What is open caching
Unlocking the Value of the Carrier Edge
Open caching is a next-generation streaming architecture designed to address the major bottlenecks in internet infrastructure caused by the increased consumption of streaming media and other online content. Through collaborative efforts across the content delivery industry, it brings together service providers, content publishers and technology developers to deliver a better experience to consumers.
By placing caches deep within service provider networks, open caching enables cable, telco and mobile network operators to cache and deliver streaming media from locations close to consumers. Qwilt’s implementation of open caching federates these service provider partners through open APIs, forming a global CDN. As each new service provider joins the federated CDN, the benefits to content publishers increase, allowing them to reach more viewers with higher quality; as more publishers come on board, the viewing experience becomes measurably better for consumers, increasing the demand for streaming. And so on.
The virtuous cycle of the open caching ecosystem unlocks the value of the network, establishing the technical and commercial building blocks to scale the internet for a streaming future.
Real World Results
Streaming with Open Caching on the ISP Edge
In this presentation from NANOG 89, Jeff Budney of Verizon provides a comprehensive overview of Open Caching and its use in the real world to improve streaming quality. Listen in as he reviews efforts within industry organizations – such as the SVTA – to improve the streaming video experience through Open Caching, as well as performance data from Verizon’s deployment of Open Caching on a nationwide scale.
Origin story
Open Caching and the SVTA
The Streaming Video Technology Alliance (SVTA) provides a forum for collaboration to improve interoperability among operators, providers, and vendors. Together, companies from across the streaming video ecosystem work to build best practices and specifications that ensure a more consistent end-user experience and promote further adoption of online video. Among the initiatives pursued by the SVTA is open caching.
Qwilt has been a leader in the development of open caching specifications since the formation of the SVTA, serving as co-chair of the Open Caching Working Group alongside other industry innovators, including Disney Streaming and Hulu.
Qwilt’s content delivery solutions and Open Edge Cloud are fully compliant with SVTA open caching specifications.
“… we’re committed to the Open Cache initiative – we find that the best way for us to put our bits out there and make sure that people are actually getting a consistent Disney experience …”
Closer is better
Key Network Improvements with Open Caching
Standards and Beyond
After establishing many important standards, the SVTA will continue to grow and evolve, creating a CDN community that looks very different in the coming years. Hear more from Qwilt’s Brett Mertens.
From Wild West to Standards-Based
Standardization in content delivery is providing capabilities that have never been seen before in the world of CDNs, including visibility and transparency, thanks to the work of the SVTA. Hear more from Brett Mertens.
Would you like to learn more about open caching?
Visit the SVTA’s Open Caching page to download technical papers, view presentations and review open projects.