Wide area network is a type of computer network which covers a broad area. It is used to connect all the types of networks, so that people and computers in one area can communicate with the computers in other area. Each organization requires a private WAN, tailored according to the needs of the organization.
WAN optimization products, help in accelerating a broad range of applications accessed by distributed enterprise users by eliminating redundant transmissions, staging data in local caches, compressing and prioritizing data, and streamlining chatty protocols. WAN optimization also avoids packet delivery issues which are very common in WAN environments. WAN optimization helps in interconnecting the branch offices, vendors, partners and mobile workers. Generally an organization uses WAN optimization to cut down the costs and for reducing the network traffic.
Application performance management (APM), is the system which monitors and manages the performance and service of the software applications. There are two ways in which the application performance is measured. First is the resource used and the second is response time. Application performance management is related to the measuring of end user experience, which is the major criterion for measuring the performance of an application in the production.
Generally in WAN optimization Application Performance Management is used to measure the increase in the performance level and decrease in the reaction time.