Upcoming Events

Cloud Connect
Santa Clara
Feb 13-16, 2012

Cloud Connect brings together the entire cloud eco-system to better understand the transformation we're experiencing and promises to be the defining event of the cloud computing industry. Learn about the latest cloud technologies and platforms from thought leaders in Cloud Connect’s comprehensive conference.

Register Now!

R E V I E W

Warding off WAN Gridlock

November 15, 2002
By Mike DeMaria

>> continued from previous page

Executive Summary

	Issue TOC
	Print full article
	Print this page
	Download as PDF
	E-Mail this URL
	Flame the author

	In this article
	Introduction
	Don't Say We Didn't Warn You
	Packeteer PacketShaper 4500
	Products Reviewed
	Executive Summary
	Politics, Law and the Traffic-Shaping Admin
	How We Tested
	SIDBAR: Make Your Case
	Report Card

WAN bandwidth is expensive, but when congestion occurs, some administrators simply throw cash at the situation. This approach, however, doesn't address the underlying problem. Until you gain granular control over the way packets are prioritized, you'll be playing a zero-sum game, with users gobbling up your pricey bandwidth as fast as you bring it online. Moreover, as latency-sensitive applications, such as VoIP and videoconferencing, become more common and have to contend with FTP and P2P traffic for throughput, even fat pipes won't guarantee QoS.

What can give you the edge? Bandwidth management products, which rein in bandwidth-hogging applications, smooth out bursty traffic and guarantee minimum throughput for those users, groups or protocols you designate. We tested traffic shapers from Allot Communications, Lightspeed Systems, Packeteer, Radware and Sitara and gave Packeteer's product our Editor's Choice award for its granularity in setting policies, impressive classification engine and intuitive user interface.