F5 Networks Provides Key Infrastructure for Northrop Grumman’s AKO/DKO Emerging Technologies Laboratory
Dec. 8, 2009 12:00 UTC
Laboratory uses F5’s BIG-IP systems for its real-world test environment of mission-critical application deployments
SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- F5 Networks, Inc. (NASDAQ: FFIV), the global leader in Application Delivery Networking, today announced that its BIG-IP® products provide a key infrastructure component that is foundational for maintaining application delivery and high availability for the Army Knowledge Online/Defense Knowledge Online (AKO/DKO) Emerging Technologies Laboratory (ETL), established by Northrop Grumman Corporation. The AKO/DKO ETL is a scaled replica of the AKO/DKO production environment that allows realistic testing, rapid prototyping, and preliminary integration of new capabilities prior to implementation. The AKO/DKO ETL officially opened on August 10, 2009.
AKO/DKO, a partnership between Northrop Grumman and the U.S. Army, provides a single enterprise portal that serves as the entry point for all U.S. Department of Defense and authorized users to access Defense Department and government intranets supporting operations, missions, and critical support processes for forces worldwide.
“From the beginning of our implementation, key factors for success with the AKO/DKO ETL included an infrastructure comprised of the most robust solutions for application delivery,” said Skip Magness, AKO/DKO program manager at Northrop Grumman. “The sheer volume of traffic that the AKO/DKO portal generates required solutions that enhance security, manage and redirect traffic, reduce server loads, and provide for disaster recovery if necessary. With the continuing growth of service portal traffic, we also required scalable solutions to meet the needs of the users. We are seeing excellent results with the solutions we’ve implemented.”
For AKO/DKO ETL, Northrop Grumman implemented multiple F5® BIG-IP solutions, including BIG-IP Local Traffic Manager™ (LTM™) to load balance, secure, and optimize application traffic; BIG-IP Global Traffic Manager™ (GTM™) for WAN high availability with seamless disaster recovery and routing; and BIG-IP WebAccelerator™ to reduce server processor utilization and bandwidth usage.
BIG-IP Modules Streamline Performance for the AKO/DKO Lab
The BIG-IP IPv6 Gateway™ module provides translation and load balancing between v4 and v6 networks, and directs traffic across mixed IPv6 and IPv4 devices. The BIG-IP Intelligent Compression™ module reduces the volume of traffic sent to users. The BIG-IP Fast Cache™ module prevents servers from repeatedly handling requests for identical content, and the BIG-IP Advanced Client Authentication™ module eliminates the need to manage and enforce authentication individually across applications.
The AKO/DKO Emerging Technologies Laboratory creates a globally redundant test environment similar to the AKO/DKO production environment. It is located in Northrop Grumman’s McLean, Va., facilities, and is part of the company’s Transformational, Research, Integration and Demonstration (TRIAD™) network, which allows secure customer remote access. The AKO/DKO ETL will bring new capabilities to AKO/DKO users, including war fighters and their dependents, more quickly and reliably than ever before, with reduced risk.
“Application security, optimization, and availability are critical, especially when portal usage increases,” said Nick Urick, VP of Federal Sales at F5. “Working together with Northrop Grumman, we determined which BIG-IP solutions would provide the highest levels of performance, security, and scalability for the AKO/DKO ETL. The beauty of the BIG-IP family is its modular architecture, which allows customers to choose the best solutions for their organization. The goal for Northrop Grumman is to enable more usability and reliability for people using this important portal, and F5 BIG-IP solutions have a track record of success.”
In 2008, AKO attained its one-billionth log-in — a testament to AKO’s widespread use and the value it delivers to the extended Army family. AKO/DKO offers secure email, file storage and management, instant messaging, directory services, and collaboration tools to active and reserve service members, family members of deployed personnel, retirees, and other Defense Department personnel. |
