Data Backup Digest

As using the cloud to backup data becomes more and more popular, businesses are starting to take better care of the nuts and bolts of their Internet usage. Slow connection speeds or excess bandwidth usage were minor annoyances at one time, but when access to your everyday data comes at the mercy of your Internet connection, it's easy to see why companies are getting serious about refining their usage. One way to make sure your cloud backups aren't coming at the cost of a responsive network is to make use of a WAN accelerator.

A WAN accelerator could be a physical hardware component, or a piece of software. Its function is to pick through the data being transmitted over the network to make sure that unnecessary information isn't slowing down the process. Like the web cache in your internet browser, the accelerator looks for files that have been duplicated — when it finds one, it removes the need to download it once again by directing the device in question to the original document. This makes sure that bandwidth isn't been used up without good reason.

Previously, WAN accelerators required a physical component on each end of the connection. Now, technology has advanced such that its functionality can be taken care of quite capably by software solutions. This makes taking advantage of a WAN accelerator much easier — the same benefits that once required new equipment to be installed can now come from the download of an app in many instances.

Today's most common way to make sure your WAN is optimized is to purchase the services of a company that specializes in this sort of practice. However, there are considerations to be made with regards to quality of service. Connection speeds can fluctuate constantly, so it's often difficult to know just how much benefit you're getting from such a procedure. Make sure to research any service thoroughly, and ask the right questions when you're talking to a representative.

Make sure that your bandwidth is going to be available when you want it, and for the purposes you want it for. Find out whether the WAN accelerator service you're investigating employs any traffic shaping techniques — they can help you set aside particular applications as having the greatest bandwidth requirements. This can allow you to put resources where they're needed, and prevent frivolous use of the Internet from interfering with work.

It's also important to check whether your ISP is using any bandwidth throttling strategies. Making sure that your usage is optimized is important, but using a WAN accelerator won't have its greatest effect if you're already under restrictions from a third party. Bandwidth is throttled in a variety of ways, with peak times and kinds of data being the most common criteria. If you're looking to invest in a WAN accelerator service, make sure that you lay the right groundwork beforehand. An accelerator can make sure your network is running at full capacity — but for the best results, it should be in its best working order to begin with.