Akamai: Inauguration sets video-streaming record

President Barack Obama's inauguration didn't set all-time Internet traffic records but did mark the most simultaneous streaming-video viewers in the Web's history, according to content delivery network Akamai Technologies.

About 7.7 million video streams, primarily live, were being viewed at peak time Tuesday, which was at about 12:15 p.m. EST, Akamai said. Part of the reason, the company rationalizes, is that the inauguration ceremony happened when most Americans were at the office, and hence more likely to be watching via a computer screen rather than a television.

"In addition to the historic nature of the inauguration, it is now clear that this event has driven unprecedented demand from a global online audience," Robert Hughes, Akamai's executive vice president of global sales and marketing, said in a release. "With the inauguration occurring during workday hours in the U.S., we witnessed record numbers of live streams served in support of many leading news businesses."

Video from the inauguration ceremony and surrounding events was streamed all over the Web, from online video hubs like Hulu to streaming sites like Ustream to the sites of major news outlets. Demand was unprecedented: CNN.com, one of the most popular viewing destinations, had to cut off viewers and establish a wait list.

[SuttoXXX]

i'm betting this number could have been much higher... i never could get the streaming to work and I tried at least 6 sites....I ended up going home for lunch early to see it on TV.

[molotov]

We are finally seeing the limits to the internet. True; how should CNN.com be able to supply the huge bandwidth for such once-in-a-lifetime event? With TV and Radio - there is no bandwidth issue, no servers needed to be maintained. We really should get around and turn the internet into a bandwidth sharing grid; much like our power grid. If east coast has a heat-wave - the electricity companies buy up the unused energy from the west, etc. The internet bandwidth should be bought up by CNN for an event like that - to accomodate everyone.
I tried using the internet to watch the inaguration, much like SuttoXXX did, and ended up with a failure to broadcast. Though it might seem like internet is doing a better job at TV than TV, just look at Hulu, but for that reason alone; the inability to broadcast at peak times - internet will not always be a perfect substitute for television. Though I am sure my idea will one day be implemented with new technologies.

[ChrisInAStrangeLand]

"True; how should CNN.com be able to supply the huge bandwidth for such once-in-a-lifetime event?"

Same way anyone else does it, use a CDN like Limelight or Akamai to host your content. CNN seems to think they can do it cheaper themselves than using professionals, but for big events like these their crappy little cluster falls over.