WAN optimization (WAN acceleration)

What is WAN optimization?

WAN optimization, also known as WAN acceleration, is the category of technologies and techniques used to maximize the efficiency of data flow across a wide area network (WAN). In an enterprise WAN, the goal of optimization is to increase the speed of access to critical applications and information.

Download this free guide

How SDN is Transforming WAN Operations: Free Handbook

Access our handbook now to navigate the waters of SDN in the WAN, with tips on overcoming implementation challenges, use cases for SD-WAN, and how to adjust to the altered network engineering career prospects that result.

Start Download

• Corporate E-mail Address:

  You forgot to provide an Email Address.

  This email address doesn’t appear to be valid.

  This email address is already registered. Please login.

  You have exceeded the maximum character limit.

  Please provide a Corporate E-mail Address.

• • I agree to TechTarget’s Terms of Use, Privacy Policy, and the transfer of my information to the United States for processing to provide me with relevant information as described in our Privacy Policy.

  Please check the box if you want to proceed.

• • I agree to my information being processed by TechTarget and its Partners to contact me via phone, email, or other means regarding information relevant to my professional interests. I may unsubscribe at any time.

  Please check the box if you want to proceed.

By submitting my Email address I confirm that I have read and accepted the Terms of Use and Declaration of Consent.

WAN optimization encompasses:

• traffic shaping, in which traffic is prioritized and bandwidth is allotted accordingly.
• data deduplication, which reduces the data that must be sent across a WAN for remote backups, replication, and disaster recovery.
• compression, which shrinks the size of data to limit bandwidth use.
• data caching, in which frequently used data is hosted locally or on a local server for faster access.
• monitoring the network to detect non-essential traffic.
• creating and enforcing rules about downloads and Internet use.
• protocol spoofing, which is a method of bundling chatty protocols so they are, in effect, a single protocol.

WAN optimization vendors include Blue Coat Systems, Cisco, Expand Networks, F5 Networks, Juniper and Riverbed Technology.

Learn More About IT:
> Michael Morisy explains WAN optimization's potential for telecoms.
> SearchNetworkingChannel.com has collected WAN optimization learning resources in this tutorial.
> Wiley offers this WAN optimization ebook.