Cisco has finally allowed itself to be identified as an investor in GridNetworks, a provider of managed Internet TV delivery services.

GridNetworks held a Series A funding in October, led by Panorama Capital, during which it raised $9.5 million.

The company has a third investor that has yet to be identified. The company did not specify how much each investor contributed.

Where well-established peer-to-peer (P2P) technologies (e.g. BitTorrent) are entirely driven by the peers involved, several companies are looking at developing P2P networks that are network mediated to assure both content quality and content security.
 
GridNetworks has devised a means of distributing high-definition (HD)-quality video via the Internet. What the company is calling “GridCasting” relies on P2P client software, called the GridCast Connector, and Grid Network Control, described as a network-hosted system that orchestrates real-time service management and network-friendly video streams.

The company said the system will support millions of viewers simultaneously watching HD content via Internet broadband connections without re-buffering or interruptions. Video can be viewed on a TV, PC or other device.

Although GridNetworks mentions that service operators can take advantage of its GridCasting system, it appears to be appealing directly to content developers and owners.

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