* As more employees telecommute, how will that impact application performance strategies?
Growing numbers of employees are becoming teleworkers, at least part time. Just in the last two years the number of Americans whose employer allows them to work remotely at least one day per month increased 63% to 12.4 million, according to a new report from WorldatWork, an international association of human resources professionals.
Growing numbers of employees are becoming teleworkers, at least part time. Just in the last two years the number of Americans whose employer allows them to work remotely at least one day per month increased 63% to 12.4 million, according to a new report from WorldatWork, an international association of human resources professionals.
When I read that statistic last week I wondered what it means for enterprises’ WAN optimization and application acceleration strategies.
Certainly a trend among vendors has been to create performance-enhancing technologies geared for smaller and smaller corporate sites. So-called “branch in a box” appliances from Blue Coat Systems and other vendors combine server and WAN optimization controller (WOC) functions to boost application availability and response time for remote employees who need access to centrally run systems and processes.
These appliances are intended for installation in multiple distributed sites where IT assistance is likely scarce, so it seems entirely feasible for a company to deploy such a device in the home of a full-time telecommuter who needs better performance.
But that logic doesn’t hold true for the armies of employees who only intend to telework occasionally — one day per month is hardly justification for placing an acceleration device in the home.
To tackle this population, vendors such as Intelligent Compression Technologies and Stampede Technologies are offering WAN optimization software geared for laptops and consumer broadband connections. Research firm Gartner predicts the industry will see growth in such “soft WOC clients” that allow single remote PC users to take advantage of key WAN optimization capabilities.
These products are still in the early stages, for the most part, and it remains to be seen how quickly they might catch on. I’d be interested in hearing from early adopters who have found a solution for boosting WAN performance for home-based and mobile employees. If you’d like to share your experience, please send your comments my way.
