Sandpiper Networks Inc, the main competitor to Akamai Technologies Inc in internet content delivery systems, has added RealSystem G2 from RealNetworks Inc to its Footprint service. That means Footprint can now provide live and on-demand streaming media programming to Sandpiper clients. The service aims to make web site performance two to 10 times faster by distributing content from its global network of 375 servers and by exploiting Inktomi Corp’s Traffic Server software. Sandpiper has now signed CNBC.com, E! Online, Intuit and LATimes.com to Footprint, while Akamai’s rival service Free Flow, which relies on Apple Computer Inc’s Quicktime for its streaming media, boasts CNN, Infoseek, Go Network and About.com as customers. á
