Today's WAN optimization customers want performance measurement integrated into their WAN optimization platform rather than buying it as a standalone solution. In NetForecast's recent survey on the future of application delivery systems, 69 percent of respondents told us they want performance measurement integrated into their WAN optimization platform. Vendors should take note and act accordingly.
When we asked those already deploying WAN optimization in their networks what capabilities they would prefer to have integrated into a WAN optimization platform, measurement topped the list at 72 percent, and control (i.e. QoS) was next in line with 59 percent of current users saying they want it integrated into their WAN optimization platform.
Among those not yet using WAN optimization, the desire for integration is not quite as strongly felt, and the order of what they wanted was reversed. Among non-users QoS beat out measurement at 63 percent, with 58 percent wanting measurement. Since these respondents have no hands-on experience with WAN optimization, it makes sense that they would not see the benefit of integrating functions into a single platform quite as strongly. And because they don't yet optimize performance at all, the need to measure performance is not as keenly felt.
But the fact that 72 percent of those with hands-on WAN optimization experience want measurement served up as a package with acceleration is irrefutable. Not only is this what customers want, integrating performance measurement serves vendors' interests because it allows them to showcase the performance improvement they deliver. So go do it!
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Requires a Benchmark Test of Applications Accelerated & Secured
Dear Sir,
In the last 2 months, most of our prospective customers are requesting some benchmark test of some applications accelerated and secured. The applications are ERP, Oracle/SQL, compressed Citrix, Lotus Notes, etc.
If you have that kind of report/benchmark results, it'll be highly appreciated.
Thanks & regards,
Bambang H. Purnomo
Interesting stuff... An
Interesting stuff...
An integrated solution where monitoring and QoS are part of the device by default is only of any use where all the functions are aware of what the other is doing. There is no point having the best QoS on the market if it is not aware of how the compression engine is handling specific traffic types, and likewise the compression engine needs to be aware of what is happening on a congested WAN. It is also necessary to ensure that the QoS mechanism is focusing on the correct traffic flows, manipulating traffic after compression is not relevant to what is happening on the LAN, this is where QoS is most relevant to business critical applications. It is also preferable to have the ability to monitor and prioritize at Layer-7, many applications utilize the same delivery mechanism be it http, ICA etc so being able to distinguish and correctly assign the proper priority to these applications becomes more and more important.
There will also be cases where QoS has been implemented on the WAN, MPLS for example not only prioritizes applications but can also ensure low latency paths across backbone infrastructures, in these cases it may be necessary to mark or label the relevant packets to ensure that they are handled accordingly within the cloud. However, within the classes provided by the carrier it would then also be preferable to use the integrated QoS of the WAN Optimizer to be able to prioritize within these carrier classes.
Of course the ability to provide this level of QoS is only worthwhile if you know what is happening across the WAN. As with the QoS element any monitoring needs to take place before compression, as this is what the users are experiencing, the distribution of applications after compression is not relevant to the business critical applications.
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