Market news: Gear, funding, certifications

Network Optimization This newsletter is sponsored Gateway Virtual Server Management: Weighing the options Learn about an array of exciting new time-saving tools that make it possible to manage virtual servers in a similar way as physical servers by watching the latest Network World Editorial Perspectives Webcast. Click here to watch! Network World's Network Optimization Newsletter, 07/24/07 Market news: Gear, funding, certifications By Ann Bednarz A sure sign the WAN optimization market is maturing is the availability of gear aimed at enterprises that don’t necessarily have the largest networks or the biggest IT budgets. The latest vendor to expand its entry-level offerings is A10 Networks, which last week unveiled two new versions of its application acceleration switch: the AX Series 2000 and the AX Series 2100. A10’s AX Series application acceleration switches combine server load balancing and monitoring capabilities. Central to each model is the company’s Advanced Core Operating System (ACOS), which is tuned for multiple CPUs with multiple cores and enables functions including TCP connection acceleration, SSL acceleration and packet buffer management. Both the Series 2000 and Series 2100 models are 2U appliances. The AX 2000 has two CPUs, 2GB of memory, eight Gigabit copper ports, two Gigabit fiber ports, and an 80GB hard drive. The AX 2100 has four CPUs, 2GB of memory, eight Gigabit copper ports, four Gigabit fiber ports, and dual 80GB Raid 1 hard drives. Manage Skyrocketing Storage The data on your network is growing at a rapid pace that's only going to increase. Download Network World's latest Executive Guide and get the practical, real-world advice and insider information you need to best manage and meet your storage demands and industry regulations. Click here to download. A10 was founded in 2004 by CEO Lee Chen, who previously co-founded Foundry Networks and Centillion Networks. In May, A10’s AX Series appliances took top honors in the “Best of Interop” awards program, in the application networks and performance category. In other WAN optimization news, Certeon last week announced it secured $15 million in venture funding. The Series B round, led by RRE Ventures, will be used to expand sales and marketing, the company says. Sigma Partners, Globespan Capital, Dow Employees' Pension Plan and Union Carbide Employees' Pension Plan also participated in the round. Launched in February 2006, Certeon offers its S-Series application acceleration appliances, which are outfitted with the company’s Application Acceleration Blueprints. The blueprints are built to optimize specific application environments, including Microsoft SharePoint, Microsoft Office and EMC Documentum and Oracle E-Business. Lastly, to round out the latest WAN optimization news, Riverbed Technology and Citrix Systems separately have announced new certification programs for users of their respective technologies. Riverbed created the Certified Solutions Professional program to recognize individuals who demonstrate competency in the theory, configuration, maintenance and troubleshooting of its Riverbed Optimization System (RiOS) product suite. RiOS is the software platform that powers Riverbed's line of Steelhead appliances. For its part, Citrix announced two Citrix Certified Administrator (CCA) certification tracks: CCA for Citrix NetScaler 8 and CCA for Citrix Access Gateway 8 Enterprise Edition. These are the first certifications focused on the NetScaler application delivery platform.   What do you think? Post a comment on this newsletter

TODAY'S MOST-READ STORIES: 1. Cisco: its gear caused Duke's iPhone flooding 2. 11 corporate anthems to die for 3. HP to acquire Opsware in $1.6B deal 4. 12 IT skills that employers can't say no to 5. Hogwarts IT director quits 6. Microsoft 'silently' restores root certificates 7. Cisco facing up to challenges 8. Duke CIO releases statement on disruptions 9. Security team claims successful iPhone hack 10. Readers speculate on Duke's iPhone problem MOST E-MAILED STORY: Hogwarts IT director quits

Contact the author: Ann Bednarz is an associate news editor at Network World responsible for editing daily news content. She previously covered enterprise applications, e-commerce and telework trends for Network World. E-mail Ann. This newsletter is sponsored Gateway Virtual Server Management: Weighing the options Learn about an array of exciting new time-saving tools that make it possible to manage virtual servers in a similar way as physical servers by watching the latest Network World Editorial Perspectives Webcast. Click here to watch! ARCHIVE Archive of the Network Optimization Newsletter. BONUS FEATURE IT PRODUCT RESEARCH AT YOUR FINGERTIPS Get detailed information on thousands of products, conduct side-by-side comparisons and read product test and review results with Network World’s IT Buyer’s Guides. Find the best solution faster than ever with over 100 distinct categories across the security, storage, management, wireless, infrastructure and convergence markets. Click here for details. PRINT SUBSCRIPTIONS AVAILABLE You've got the technology snapshot of your choice delivered to your inbox each day. Extend your knowledge with a print subscription to the Network World newsweekly, Apply here today. International subscribers, click here. SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES To subscribe or unsubscribe to any Network World newsletter, change your e-mail address or contact us, click here. This message was sent to: networking.world@gmail.com. Please use this address when modifying your subscription. Advertising information: Write to Associate Publisher Online Susan Cardoza Network World, Inc., 118 Turnpike Road, Southborough, MA 01772 Copyright Network World, Inc., 2007