* Route control picks best ISP paths
Last week, we discussed a fairly new IP product category called “route analytics.” Note that route-analytics products, which tap into routing protocol information to monitor and troubleshoot Layer 3 paths, differ from a function often generically referred to as “route control.”
Where route analytics is primarily about high availability, route control is more about choosing the highest-performing and lowest-cost Internet path when there are two or more to select from.
Route-control products focus on optimizing Internet paths taken by traffic passing through WAN routers multihomed to different ISP networks using the Border Gateway Protocol (BGP). In general, route-control products, which often come in the form of WAN-edge appliances, will do a super-fast roundtrip ping across the various links available, determine the fastest route at that moment and choose the best path based on performance (and cost).
There are several companies that participate in this area. Among them are Route Science, netVmg, Opnix, Proficient Networks and Sockeye Networks.
Some of these companies’ products proactively load-balance traffic across ISP links 1) to avoid bursting above contracted commitment levels, or 2) to distribute traffic evenly across all available links to avoid congestion. Based on your policy, the products could also opt to favor low-cost or preferred service providers or account for other variables when determining the best ISP path.
Proficient, for example, recently upgraded its Pathfinder software, which runs on the company’s Network Policy Engine appliance, to also account for inbound traffic volumes and use that information as a parameter in balancing traffic loads. The motivation for adding this function is that some ISPs bill based on total volume of traffic, both sent and delivered.
