Netflix introduces the Open Connect content delivery network
Netflix unveiled Open Connect, its purpose-built CDN that allowed ISPs to peer directly with Netflix or install Netflix caching appliances inside their networks.
Исторический контекст
Netflix streaming traffic was growing to such a scale that third-party content delivery networks were becoming both a major cost and a technical dependency. YouTube already operated large proprietary delivery infrastructure, and increasing video bitrates made proximity between content caches and viewers increasingly valuable.
Что произошло
Netflix announced that it had begun shifting video delivery from general-purpose commercial CDNs toward its own Open Connect network. ISPs could connect at internet exchanges or host Netflix-supplied appliances that cached popular video closer to viewers.
Последствия
Open Connect became a core part of Netflix's ability to stream enormous volumes of high-quality video worldwide. It also pulled Netflix directly into disputes over peering, interconnection, ISP market power and who should bear the cost of delivering internet video.