[WXC/VFX] Xnet + Akamai

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Quattro

19 posts

Geek

# 17894 17-Dec-2007 01:14

I have seen this pairing mentioned in a few posts here and just wondered what it all meant.
I know Akamai servers basically act as a local cache, and i hear that such cached traffic is counted as local (ie, is free) with xnet.

Is this correct? If so, this is awesome! Does anyone know of a list of Akamai enabled sites?

I found this, but it doesnt seem to be complete, as i heard nVidia also use the service but aren't listed...

Thanks.

Detruire

1274 posts

Uber Geek

# 100351 17-Dec-2007 02:50

Last I checked it was free (week ago)

nVidia, Microsoft, Adobe all use Akamai. Various other sites use it for images and other actual site content (www.nba.com for example - video IS NOT on Akamai)

The russian download mirror on the Kaspersky site uses Akamai.

Every now and then you'll run into something that downloads at full speed from what seems to be an international site. If so, 99.99% chance it's from an Akamai cache. (Just do a tracert to find out before selecting from a list of mirrors, if you'd like!)

rm *

PenultimateHop

637 posts

Ultimate Geek

Trusted

# 100352 17-Dec-2007 03:16

It is difficult to quantify which sites are on akamai, as some may use them for only small components (images, video streaming, static content, resource intensive stuff, etc).

Akamai does service a large chunk of the top 100 websites though.

A favorite for me is Apple's quicktime movie trailers site.

Note that Microsoft doesn't use Akamai for all content delivery, instead switching between CDNs as required based on demand and cost.

camo786

146 posts

Master Geek

# 100361 17-Dec-2007 07:52

I am not yet convinced the akmai cache or Xnet usagemeter works, I have updated 3 PC's(using Windows Updates, 600+MB each) here with the latest MS updates including office 2007SP1, for total of approx 1.5Gb. My Local traffic currently shows 0.5Gb.

Updated another machines national traffic has jumped to 2.1Gb

Detruire

1274 posts

Uber Geek

# 100464 17-Dec-2007 16:52

Akamai content should not be counting towards national traffic.
It's either from servers at Xnet, or from ones in the US (what used to happen), unless you're using another NZ ISP's DNS servers.

Also, TVNZ ondemand uses Akamai.

rm *

stu28

245 posts

Master Geek

# 100546 17-Dec-2007 22:28

Detruire: Last I checked it was free (week ago)

According to this thread local traffic is not free with xnet, only traffic free with xnet is any thing to do with there servers like mail traffic, VFX etc....

stu28

245 posts

Master Geek

# 100547 17-Dec-2007 22:29

PenultimateHop: Note that Microsoft doesn't use Akamai for all content delivery, instead switching between CDNs as required based on demand and cost.

I think Microsoft uses Akamai for windows update.

Detruire

1274 posts

Uber Geek

# 100549 17-Dec-2007 22:34

stu28:
According to this thread local traffic is not free with xnet, only traffic free with xnet is any thing to do with there servers like mail traffic, VFX etc....

Xnet has Akamai servers

rm *

stu28

245 posts

Master Geek

# 100552 17-Dec-2007 22:48

Detruire:
stu28:
According to this thread local traffic is not free with xnet, only traffic free with xnet is any thing to do with there servers like mail traffic, VFX etc....

Xnet has Akamai servers

yeath, but I dont think that is counted as xnet traffic.

Detruire

1274 posts

Uber Geek

# 100555 17-Dec-2007 23:00

It was when they first installed the servers.

rm *

Quattro

19 posts

Geek

# 100557 17-Dec-2007 23:08

Well i dont know where this conversation is going, but i did a test, and both files downloaded from nVidia and Apple showed up as local, so it seems all good.

But I take it there is no such list of sites...

Detruire

1274 posts

Uber Geek

# 100558 17-Dec-2007 23:11

Thanks for the confirmation

Well, there's a vastly incomplete list on Akamai's site. However, it doesn't help since half of the listed sites only host a couple of images on Akamai caches or just use the technology for themselves.

However, it would be very nice (hint, hint) for someone at Xnet to tell us all the sites that are free.

rm *

Quattro

19 posts

Geek

# 100562 17-Dec-2007 23:21

Detruire: However, it would be very nice (hint, hint) for someone at Xnet to tell us all the sites that are free.

Agreed.

PenultimateHop

637 posts

Ultimate Geek

Trusted

# 100568 18-Dec-2007 01:15

stu28:
I think Microsoft uses Akamai for windows update.

They do, in addition to Limelight, whatever Digital Island became, and their own CDN. They shift traffic around as required to manage demand, and reduce their cost. Bandwidth on CDNs is incredibly expensive.

Plenty of times, despite sitting both geographically and network topologywise, my Windows Update traffic has been sourced from a Microsoft datacenter in Chicago. Don't always count on WU being Akamaised.

PenultimateHop

637 posts

Ultimate Geek

Trusted

# 100569 18-Dec-2007 01:17

However, it would be very nice (hint, hint) for someone at Xnet to tell us all the sites that are free.

I don't think XNet would be able to tell you what sites are hitting Akamai, without a very labour intensive process.

Unless you mean what is considered local traffic to Xnet? e.g. Akamai-sourced traffic (from their deployment), mail, Recoil, etc.

Detruire

1274 posts

Uber Geek

# 100572 18-Dec-2007 01:42

PenultimateHop:
However, it would be very nice (hint, hint) for someone at Xnet to tell us all the sites that are free.
I don't think XNet would be able to tell you what sites are hitting Akamai, without a very labour intensive process.

Unless you mean what is considered local traffic to Xnet? e.g. Akamai-sourced traffic (from their deployment), mail, Recoil, etc.

Either would be nice.

Non-Akamai list I've got so far:
pop3/smtp.xnet.co.nz,
news.xnet.co.nz (max of 2MB binaries...

)
ntp.xnet.co.nz (Well, some sort of timeserver),
homepages.xnet.co.nz
Recoil servers and content,
ftp.wicks.co.nz

Anyone have anything to add?

Also, should we make a list of anything we find going over Akamai content servers?

rm *