Riverbed Virtualizes WAN Appliance

Recognizing the growing popularity of software-based environments, Riverbed Technology has announced a virtualized version of its Steelhead WAN optimization appliance. Here’s how it works.

Virtual Steelhead is packed with all the features of its physical namesake, but without all that hardware. That means the appliance now can be installed in areas that traditionally could not support a physical device, or in data centers that have been heavily virtualized.

Solution providers and service providers can take advantage of the virtualized version of Steelhead. For solution providers helping their enterprise customers move to a greener IT environment and reduce their data center footprint, Virtual Steelhead offers a robust solution that fits in nicely with most current infrastructures. And because it was built for the VMware vSphere platform, Virtual Steelhead offers anywhere access for employees using solutions that meet the needs of customers in any environment, according to the company.

Managed services providers, too, can use Virtual Steelhead to expand their network infrastructure solutions to customers without having to put an additional physical box in the customer location. The result is easier provisioning for the MSPs and a way for customers to take advantage of the cost benefits of a flexible pay-as-you-grow model.

Virtual Steelhead joins the rest of Riverbed’s Steelhead family, which includes the physical appliances and Steelhead Mobile, a software program installed on employee devices that provides LAN-like access to corporate files and applications anytime from anywhere.

Riverbed expects Virtual Steelhead to be available in the third quarter of 2010.

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