You’ve likely heard of content delivery networks (CDNs), but have you
heard of application delivery networks? Where a content delivery
network is used to accelerate the delivery of content (such as webpages,
graphics, files, and streaming media) around the world by hosting
copies of the content on a network of servers located in geographically
diverse data centers, an application delivery network optimizes the
delivery of applications to end-users. It typically uses a blend of Web application acceleration and optimization technologies to improve an application’s availability, security, visibility, and CIFS performance.
Application delivery network providers use a variety of optimization
techniques including: TCP multiplexing, TCP optimization, and data
compression and caching. In addition, numerous security, reliability,
and availability techniques are used including: SSL and PKI, resource
cloaking, IP filtering, delayed binding, application firewalls, fault
tolerance, load balancing, and advanced health checking (Source: Application Delivery Network by Aryaka).
While all of these optimization techniques are performed behind the
scenes, they work together to improve the delivery of applications
across the application delivery network.
Web application acceleration becomes increasingly important for
enterprises with a large base of remote employees or users scattered
around the globe, especially when large files and long distances are
involved. With an application delivery network, globally distributed
“points of presence” are used to create a global network that optimizes
the performance for any IP application across large distances.
IP acceleration technologies solve the problem of congestion-based
high latency, sluggish HTTP and CIFS performance, and packet loss that
often occurs over the public Internet. Instead of suffering through poor
application performance, high support costs, and the inefficient use of
your applications, consider using an application delivery network. Many
reputable providers offer application delivery as a service, allowing
you to enjoy benefits such as fast deployment, scalability, integrated
access to public and private cloud services, and improved application
performance around the world at a low, pay-as-you-go cost.