RiOS Features |
Benefit |
| Data Streamlining (Bandwidth Optimizations) | |
| Scalable Data Referencing | Removes redundant WAN data for all TCP traffic |
| QoS Using Hierarchical Fair Service Curves (HFSC) | Manage / allocate WAN bandwidth use by application / port while independently prioritizing packets based on latency sensitivity – TCP and UDP traffic |
| Transport Streamlining (TCP Optimizations) | |
| Virtual Window Expansion | Send much more data per payload on each round trip for TCP |
| HS-TCP (High Speed TCP) | Fill the pipe more effectively on high bandwidth, high latency pipes but retain back-off if there is congestion on the link |
| MX-TCP (Max TCP) | Fill the pipe to the maximum possible without backing off in the face of congestion |
| SSL Acceleration / Optimization | Accelerate encrypted WAN traffic by decrypting data and applying Riverbed’s optimizations – without distributing certificates to the edge |
| Application Streamlining (Latency Optimizations) | |
| CIFS Optimizations | Accelerate Microsoft Windows file sharing |
| MAPI Optimizations | Accelerate Microsoft Exchange (2000, 2003) |
| HTTP / HTTPS Optimizations | Accelerate web-based applications (whether or not they are encrypted) |
| NFS Optimizations | Accelerate UNIX file sharing for NFS v 3.0 |
| MS-SQL Optimizations | Accelerate applications built on MS-SQL |
Other Key Features |
|
| Ease of Deployment | |
| Transparent Deployment | Deploy Steelhead appliances with no changes to networks or other infrastructure |
| Enhanced Auto-Discovery | End-to-end auto-discovery across multi-hop deployments |
| Asymmetric route detection | Detect the presence of asymmetrically routed networks; use connection forwarding (below) to enable optimization in those cases |
| Connection Forwarding | Forwards connections to originating Steelhead appliance in asymmetrically routed networks (easier integration into complex networks) – both client-side and server-side |
| Centralized Key Management | Store SSL certificates centrally even while decrypting traffic at the edge of the WAN |
| Multi-port cards (optional) | Optional 4 port card - Up to 12 ports on larger Steelhead models |
| Agent-less Pre-Population | Preposition content from file servers, filers, from storage onto remote Steelhead appliances to avoid “cold” hits |
| Port / application Auto-discovery | Automatically discover / label well known ports; custom naming of specific ports |
| Flexible Deployment Options | In-path, out-of-path (PBR, WCCP), Virtual In-Path, High Availability (Serial or Parallel); Asymmetric Networks |
| Proxy File Service (PFS) | Continued access to local files in the event of a WAN outage |
| Active-Active Failover | For high availability deployments, pre-warm segment stores; either Steelhead appliance can act as primary |
| Security | |
| Appliance to appliance IPSEC Encryption | Optional encryption of optimized traffic between Steelhead appliances |
| Auto-Discovery | Steelhead appliances automatically find each other across the WAN – no tunnels required. Any Steelhead appliance can peer with up to 4100 others |
| Support for RADIUS / TACACS | Ensure administrative security / authentication |
| Management | |
| Central Management Console | Manage up to 500 Steelhead appliances from one console |
| NetFlow Export | Integration with NetFlow for traffic transparency / reporting |
| Over-the-wire Upgrade | Upgrade / rollback RiOS versions |
| Software Upgrades | Some models are software upgradeable (100 to 200; 520 to 1020) |
