Cloud Computing: Microsoft Turns to Verizon to Speed Up Its Video Delivery

Grazed from Wired. Author: Robert McMillan.

Microsoft has made Verizon Communications the centerpiece of its effort to build out a worldwide network to speed up video delivery for users of its Azure cloud computing service. To some, the move comes a bit of a surprise. Microsoft had been building out this network itself, according to observers, but now appears to have reversed course.

When it comes to internet infrastructure, giant Web players like Microsoft typically build out their own offerings, rather than relying on service providers such as Verizon. And in recent years, these content delivery networks, or CDNs, have seen some big build-outs. When you’re Netflix and Google, it helps to have full control of your CDN, so that you can more efficiently deliver a significant slice of the internet’s Sunday evening data…

And Microsoft has already successfully built out a different CDN, to speed up delivery of its own web pages, videos, and monthly software updates. But the Azure network—built for customers rather than the company’s internal use—was a different type of project, says Dan Rayburn, a streaming media expert and blogger…

Read more from the source @ http://www.wired.com/2015/01/microsoft-turns-verizon-speed-video-delivery/