, the surge of streaming video, as well as the emergence of rivals such as Amazon’s CloudFront and Cloudflare, pose challenges. Therefore, Akamai bought Linode for $900 million in 2020 to enhance its edge computing business (Zolfaghari et al., 2020). Linode, an IaaS provider, empowers Akamai to deliver a developer-centric platform to build, deploy and secure cloud applications. The acquisition meets Akamai’s expectation of a rise in cloud computing delivery from edge to cloud and with growing technologies like 5G and IoT. Tom Leighton believes Akamai’s edge presence gives significant leverage and positions the company as the one developing the most distributed computing platform.
Question 1
Akamai’s servers are geographically spread out to boost the content delivery performance and minimize latency. The classic internet model involves data transfer through various networks that might lead to delays or failures. Akamai locates servers in about 135 countries worldwide, ensuring copies of web content are situated near the users, hence making the connections faster (Ferguson et al., 2020). The concept of edge computing is entirely consistent with this approach, which implies that the computing and data storage are located at the closest place to where they are needed. Akamai’s network of widespread servers allows the platform to serve content from a nearby server, reducing the time taken for information to be delivered and improving responsiveness. Hence, spatial distribution is essential in realizing user requirements of the vast area network.
Question 2
Akamai has grown quite a bit since its establishment in 1998. Initially created to answer the slow internet problem, Akamai is the first top company to develop edge computing. The company has continued to grow in developing the Akamai Intelligent Edge Platform, a robust cloud platform consisting of about 360,000 servers in over 135 countries. Over time, Akamai evolved from content delivery to include device–level detection, security threat identification, and a deep understanding of network conditions (Zolfaghari et al., 2020). The platform has, over time, evolved into a vital component of most large-scale corporations, government entities, and various industries to improve online functions. Akamai aligned itself with the dynamic landscape and competition by purchasing Linode in 2022, intending to strengthen its edge computing functionalities and offer a platform more suited for developer-friendly applications in the cloud.
Question 3
Akamai anticipates that edge computing will become more critical with the changing technology landscape. Due to the increase of cloud computing, mobile platforms, and demand in streaming video, computing services close to end-users and connected devices are in high demand. Technologies, such as 5G and IoT, are experiencing a surge. Hence, a continuum of computational services is needed from the cloud to the edge. Akamai thinks its being at the edge creates a significant competitive advantage over the major cloud providers and other CDNs. Linode’s infrastructure as a service vendor is another pillar in Akamai’s way toward the creation of the most distributed computing platform in the world (Ferguson et al., 2020). According to Gartner reports, 75 % of enterprise data from the edge computing field will be generated and processed by 2025, demonstrating that this model will become quite substantial. Akamai aims to capitalize on this movement to deliver stellar online experiences wherever you are.
To conclude, Akamai’s shift from the leader of edge computing to the house of Edge computing by acquiring a competing technology in Linode shows its dedication to improving content delivery. The spatial distribution of servers globally has been paramount in shortening the response time and serving the needs of an impatient user population. The acquisition of Linode underscores Akamai’s foresight regarding the ionized importance of edge computing within the swiftly transforming technological milieu. Its innovation vision includes a highly distributed computing platform that the company utilizes to make service maintenance seamless and more improved across its customer spectrum, which includes Fortune 500 companies, government entities, and major online platforms. Akamai remains a central player in shaping the future of content delivery on the internet.
References
Ferguson, R., Voth, B., di Giovanni, Z., de Almeida, D. F., & Aibin, M. (2020, August). Honeybee Algorithm for Content Delivery Networks. In 2020 IEEE Canadian Conference on Electrical and Computer Engineering (CCECE) (pp. 1-4). IEEE.
Zolfaghari, B., Srivastava, G., Roy, S., Nemati, H. R., Afghah, F., Koshiba, T., … & Rai, B. K. (2020). Content delivery networks: State of the art, trends, and future roadmap. ACM Computing Surveys (CSUR), 53(2), 1-34.
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