Content delivery provider Limelight Networks (limelightnetworks.com) handled its largest-ever audience for online streaming video, with the help of worldwide news organization MSNBC.com.

A staggering number of worldwide viewers logged on to MSNBC.com for live, minute-by-minute updates regarding the passing of Pope John Paul II and the subsequent election of his successor, Pope Benedict XVI, says Limelight. As the Vatican declared a new Pope, a record number of over 100,000 streams were logged, with traffic reaching more than 21 Gbps.

"The Limelight network was built to support just the sort of remarkable surges in audience that MSNBC.com recently experienced with its live coverage of events at the Vatican," said Erik Gabler, vice president of business development for Limelight Networks. "The traffic levels we supported for MSNBC.com's Live Vatican coverage were not only a record for us, but we believe they also marked an industry milestone - never before has a single content delivery network supported live video traffic of over 21 Gbps for a single customer."