Service puts rollout plans to the test

Shunra Software and Expand Networks to help firms smooth roll out of new WAN applications

Network simulation and assurance vendor Shunra Software and application acceleration vendor Expand Networks have teamed up to help firms achieve desired service levels when rolling out new WAN infrastructure, applications and other IT projects.

The two firms will work together to provide proof-of-concept test systems for customers. This could, for example, ensure that WAN hardware for the branch offices of distributed enterprises support optimal application performance, according to the vendors.

Expand Networks said the joint systems would not be limited to just testing WAN application acceleration and branch office scenarios, but would also be useful for other critical IT projects, such as datacentre consolidation, server relocation, web applications deployment and disaster recovery initiatives.

Shunra chief Boaz Grinvald, said the alliance would enable customers to address complex performance requirements before rolling out any expensive hardware and would give them some confidence that their applications would meet service-level objectives when deployed.

Expand’s Compass platform incorporates WAN optimisation, application acceleration, security, wide area file services (Wafs) and management functions, while Shunra’s software allows internet environments to be simulated for most types of connection.

Arun Taneja of analyst Taneja said that the Shunra/Expand proof-of-concept system would help firms to avoid buying too much equipment and could also “save weeks or months of time while delivering predictable performance to the remote user”.