In brief Traffic management outfit F5 Networks is ramping up its Big-IP gear with an update to WebAccelerator that lights a fire under application traffic on both ends of an internet link.

While previous incarnations of the device boosted the performance of internet traffic at a central sight, F5 is rolling out a "symmetric" version which can be deployed in both central and remote sites.

The technology originally comes from the $45m acquisition of Swan Labs (http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/09/07/f5_swan_buy//) two years ago. The double-ended approach has been implemented by other vendors such as Juniper, Riverbed and Silver Peak for some time now.

Customers can use the new Big-IP WebAccelerator running as an add-on module for the Big-IP Local Traffic Manager product or buy a standalone F5 4500 platform. The company says web applications can be accelerated by 200 to 1000 per cent by using a symmetric deployment of the accelerator. F5 has also added the ability to accelerate web content through SSL.

The module will ship in the third quarter for $15,000, while F5 4500 appliance will start at $40,000 at the same time. ®

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