Akamai strikes content deal with AOL, adds partners

Internet upstart Akamai Technologies continues to spread its wings in the Web content and streaming media market.

The Cambridge, Mass.-based company today announced a new business deal with Internet powerhouse America Online to set up Akamai servers within the AOL network that will deliver Akamai content to AOL members. No terms of the deal were announced.

In addition, Akamai today said 20 new companies have joined its partnership program. The new partners, which include e-commerce software maker Pandesic and Web design and media services provider Razorfish, will work with Akamai and other content providers in areas like animation, graphics, streaming media and interactivity.

Last week, Akamai said it is buying Internet streaming media pioneer Intervu in a stock deal valued at $2.8 billion. With the acquisition, Akamai said it will combine its network offerings with that of Intervu in an effort to quickly expand into the streaming media market.

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Akamai is one of a handful of new Net firms aiming to eliminate Internet bottlenecks and speed download times. It has placed hundreds of servers inside Internet service provider networks and hosts pieces of its clients' Web sites in this network of cache sites.

More recently, Akamai has been focusing its efforts on bolstering its multimedia offerings, such as streaming services, in order to compete with other larger Web companies that have all been doing the same. Last month, the company bought Network24 Communications, a Cupertino, Calif.-based company that produces toolkits and services for creating streaming media Webcasts. It marked Akamai's first outside acquisition.