Thunder ADC: 10 Reasons to Select A10 WHITE PAPER

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1 Thunder ADC: 10 Reasons to Select A10 WHITE PAPER

2 Table of Contents 10 Reasons to Select A10 Thunder Application Delivery Controllers (ADCs)...3 The Right Choice ACOS Peformance and Scalability Exceptionally High SSL Performance Beyond Load Balancing: Advanced Application Delivery and Security Features All-inclusive Licensing Security and DDoS Protection acloud Services Architecture Superior Hardware Design Virtualization and Form Factor Choice Flexible Scripting High-Touch Support...7 Summary...7 About A10 Networks...7 Awards...7 Disclaimer This document does not create any express or implied warranty about A10 Networks or about its products or services, including but not limited to fitness for a particular use and noninfringement. A10 Networks has made reasonable efforts to verify that the information contained herein is accurate, but A10 Networks assumes no responsibility for its use. All information is provided as-is. The product specifications and features described in this publication are based on the latest information available; however, specifications are subject to change without notice, and certain features may not be available upon initial product release. Contact A10 Networks for current information regarding its products or services. A10 Networks products and services are subject to A10 Networks standard terms and conditions. 2

3 10 Reasons to Select A10 Thunder Application Delivery Controllers (ADCs) The A10 Thunder ADC product line of high-performance, next-generation application delivery controllers enables customers applications to be highly available, accelerated and secure. Over 3,000 enterprises and service providers trust A10 Thunder ADC for their network needs, and A10 has risen to become the number one market share leader in Japan and number three market share leader worldwide for application delivery. Many features and benefits have driven A10 s impressive growth; this white paper maps out why the A10 Thunder ADC is the preferred choice for so many organizations. The Right Choice A10 Thunder ADCs stand out from alternative solutions by delivering extremely high scalability, unique networking features, flexible deployment options and low total cost of ownership. With its industry-first, all-inclusive licensing model, A10 Thunder offers operational simplicity and predictability. A10 empowers IT professionals with the right solutions to concentrate on key business goals instead of complex vendor restrictions and platform deficiencies. The top ten reasons to select A10 Thunder include: 1. ACOS performance and scalability 2. Exceptionally high SSL performance 3. Beyond load balancing: advanced application delivery and security features 4. All-inclusive licensing 5. Security and Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) protection 6. acloud services architecture 7. Superior hardware design 8. Virtualization and form factor choice 9. Flexible scripting 10. High-touch support 1 ACOS Peformance and Scalability Advanced Core Operating System (ACOS ) is A10 s competitive advantage and its key differentiator for delivering efficient networking. ACOS enables: Faster performance in a more compact form factor Green networking through less power per unit to deliver superior performance Space and energy savings versus competitor platforms with 4x the hardware and 7x the size ACOS is a unique operating system developed for modern technologies. ACOS Scalable Symmetrical Multicore Processing (SSMP) architecture is a product of a shared memory, 64-bit operating multicore system. It differs from competitive offerings because it is the only solution to use an advanced, high-speed shared memory architecture for maximum efficiency. This is the core foundation for all ACOS operations, ensuring a highly efficient, linear and decoupled architecture that eliminates inefficient inter-process communication (IPC). ACOS enables hardware to deliver more performance and to scale, which allows A10 to provide efficiency and highly reliable systems at lower costs. 2 Exceptionally High SSL Performance A10 Thunder ADC delivers very fast SSL performance that satisfies the most demanding data center performance and SSL offload requirements. A10 Thunder ADC uses the latest generation of SSL security processors. 500% performance increase enables encrypted SSL to be utilized everywhere. De facto performance parity between essential 2048-bit keys and 1024-bit encryption keys delivers a competitive advantage. A10 Thunder appliances with dedicated SSL acceleration hardware use the very latest generation of security processors. The latest generation shows impressive performance gains for 2048-bit asymmetric key sizes, which is essential now that 2048-bit keys are the industry standard. Thunder appliances offer a more cost-effective solution when compared to alternative solutions, which can suffer up to 700% performance degradation when transitioning from 1024-bit to 2048-bit keys. The performance parity between 1024-bit and 2048-bit keys in the new processors is dramatic; an equivalent entry level A10 Thunder appliance has 500% more SSL performance for 2048-bit keys compared to the previous generation of SSL acceleration hardware. Furthermore, Thunder appliances can easily handle SSL traffic encrypted with 4096-bit keys. 3

4 3 Beyond Load Balancing: Advanced Application Delivery and Security Features A10 Thunder ADC represents the next generation of application delivery, providing unique capabilities that enable customers to: Consolidate functionality and eliminate multiple costly point products Reduce overall network latency with fewer devices and network hops Extend the life of existing equipment with feature and traffic offload In the 1990s, as millions of users flocked to the Internet, organizations quickly adopted server load balancing to distribute traffic and handle burgeoning server demands. Soon, load balancers began to incorporate important features like acceleration, caching and compression, and a new category called application delivery controllers (ADCs) emerged. Since that time, ADCs have become an essential part of application deployments, improving application scale and performance, and maximizing uptime. A10 Thunder ADC represents the latest progression in the evolution of application delivery, introducing industry-first capabilities that solve availability, acceleration and security challenges. A10 Thunder ADC delivers advanced features such as SSL Insight (SI) that improve security and visibility. SSL Insight leverages security processors in Thunder ADC appliances to decrypt outbound traffic, send unencrypted data to security devices for inspection, and then re-encrypt traffic and forward it to the end user. Thunder ADC provides a more secure networking environment by enabling third-party security devices to inspect encrypted content. Using SI, Thunder ADC functionality exceeds the features of legacy application delivery controllers. Likewise, with more and more organizations and even entire countries facing a shortage of available Internet Protocol (IP) addresses, many are migrating to or enabling IPv6 network architectures. Unfortunately, IPv6 is not backwards compatible with IPv4, forcing organizations to support legacy IPv4 servers and devices concurrently with IPv6. A10 Thunder ADC provides valuable IPv6 to IPv4 Server Load Balancing-Protocol Translation (SLB-PT) capabilities, enabling next-generation IPv6 networks. A10 Thunder provides the following application features to meet data center challenges: Server Load Balancing (SLB), Global Server Load Balancing (GSLB), Application Delivery Partitions (ADPs) for multi-tenancy with virtualization, Web Application Firewall (WAF), DDoS protection, Application Access Management (AAM), SSL Insight (SI) and more all on a common platform and a common interface. A10 Thunder Series enhances existing networks with the power to extend the life of equipment. Deploying ADC optimization for Web servers or offloading high volume DDoS attacks from security devices helps delay costly equipment refresh cycles. A10 s comprehensive feature set eliminates point products, minimizes latency and extends the life of existing network technologies, enabling IT departments to reduce hardware and operating costs. 4 All-inclusive Licensing A10 products do not require licenses to enable features; we do not require a license to unlock functionality. Also, all performance is unrestricted in hardware appliances, unlike our competitors. This approach: Reduces cost Provides predictable OPEX and CAPEX Enables flexibility by allowing the switching of any unit at any time Supports instant new feature deployment When evaluated on a cost-per-connection basis, A10 Thunder ADC is typically one-fifth the price of competitors products. However, when equally equipped appliances are compared, competitors products can skyrocket to 24x the cost. This is a direct result of the inefficient and cumbersome feature licensing model many competitors impose to raise revenue. This approach nickel and dimes the customer even for rudimentary features, and it creates budget issues later when it becomes apparent that the initial base price does not match the higher, true operational cost. A10 customers who have experienced network downtime due to licensing issues with other vendors have peace of mind going forward with A10 s all-inclusive licensing model. For large enterprises and service providers, deployment flexibility is essential. For instance, if an additional appliance needs to be brought online at once to replace or 4

5 supplement a current appliance, a license mismatch can force all units to default to a lower capability level or even fail altogether. The last thing any harried IT professional needs is another license quagmire to navigate, especially while battling a network outage. A10 s all-inclusive feature licensing for all models ensures that any unit can be used to provide any feature, at any given time, for peace of mind and maximum uptime. 5 Security and DDoS Protection Because organizations deploy A10 Thunder ADC at the network edge, in front of critical applications, it is ideally located to protect applications from attacks. For that reason, A10 Thunder ADC includes as standard a WAF and DDoS protection capabilities. These security features offer the following benefits: Consolidation of multiple security functions in one solution Flexible Traffic Accelerator (FTA) technology and dedicated security processors, available in select hardware models to provide the highest level of performance and application protection available All-inclusive licensing that does not double customers purchase and support costs A10 Thunder ADC comes standard with multiple advanced security features, including WAF, DNS Application Firewall (DAF), next-generation DDoS protection, AAM, SI and more. While not all ADC vendors provide these features, those that have some of these features often force customers to purchase and manage multiple licenses or appliances. A10 Thunder ADC, powered by ACOS, consolidates these features into one appliance, and provides extremely high performance per rack unit. For instance, A10 Thunder 6430S mitigates 140+ Gbps of attack traffic from over 200 million nodes with 0% CPU utilization. Thunder 6430S leads the industry, delivering over 5 million connections per second; with many DDoS attacks today exceeding 10 and even 100 Gbps, DDoS security defenses must support high connection processing rates. The attack traffic is inspected using A10 s FTA technology to ensure predictable operations. This is the highest performance per rack unit of any ADC vendor in the industry for DDoS protection. Again, all features are included, and with A10 s innovative first-to-market features SI and DAF for SSL inspection and DNS protection we have a legacy of expanding the proactive protection needed as new cyber threats and challenges emerge. 6 acloud Services Architecture Businesses around the world are turning to cloud computing to lower costs and accelerate application deployment. To keep up with growing user demands, networks need to be robust and flexible. A10 s acloud Services Architecture enables advanced L4-L7 services, improved agility and reduced infrastructure costs, integrating seamlessly with cloud networking technologies to: Support Virtual Extensible LAN (VXLAN) and Network Virtualization using Generic Routing Encapsulation (NVGRE) with high-performance hardware appliances Scale out application delivery on demand with virtual appliances Leverage pay-as-you-go pricing Eliminate manual configuration of services and enforce application networking and security policies through Software Defined Networking (SDN) integration Automate provisioning and management with cloud orchestration technologies like Microsoft SCVMM, OpenStack, and VMware vcloud Director Organizations benefit from the agility and low total cost of ownership provided by the A10 acloud Services Architecture. This enables automatic provisioning of application delivery and load balancing, while adopting a license model that fits business needs. 7 Superior Hardware Design A10 Thunder Series is available on a range of hardware and software appliances that suit any deployment need. Many organizations prefer A10 s line of hardware appliances due to their high performance and long-lasting components. Enhanced design is a mindset, not a desire at A10; we are constantly motivated to deliver scalable and highly resilient solutions to our customers. For example, A10 Thunder appliances provide: 5

6 Best-in-class hardware with high density 1/10 Gbps, 40 Gbps or 100 Gbps port options, no inaccessible moving parts and compact form factors FTA technology, which offers scalable flow distribution and high-performance DDoS protection Dedicated security processors in select models for high SSL throughput Unrivalled performance per rack unit Precision appliances are packed with smart design choices and extra features enabled by hardware. Each unit is designed to fit unique market needs with increasing hardware advantages for each specific model. A10 Thunder examples include: A10 Thunder s single rack unit (RU) appliance outperforms competitors 7 RU high-end appliances. A10 s entry-level appliances require six competitor units to match performance. The entire appliance line features the lowest power draw and highest performance per watt, bar none. Each appliance comes with 80 Plus Platinum certified power supplies to further reduce power consumption. Redundant power supplies are provided standard or available as an option on every hardware model. Solid-state drives (SSDs) in all A10 hardware appliances improve durability, performance and boot-time. In contrast, ADC competitors may provide a single, non-redundant hard-disk drive (HDD); HDDs impose higher failure rates, lower performance and greater risk of fragmentation than SSDs. In select A10 Thunder models, dedicated hardware-optimized FTA technology and switching and routing processors raise performance even higher. Next-generation security processors provide 500% greater SSL performance with 2048-bit SSL keys. Lights Out Management (LOM) is available on most appliances. 1/10 Gbps ports are included in all models, with 40 Gbps or 100 Gbps ports provided in high-end models. Hardware tamper detection is available for select models 8 Virtualization and Form Factor Choice Today s networks require virtualization for device consolidation and agility, and A10 delivers a comprehensive solution for virtualized data centers, offering: More options with a common user interface: support for leading hypervisors, cloud solutions, virtualized hardware solutions and virtual clustering High performance software ADCs with the highest multi-tenancy machine density No additional licensing per feature By supporting major hypervisors such as VMware ESXi, Microsoft Hyper-V, KVM and XenServer, in addition to cloud services like Amazon, EC2 and VPC, you have the flexibility to deploy anywhere and in any environment. If you require virtualized hardware solutions, A10 offers a selection of hypervisor-powered appliances with virtual machines for isolation, or the very popular Application Delivery Partitions (ADPs), which are available with every hardware or software appliance, allowing the maximum density per rack unit available among any vendor. Separate partitions can be utilized with up to 1,023 ADPs on a single rack unit appliance for maximum density. 9 Flexible Scripting Scripting enables flexibility for management and for traffic transformation: Powerful TCL-based aflex L4-L7 traffic scripting enables easy migration from alternative application delivery controllers. Advanced L7 aflex scripting extends beyond HTTP to include DNS, RADIUS, SIP and more. Rich axapi is included for custom management and third-party integration. In competitive offerings, traffic scripting can be a missing feature or can be too complicated to manage. A10 solves this issue with TCL-based scripting that is well documented and supported with an online community. The online community includes a host of members to lend assistance and offer numerous examples. However, the biggest aflex advantage is that any TCL-based script can easily be converted to aflex, as it is also TCL-based, unlike many smaller vendors solutions that use proprietary solutions. Another notable aflex advantage is multi-protocol fluency, with understanding of DNS, SIP, RADIUS and many more protocols. To round out the ensemble of scripting choices, A10 offers axapi for comprehensive, custom management support, to enable not just traffic control, but more extensive integration with A10 Networks acloud Services Architecture. 6

7 10 High-Touch Support High-touch support and customer service are fundamental to A10 s core value. With field teams around the world to help locally, as well as a large support team primarily based at A10 headquarters in Silicon Valley, A10 also delivers a fast-track to our engineers when needed. To further assist our global customers, A10 provides local language support in Asia and Europe, with offices in Tokyo, Beijing and Amsterdam. Furthermore, unlike our competitors, basic aflex scripting support is also provided standard. Independent research corroborated A10 s dedicated approach to support: In a customer survey by TechValidate, over 75% of A10 customers who had previously used the market share leader rated A10 support as differentiated, with over 50% stating support is highly differentiated. In the 2011 EMA Radar evaluation of ADCs, A10 received a unique Customer Kudos award based on exceptional positive responses by participants who, when asked about their ADC vendor, selected A10 as the vendor of choice. Summary A10 delivers exceptional choice, value and scale for your application networking needs. A10 has pioneered a new generation of application networking technologies. The 10 reasons described in this white paper reveal why enterprises, service providers, government agencies and organizations like yours should select A10 Networks. Contact A10 today to discover more reasons why A10 Thunder ADC is the right choice for your organization. About A10 Networks A10 Networks is a leader in application networking, providing a range of high-performance application networking solutions that help organizations ensure that their data center applications and networks remain highly available, accelerated and secure. Founded in 2004, A10 Networks is based in San Jose, California, and serves customers globally with offices worldwide. For more information, visit: Awards View the awards we ve won throughout the years at: Corporate Headquarters A10 Networks, Inc 3 West Plumeria Ave. San Jose, CA USA Tel: Fax: Part Number: A10-WP EN-02 Sept 2014 Worldwide Offices North America [email protected] Europe [email protected] South America [email protected] Japan [email protected] China [email protected] Taiwan [email protected] Korea [email protected] Hong Kong [email protected] South Asia [email protected] Australia/New Zealand [email protected] To learn more about the A10 Thunder Application Service Gateways and how it can enhance your business, contact A10 Networks at: or call to talk to an A10 sales representative A10 Networks, Inc. All rights reserved. A10 Networks, the A10 Networks logo, A10 Thunder, Thunder, vthunder, acloud, ACOS, and agalaxy are trademarks or registered trademarks of A10 Networks, Inc. in the United States and in other countries. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners. A10 Networks assumes no responsibility for any inaccuracies in this document. A10 Networks reserves the right to change, modify, transfer, or otherwise revise this publication without notice. 7