Application Delivery Controllers (ADCs) are critical network devices that enable businesses to securely access and provide applications during peak times. In the age of cloud computing, software ADCs offer the same functionality as custom hardware ADCs but with greater flexibility and capabilities for application deployment.
Benefits of Application Delivery Controllers:
- Increased security and access to applications during peak times.
- Greater functionality and flexibility for application deployment.
- Quick and secure scaling of application services based on demand in the cloud.
- Consolidation of network-based services.
- Improved performance of web applications.
- Reduced load from multiple servers
Features and Functions of Application Delivery Controllers:
Critical capabilities for application delivery controllers include SSL/TLS offloading, caching, compression, intrusion detection, web application firewalls, and microservices for container applications. Sophisticated software ADCs can also enable content redirection, server health monitoring and advanced traffic chaining/direction features.
In the typical configuration, the ADC sits in front of a pool of web and application servers and mediates requests and responses between them and their clients, making the pool appear as a single virtual server to the end user. It helps direct user traffic, remove excess load from two or more servers, and offer many OSI Layer 3 through 7 services. ADCs also tend to include additional features such as IP traffic optimization, DNS, and proxy/reverse proxy, and could provide services for the Gi-LAN area in the context of telecommunications infrastructure.
FAQ
What is an Application Delivery Controller?
An Application Delivery Controller (ADC) is a network device that helps applications direct user traffic to remove excess load from two or more servers. It includes many OSI Layer 3 through 7 services, such as load balancing and IP traffic optimization functionality. ADCs also tend to have additional features like DNS, proxy/reverse proxy, and more advanced capabilities, such as content redirection, server health monitoring, and traffic chaining/direction features.
How do Application Delivery Controllers work?
In the typical configuration, the ADC sits in front of a pool of web and application servers and mediates requests and responses between them and their clients. The ADC makes the pool appear as a single virtual server to the end user, by directing traffic and removing excess load from the servers.
What are the benefits of Application Delivery Controllers?
The benefits of using an ADC include increased security and access to applications at peak times, greater functionality and flexibility for application deployment, quick and secure scaling of application services based on demand in the cloud, consolidation of network-based services, and improved performance of web applications.
Conclusion
Application Delivery Controllers are critical devices that help organizations access and provide applications securely and efficiently. They offer many benefits including security, flexibility, and functionality for scaling based on demand. ADCs provide several features and functions that help to improve the overall performance of web applications while reducing the load from multiple servers
