Application acceleration definition
Application acceleration refers to a suite of techniques and technologies used to optimize the performance of software applications running across a network. It works with web-based applications as well as applications used in a local network. Application acceleration aims to ensure the responsiveness and high-quality user experience of applications.
See also: content delivery network, cache server, DNS load balancing, internet protocol address
How does application acceleration work
- Caching. It involves storing frequently accessed data at a location close to the user such as a local server or even on the user's device itself. As a result, retrieving data is much faster as it doesn’t have to travel all the way to the original server every time.
- Compression. By reducing the size of the data being transmitted, the app requires less bandwidth, significantly improving transmission times.
- Protocol optimization. Protocol optimization involves modifying network protocols for specific scenarios to streamline the transmission of data.
- Load balancing. It involves distributing network traffic across several servers to prevent any one of them from becoming a bottleneck and slowing down application performance.
- Traffic shaping. Prioritizing certain types of data over others helps ensure that critical data (like emergency calls) don’t get stuck behind a simple email.
- Content delivery networks (CDNs). A CDN involves storing copies of data in multiple locations across the internet. As users access the data from the nearest location, it helps reduce the loading time and improve application performance.
