WAN Optimization

WAN optimization is about improving the performance of business applications over Wide Area Network connections. While bandwidth continues to represent a significant proportion of operating expense for wide-area data networks, organizations are tasked to manage this traffic and optimize response times of business critical applications, while reducing recurring costs. While gaining control on bandwidth cost is a driver in considering this technology, bandwidth cost control should not be the sole consideration. Aligning the allocation of WAN resources to business critical needs is also important.

As server and network resources are increasingly centralized in the data center, minimizing the effect of latency on application response times is a critical requirement. In addition, new application environments, like browser-based applications and Web services, can put an unforeseen strain on the network and burden any ROI with losses in productivity due to latency issues.

WAN optimization solutions can also help maximize return on the investment in WAN bandwidth and sometimes avoid the need for costly bandwidth upgrades. To achieve these objectives, LiquidSpoke can assist any organization by building solutions that will:

Compress WAN traffic, thereby reducing bandwidth requirements.
Prioritize business-critical traffic, through Quality Of Service (QOS) policing and traffic shaping, thus ensuring fair access for mission-critical applications during periods of WAN congestion.

Different types of traffic and IT architecture present both opportunities and difficulties for improving the response times of crucial applications, examples follow:

Traffic that isn't time-sensitive, like personal Web access, backups, and in some instances e-mail, can swamp WAN links, leading to slow response times for mission-critical applications.
Centralization of branch office servers and data centers can expose latency-sensitive protocols, again leading to slow response times.
File transfers, operating system patch distribution and similar applications, such as the delivery of videos, can quickly saturate wide area links.
Recurring transmission of the same, or similar, files, or data patterns are opportunities for data compression algorithms.

Regardless of the type of traffic or applications running, LiquidSpoke brings a solution. Contact us today to discuss the right product for your organization, and arrange for a demonstration.