As we said in our June 2007 analysis of SOA infrastructure, the performance overhead of virtualization means that a virtual appliance can't match the performance of a dedicated blade server, let alone one with custom XML silicon. Near term, this means virtualized offerings are more likely to be used for testing and integration, though improvements in hardware—in particular, new hardware-assisted virtualization from Intel and AMD—will gradually make them more practical for large production deployments.
Unlike Vordel and Xtradyne, Layer 7 also makes other XML appliances intended for use deeper within a SOA. These would have less value as virtual appliances, as their main selling point is hardware acceleration of functions that can also be performed by other software, such as ESBs and SOA management suites.
Andy Dornan is a senior technology editor for Network Computing. Write to him at [email protected].
By combining resources and expertise, the AI-Enabled ICT Workforce Consortium will offer a blueprint for how industries can adapt to an AI-dominated future.
IT leaders should heed the guidance of cybersecurity insurance providers who think businesses should prioritize security education, incident preparedness, regular internal audits, and ongoing vulnerability scanning and patching.
There are many network courses that can address your present job's priorities and help you gain the needed skills to keep pace with industry changes and new technologies.
