Applications are critical to turn your business and digital business transformation is changing they way they are built, deployed and managed. Today, your applications don’t just live in the data center, they’re in the cloud and in DevOps environments too. This makes it critical for you to select a modernized ADC to meet the demands of the new world of application delivery and digital transformation.
These are the seven requirements your ADC must meet:
Your ADC must be a software-first solution
Unlocking software from hardware with a software-first ADC allows you to establish a centralized platform to deploy and manage all the new facets of application delivery. A software-first solution provides you with flexibility to navigate change, and agility to generate higher business value and innovate faster.
Software Delivery Is Critical To Success: 69% of companies who leverage software delivery effectively outperform those who don’t – “The Software Edge: How effective Software Development Drives Competitive Advantage” – IBM Institute of Business Value, March 2013.
Your ADC needs to support DevOps microservices applications
Today, DevOps teams and developers are rolling out new microservice applications that are changing the way you design and deliver apps to your users. Implementing one common ADC platform that supports traditional / IT application delivery and DevOps-enabled applications is paramount to embrace the future of application delivery.
The Rise of Microservices Adoption By Phase Of Journey – Survey of Lightbend users from Going Reactive – Lightbend, 2016
Your ADC should enable app delivery across any cloud
Applications are moving to the cloud, so enabling development across private and public clouds is key to new application architectures and maximum network agility.
This makes selecting an ADC that supports and managers all hybrid cloud environments a requirement for future-proof application delivery.
34% of Tech Targets’ enterprise audience said Hybrid Cloud is a top infrastructure investment for 2016 – 2016 State of DevOps Among Audience – Tech Target
Your ADC must provide comprehensive application security
Application security threats are constant and ever changing. Your ADC needs to protect your applications against security vulnerabilities with proven features like wAF and DDoS protection to provide the security efficacy you need across on-premise and cloud hosted topologies.
Number of business-critical web applications X Average number of serious vulnerabilities per web application = Real attack surface – Web App Security Statistics Report 2016 – WhiteHat
97% of applications tested by Trustwave in 2015 contained at least one vulnerability – 2016 Global Security Report, Trustware
Your ADC should support new remote access infrastructure needs
Your users expect access to their applications regardless of their device or location. This makes selecting an ADC that can provide agility, security, visibility and management features for remote access to applications a must.
Remote Access Drivers
Your ADC must feature pooled licensing capacity to protect your investment
Network demands can be unpredictable, so having the ability to share licenses and bandwidth across your ADC in hybrid cloud environments is critical. You should select an ADC with a pooled licensing model that allows you to spend when and where you need it most.
Pool of Licenses
Your ADC should provide centralized management and analytics
An ADC that can provide end-to-end application and infrastructure intelligence across multiple environments and automation of management jobs provides significant value to enterprise.
Hybrid Environment
This frees IT to manage, monitor and troubleshoot your entire application infrastructure from a single console and drives better customer experience.
41% surveyed say that monitoring, management and automation tools are top barriers to DevOps – Top Barriers to DevOps 2016, Tech Target
Source: Citrix ADC vs. F5
