What do I need to consider when selecting an application delivery optimization tool?

When selecting application delivery optimization tools and solutions suitable for your own environment, what problems need to be clarified? This article describes the issues that should be clarified to the supplier.

1. What physical devices, Virtual Devices, mobile/desktop clients, and cloud services do you have? On which platforms can these software run? What is the solution authorization method? Do you need to implement some professional services?

2. What protocols can your solution accelerate? What technologies and standards do you have to support protocol optimization? What is the difference between your optimization method and similar products? What are their advantages? Can your solution optimize TCP, UDP, and IP traffic? (List the protocols you are most interested in: HTTP, HTTPS, CIFS, NFS, SNFS, DFS, ICA/HDX, RDP/RemoteFX, FCoIP, and email protocol .)

3. Can your solution reduce traffic? If yes, which method does it use? Can this compression be performed across streaming media and devices? How does your solution handle compressed traffic?

4. Does your solution support traffic setting and priority assignment? What traffic can it adjust? Can it interact with other QoS mechanisms?

5. Does your solution support data packet sorting and packet loss mitigation?

6. Can your solution process encrypted data? Do you want to encrypt the traffic in some way?

7. How does your solution optimize the voice IP (VoIP) protocol, video chat, Microsoft Lync/OCS, and Multicast Video Streaming Media?

8. Please explain how your solution supports the Web cache Session Protocol (WCCP) and peripheral deployment model.

9. Does your solution support source/Target addressing and port transparency?

10. How does your solution adapt to a network security infrastructure? Does the firewall device/Access Control List affect your solutions, or does the solution affect them? What about NAT devices?

11. Can your solution read/set the QoS mark (DSCP, IP priority/TOS) of IP data packets and the service type bit of the RST frame? Can it transmit them without any changes?

12. Does your solution provide native IPv6 support for all services and functions? If not, what aspects do IPv6 not support?

13. What is the recommended configuration for 100% online network time?

14. How do you use your company's resources to support unexpected problems on your site?

15. How should we manage your solutions? How much training is required for efficient management? Please describe your CLI, Web GUI, SSH/TFTP/SNMP access, system log usage, features of the central management platform/console, and custom support.

16. How does your solution support Standard Directories and authentication mechanisms, such as LDAP, AD, Kerberos, and TACACS?

17. How much of your solution is integrated with our management tools and APM tools? Does your solution provide some critical values and alert notifications? Can your solution send notifications through various forms (email, SMS, and page?

18. Does your solution support instant patching without service interruption? Does it require that the platform be stopped or restarted? Describe the patch distribution process.