Ignite taps utility model for digital content delivery

See correction below

Ignite Technologies this week unveiled a new service designed to deliver large, graphics-rich files and digital content over existing corporate networks.

Ignite Communicator leverages the hosted service model to tackle the obstacle of securely distributing digital content to geographically disbursed employees, customers, and partners.

The challenge, according to Ignite CEO Scott Wilson, is that heavy content — including video, software, or presentations — is difficult to deliver over most networks. The problem is compounded by multiple network types such as wireless, broadband, and dial-up.

The Ignite Communicator digital distribution service uses existing networks, with no hardware or software needed, Wilson said. Other approaches to sending out digital content include building a hardware content delivery network with appliances from vendors such as Cisco Systems, deploying software from vendors such as Kontiki, leveraging streaming, or using traditional package delivery.

The service model is the best fit for distributing heavy digital content including software patches, marketing materials, video, large files, and presentations, Wilson said.

“Customers want a utility-like service they can turn on when they need it,” Wilson said. “The service model is right way to do this; it is so easy and efficient. Our approach doesn’t bring down the network.”

The service uses a lightweight client installed on users’ PCs. The client is aware of its surroundings, which enables it to adapt to whatever network type to which a user is connected. Communicator uses a polite background delivery method that cuts files up and delivers content bits in unused bandwidth, according to Ignite officials.

Security features of the Ignite Communicator service include digital rights management, encryption, digital signatures, user authentication protocols, content parsing, and x.509  digital certificates. In addition, the Communicator service is based on Web services standards, including SOAP and XML, and integrates with LDAP and Active Directory.

One key benefit of using the Communicator service to send out software updates and corporate communications is its comprehensive tracking and reporting, which is becoming critical in the age compliance regulations, according to Wilson.

“Bandwidth is not the key issue here. It is the security, tracking, management, and control of this information,” Wilson said.

Ignite offers three service modules: Communicator, providing rich media delivery over any network; Control.IT,  for delivering applications and software patches; and the Content and Communications Service, for customizing the delivery service for integration with corporate databases or specific security protocols.

It is $2.5 million for 60,000 to 80,000 employees.

Correction:

In this article, the pricing information was originally incorrect.