OK, now what *IS* ICAP?

Rohit Khare (rohit@uci.edu)
Thu, 30 Dec 1999 10:41:19 -0800


With so many companies involved, what can this amount to? My first
30-sec read is that it's a proxy-control language for 'composing
active proxies to extend the web'. I'm surprised none of 1996's
censorware vendors survived to join in.

Ah, the sound of IETF management by press release... silence.

I will reserve comment about the firing line of FoRKers who should be
shot for not bringing this up in the last TWO WEEKS it's been sitting
out there. I see at least seven O(1) connections to this boondoggle...

Rohit

=========================================================
SightPath Press Release

For more information, contact:
Jeff Young
Akamai Technologies
617-250-3913

Adam Trunkey
Network Appliance
408-822-6314

INTERNET COMPANIES JOIN OPEN FORUM TO CREATE STANDARDS-BASED PROTOCOL
FOR DELIVERY OF E-SERVICES

ICAP to be recommended to IETF for delivering Value Added Services
for Enterprises, Content Providers and ISPs

December 14, 1999 - A forum of leading Internet-focused companies
today announced a major initiative aimed at delivering value added
services that leverage the Internet's infrastructure, increasing the
intelligence and flexibility of networks. The goal of the forum is
the cooperative review and consideration of ideas and concepts to
create an open standards-based protocol - Internet Content Adaptation
Protocol (ICAP) - which is expected to be presented to the Internet
Engineering Task Force (IETF) early in 2000. The proposed standard
will allow enterprises, content providers and ISPs to seamlessly
conduct e-services such as targeted Web advertising, virus scanning,
content filtering, data compression and language translation on any
Internet access device.

The ICAP Forum is hosted by Akamai Technologies and Network
Appliance, and is joined by leading Internet companies including
content delivery service providers, application and content
developers, and Internet infrastructure companies. Forum members who
have endorsed the drafting of the open protocol include: Allaire
Corporation, Appliant, Inc., BroadVision, Cobalt Networks, Direct
Hit, DoubleClick, eBuilt, eColor, Engage, Entera, Exodus, Finjan
Software, Frictionless Commerce, Globix, Google, Inc., Idiom, Inc.,
InfoLibria, Ingeniux, iWeb.com Inc., Lionbridge Technologies, Network
Associates, Novell, N2H2, Open Market, Optibase, Oracle Corp.,
Pandesic, Predictive Networks, Rulespace, Secure Computing,
SightPath, Trend Micro, Inc., Vignette Corporation, Websense, and
WWWhoosh. Additional partners are welcome and can join by sending
email to partners@i-cap.org.

The development of ICAP is only an example of the specific work under
way by participants in the forum, with an objective to have a draft
for review (prior to submitting to the IETF) at the first meeting on
February 14 in San Francisco.

Central to the ICAP concept to be discussed by the forum is a simple,
yet powerful, open protocol that enables communication between edge
content devices (i.e. Web caches and Internet content delivery
servers), and application servers that modify content and then
deliver it to Internet access devices. For example, when a Web cache
receives a request from a cell phone browser, the cache will deliver
the requested content to an application server that adapts the
content for display on the cell phone. The cache serves the page, and
caches it for subsequent cell phone browsers. This allows a very high
degree of flexibility on the types of services that can be offered at
access points while maintaining the high performance and integrity of
the access servers.

"We see the development of ICAP as significant to Com Net because of
the protocol's potential to create new revenue sources through a
whole new series of value-added services that take advantage of edge
content delivery devices. The creation of ICAP would ultimately help
us expand our total package of services," said Randall Plaisier, CTO,
Com Net, Inc., providers of bright.net Internet Access, Ohio's
Leading Internet Provider.

Reinforcing the market's direction, and the need for the development
of an open protocol that will enable the delivery of value added
services that leverage the Internet's infrastructure, a September
1999 Forrester Report entitled Networked Services Platforms, outlines
"successful carriers will leave the application services to ASPs and
SIs. To create value, carriers will build a networked services
platform (NSP) that provides a foundation for others to offer app
services. By 2003, users will drive the adoption of the NSP by
rejecting closed joint ventures."

The companies endorsing ICAP are expected to finalize the value added
services protocol and submit it to the IETF's Web Replication and
Caching working group in mid-February for draft RFC consideration.
Interested parties are encouraged to provide their feedback by
contacting partners@i-cap.org. More information on this initiative is
available at www.i-cap.org. The first value added services solutions
are expected to reach the marketplace in Q1 2000.

ICAP Forum Partner Quotes

"To date, companies engaged in the creation of value-added services
have had little success due to the existence of closed schemas and
proprietary APIs that prevent the interoperation of third party
hardware platforms. By implementing this simple and elegant protocol,
application partners, caching vendors and content delivery players
will create an open platform for value-added services," said Danny
Lewin, chief technology officer at Akamai Technologies.

"We've seen demand from our customers for an open standard of
integrating enterprise web applications with a new generation of
Internet content delivery technologies," said Jeremy Allaire, chief
technology officer of Allaire Corporation. "With the ICAP initiative,
our customers will use the Allaire e-business platform to build large
scale solutions while leveraging the latest web caching technologies."

"As an end-to-end provider of performance management services for
eBusiness, Appliant supports the creation of a protocol that will
improve the interoperability between proxy servers and other network
devices," said Jamie Lomas, director, Product Marketing, Appliant,
Inc.

"BroadVision has supported the idea of delivering personalized
content to users through multiple entry points for some time and we
are excited to be a part of the ICAP initiative," said Dr. Eric
Golin, chief technology officer at BroadVision. "ICAP will improve
access to e-services and enable our customers to better serve
personalized data to both traditional and non traditional Internet
users."

"The industry is moving toward vending applications on the Internet,
accessed from a variety of devices. Application developers, Internet
Service Providers (ISPs), and system integrators need reliable and
affordable platforms to deliver sophisticated business-critical
applications," said Mark Orr, vice president, business development
and co-founder, Cobalt Networks, Inc. "ICAP will provide the
standards-based, open solution that will allow Internet
Infrastructure companies to deliver powerful Internet applications to
the end user - quickly, simply, and affordably."

"Direct Hit is excited to be participating in the ICAP program," said
David Parker, Vice President of Business Development, Direct Hit. "By
offering its award winning, popularity-based search results through
ICAP, Direct Hit expects to increase its speed and ease of delivery
of its content to the company's many high-traffic partners. At the
same time, through ICAP Direct Hit will be able to offer its search
results seamlessly to a whole new class of cutting edge Internet
companies."

"The ICAP initiative promises to improve the Internet infrastructure,
further removing technical barriers that impede the development and
realization of innovative ideas. As an e-business enabler, eBuilt
designs and builds solutions that employ Internet technologies to
deliver business value. An ICAP enriched Internet infrastructure
provides a higher jumping-off-point for tomorrow's differentiators,"
said Joe Lindsay, CTO of eBuilt, Inc.

"The ICAP standard will help enable E-Color to maintain image quality
and control for a variety of platforms using our True Internet Color
technology," said Peter Bernard. "E-Color has a long history of
promoting open standards in color management and we're excited about
being involved in this new effort."

"We're pleased to work with the wide range of technology leaders who
have come together to develop open, standard protocols for
application servers, such as Engage AdManager, to communicate with
caches and content delivery servers at the edge of the network," said
Dan Jaye, CTO for Engage. "ICAP has the potential to greatly simplify
the deployment and management of enterprise-wide web applications for
our customers. Through ICAP, our applications such as advertising
insertion and usage reporting and analysis will be able to work with
the caching infrastructure rather than trying to defeat it with
'cache-busting' techniques."

"This initiative supports Entera's goal of enabling our partners to
create solutions that build the Internet," said John Scharber, CTO of
Entera. "Entera is encouraged by this effort since we believe
standards-based, multi-platform support is critical to enable
widespread, efficient content delivery to the mass market."

"Security issues don't end with PCs and servers," said Ron Moritz,
CTO of Finjan Software, developer of first-strike security products
that combat malicious code. "In the near future, people and
organizations will require proactive malicious code security for a
variety of devices and at multiple points. The CCI API and the ICAP
protocol will allow us to achieve this."

"Frictionless Commerce is committed to bringing increased value to
online shopping," said Robert Guttman, CTO, Frictionless Commerce
Incorporated. "To do this, we actively support the ICAP effort to
develop industry standards and to begin to bring the power of the
Internet to multiple access devices. Creating standards and expanding
access to online shopping is a critical part of continuing to enhance
e-commerce. We strongly believe in the ability of the Internet to
bring highly targeted Web content to consumers and are dedicated to
working with ICAP to create open standards."

"As the fastest growing search destination site in the web, Google is
focused on providing the best experience for finding information with
the highest levels of speed and relevance," said Larry Page, Google
CEO and president. "The ICAP initiative will enable us to seamlessly
integrate our award-winning technology with other existing network
services to further enhance search and navigation on the web for both
content providers and Internet users."

"ICAP has the potential to enable global distribution of content
delivery and application services. As client and server
implementations of ICAP become more widespread, it will enable device
independence, global performance and local personalization on the
Web. These advances will broaden both the scale and quality of access
to the Web as its user base continues to expand. Companies will be
able to provide their customers and prospects with a consistent Web
experience -- regardless of where they are in the world," says Ken
Shan, chief technology officer at Idiom, Inc.

"InfoLibria is dedicated to bringing rich Web content closer to the
customer. ICAP will enhance our ability to distribute and mange
content globally in cooperation with content services providers,"
said Shyam Jha, vice president of marketing at InfoLibria.

"Ingeniux is committed to extending the power of the Internet through
ingenuity. We are interested to bring value to ICAP, an organization
we see as dedicated to streamline efficiencies of information across
the Internet, to remove barriers for emerging ideas and to provide
the leverage of ingenuity from all resources combined. This would
push the Internet to the next level. This type of initiative is one
that benefits and is welcomed by all web users," said T. Cameron
Jones, vice president, Corporate Marketing & Development, Ingeniux,
Inc.

"Just as HTTP and HTML standards enabled many developers to create
services for the Internet, ICAP's standards-based approach will
enable us to rapidly integrate network intelligence into our
Web-advertising services," said Kobi Samboursky, President iWeb.com
Inc.
"As the percentage of non-English speaking Internet users increases,
businesses must be able to communicate with their customers in local
languages and cultural formats," said Rory Cowan, CEO of Lionbridge
Technologies. "The open platform of the ICAP protocol enables
ebusinesses to deliver local language content through any Internet
access device, in any location, to any user - that's a big step
toward the true globalization of the Internet."

"The value added services initiative is a major step forward in the
emerging caching and content delivery space. By providing this open
approach to enhance network services, ISPs and enterprises will be
able to deploy scalable, reliable, open and extensible
architectures," said James Lau, co-founder and CTO of Network
Appliance.
"Network Associates recognizes the growing need for easy to implement
and manage security appliances, such as our WebShield E-ppliance
family of anti-virus, firewall and VPN plug-and-play hardware
devices," said Gene Hodges, vice president of McAfee Total Virus
Defense at Network Associates. "The ICAP standard will offer
customers and service providers another way to easily ensure the
security of e-business networks."

"With the explosion of Web-based media and proliferation of
customized Internet access devices, users are consuming Internet
content in increasingly personalized ways," said Drew Major, chief
scientist and vice president, Novell Inc. "By actively participating
in the ICAP initiative, Novell and our partners will address this
trend and accelerate the adoption of a whole new class of in-the-flow
value-added Internet services such as Web content transformation,
multimedia streaming and advertisement injection."

"N2H2 is excited about leveraging our extensive proxy network with a
variety of valuable new services," said Kevin Fink, co-founder and
CTO of N2H2, Inc. "ICAP will facilitate integration of N2H2 content
filtering with ICAP-compliant hardware platforms and services, to
provide superior solutions for all our customers."

"We're excited by the opportunity to join forces with other industry
leaders in delivering a solution that will enhance the distribution
of rich media streaming applications across the broadband Internet.
Through ICAP, our technologies and solutions will enable end-to-end,
constraint free streaming of rich media over the Internet," said
Yehuda Elmaliach, chief technology officer of Optibase. "Optibase is
committed to contribute its expertise in the field of video and media
streaming over networks to the success of the ICAP Forum initiative."

"We are pleased to be part of this consortium, a first of its kind
joint effort by all the key players in the caching space," said
Thomas Kurian, Oracle vice president of e-Business.
"Oracle expertise in this space coupled with support for open systems
makes this effort compelling. This will enhance the performance and
scalability of the Internet and content-rich web sites."

"As the leading e-commerce ASP, Pandesic is continually working with
our merchants to improve the consumer shopping experience," said
Patrick Holmes, Chief Technologist at Pandesic, LLC, the engine
driving over 100 e-businesses. "This consistent approach to
implementing value-added services will enable more quality services
and faster adoption of those services."

"We are excited to be part of the movement for open standards-based
protocols," said Devin Hosea, CEO of Predictive Networks. "Our
alignment with ISPs of all types means that our individually targeted
and fully addressable content delivery universe will expand as these
protocols are implemented."

"RuleSpace and its ICAP partners understand that a manageable,
scalable Internet is only possible if intelligence is built directly
into the network infrastructure. Having an awareness of what content
is passing through the network is critical to achieving this goal,"
stated Charlie Kawasaki, president and CEO, RuleSpace, Inc. "The ICAP
initiative enables RuleSpace categorization services to tightly
integrate with other network elements and deliver a better online
experience."
"Secure Computing is in the business of providing safe, secure
extranets for e-businesses," said Tom Haigh, CTO of Secure Computing.
"Fast, scalable e-commerce security can be built on ICAP-based
vectoring to devices that securely filter and enhance content."

"Content is King on the Web and adaptive content will enable a rich
variety of Web-based services on content routing networks.
SightPath's intelligent content delivery products let enterprises and
service providers bring value-added content delivery and routing
services to their audience," said Jim O'Toole, chief technology
officer at SightPath. "ICAP will improve those content routing
networks and simplify interoperability with delivery devices of the
new millennium."

"Vignette is focused on automating the customer's side of e-business
interactions by removing all the anxiety and work associated with
being an online customer," said Bill Daniel, Vignette's senior vice
president of products. "The ICAP standard supports this principle by
shortening the distance between e-businesses and their customers."

"WWWhoosh! is one example of internet acceleration technology that
can be deployed using ICAP," said Clinton Battersby, President of
WWWhoosh, Inc. "The ICAP initiative facilitates rapid integration of
emerging technology and provides a modular approach for building high
performance content delivery networks."

###
The release contains information about future expectations, plans and
prospects of Akamai's management that constitute forward-looking
statements for purposes of the safe harbor provisions under The
Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Actual results may
differ materially from those indicated by these forward-looking
statements as a result of various important factors including, but
not limited to, the dependence on Akamai's Internet content delivery
service, a failure of its network infrastructure, the complexity of
its service and the networks on which the service is deployed, the
failure to obtain access to transmission capacity, the failure of
eBusinesses to use the application services, the risk that the IETF
will not standardize ICAP, and other factors that are discussed in
the Company's Registration Statement on Form S-1 and other documents
periodically filed with the SEC.