BT platform offers faster web services

BT Ignite Content Hosting has just launched its new Content Distribution Network (CDN) and storage services, providing corporate customers with a single point of access for hosted web services.

The new Enhanced iVelocity content hosting service is designed to provide fast downloads for users accessing the internet or carrying out transactions.

The new storage services, called BT Ignite Business Assurance, are designed to provide fast, flexible and secure facilities for data storage, replication and recovery.

Richard Wigley, vice president of product development for web hosting at BT Ignite, said: "This is aimed at existing customers which want the next generation of services and those currently using non-integrated services from different vendors.

"The integrated approach lets us develop and provide more complex solutions for customers."

The UK web hosting market is highly fragmented, with several smaller providers jostling to gain business customers. Providers which can offer a range of flexible services are most likely to attract corporate customers.

BT Ignite has partnered with Network Appliance and Cisco to deliver the CDN offering. Network Appliance is providing edge cacheing services and Cisco is providing load-balancing switches.

The CDN service is designed to improve website performance, and it will allow customers to use sophisticated features such as web streaming.

The storage services are designed to help give firms the ability to add capacity as needed, and the storage of data at a second site allows fast recovery should the primary site fail.

The services are being offered through BT Ignite's partnership with EMC.