Distributed cloud delivery company Akamai is buying DNS specialist Nominum

Akamai, a prominent player in distributed content delivery, is buying privately-owned DNS specialist in order to boost its security offering and its telco channel.

Nominum’s focus on the Domain Name System gives it novel insight into internet traffic and thus cyber security matters, and the operator channel has been one of its key targets. Akamai provides content distributors with a distributed cloud platform that allows them to serve their content from servers closer to the consumer, and thus more quickly.

There have been a growing number of security incidents involving both the content-owner and the operator industries, while at the same time those two worlds are increasingly colliding through both M&A, such as AT&T and Time Warner, and the fact that viewing habits are increasingly on-demand and thus reliant on telecoms rather than broadcast networks.

“Akamai knows how critical it is for carriers and enterprises to ensure their online experiences are safe, reliable and fast for their users,” said Robert Blumofe, EVP, Platform and GM of the Enterprise and Carrier Division at Akamai. “We believe this acquisition is a key investment in our security capabilities because Nominum will bring complementary technology, engineering, technical support and sales talent to better reach and serve our carrier partners and their enterprise customers.” Nominum hasn’t said anything yet.

The price of this all-cash acquisition hasn’t been published, but that aside this move seems to make sense. As well as the confluence of content and telecoms, the broader tech world is moving wholesale towards the distributed cloud – something that is in Akamai’s DNA. If as a result of this acquisition Akamai not only augments its core offering, but positions itself at the centre of those broader trends then it will surely be viewed as a success.