IBM signs DT data delivery deal

Deutsche Telekom has teamed up with IBM and Network Appliance to upgrade its multimedia content delivery network.

Deutsche Telekom's existing internet platform is being extended to include new service features, and it supports the T-Vision broadband portal recently announced by T-Online.

The German telco aims to give its customers faster access to content and better transmission quality.

Specialised caches from Network Appliance, embedded in an IBM server infrastructure set up regionally throughout Germany, serve as data pools.

Software components, developed by IBM Global Services, will run on IBM pSeries servers in several regional locations and IBM zSeries servers at the platform's management headquarters.
These components are responsible for management of the media platform, hosting of media content, access control, content backup and the provision of billing data for accounts processing.

Rudolf Bauer, general manager of IBM Global Services, central region, said in a statement: "As the networking of business processes continues to increase, additional multimedia technologies are required to optimise delivery of information to all company employees."

The platform can be accessed from mobiles, telephone (analogue and ISDN) and DSL, as well as through dedicated lines from Deutsche Telekom's product portfolio. When it opens for business 30,000 customers will be able to process video and audio data on a broadband network simultaneously.