F5 Optimizes Networks for Microsoft Applications
It’s either a slick marketing move or a great technology initiative–or perhaps even both. F5 Networks checked in with The VAR Guy this morning, telling him about a new strategy to optimize networks for Microsoft applications.
In the age of standardized systems, The VAR Guy would never recommend a proprietary network infrastructure. But that’s not F5’s strategy. Sure, you can continue to deploy non-Microsoft applications. In addition, F5 claims it’s possible to optimize networks to run Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007, Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 and Microsoft Live Communications Server 2005. The company plans to further optimize its network infrastructure offerings for Microsoft’s forthcoming Office Communications Server 2007.
F5 claims that the solution is a “simple overlay network built on the strengths and improvements Microsoft has implemented across their entire Office portfolio.” That sounds too good to be true, but The VAR Guy remains intrigued. Has anyone out there succeeded with F5’s approach?
Not clear what the F5 solution involves. hardware?software? a little of both? wonder if the techguys at F5 spoke with the marketing guys before they started making grand statements about optimizing msoft application performance
It looks like hardware with F5 software and the same thing they have done for non-Microsoft applications for years. My guess would be they not only spoke to the marketing guys, they made the marketing guys “put their performance where their mouth is”.