AX Series Selected for Financial Trading Systems Requiring Millisecond Response Time and Stability
Customer Company Size
Large Corporate
Region
- Asia
Country
- Japan
Product
- AX Series
- AX 2500
- aFleX
Tech Stack
- SSL Encryption
- Web-based GUI
- Application Delivery Partitions (ADP)
Implementation Scale
- Enterprise-wide Deployment
Impact Metrics
- Productivity Improvements
- Cost Savings
- Customer Satisfaction
Technology Category
- Functional Applications - Remote Monitoring & Control Systems
- Application Infrastructure & Middleware - Data Exchange & Integration
- Networks & Connectivity - Network Management & Analysis Software
Applicable Industries
- Finance & Insurance
Applicable Functions
- Business Operation
- Quality Assurance
Use Cases
- Remote Control
- Predictive Maintenance
Services
- System Integration
- Software Design & Engineering Services
- Training
About The Customer
Simplex Inc. is a Japanese IT consulting firm specializing in providing IT support to financial institutions' front office operations. Their services range from dealing systems for institutional investors to Internet trading systems for individual investors. Simplex has garnered an overwhelming market share in cloud services for financial trading systems, particularly in foreign exchange (FX) margin transactions. They focus on maximizing yields for financial institutions through IT investments, defining this as a financial frontier. Simplex's expertise and market presence make them a significant player in the financial IT services sector, catering to the high-performance and stability needs of financial trading systems.
The Challenge
The primary issue faced by Simplex Inc. was the deterioration in SSL performance due to the increase in the recommended SSL key length from 1024-bit to 2048-bit. This shift adversely affected the performance of the entire site, which is configured with SSL encrypted communications due to the highly confidential nature of the data handled by financial trading systems. Additionally, rapid and concentrated access during market fluctuations posed a challenge, as small delays in the network or decision-making could affect trades. The licensing model for the SSL accelerator of the load balancer used at the time also required licenses to be purchased whenever a service was added or the number of users increased, adding to the complexity and cost.
The Solution
Simplex Inc. selected A10 Networks' AX Series, specifically the AX 2500, as their cloud service platform for financial institutions. The AX Series was chosen due to its balance between performance and cost, providing eight-fold performance at half the cost of existing devices. The AX 2500's ability to manage 2048-bit SSL traffic was a critical factor in the decision. The product's enhanced monitoring feature via a Web-based GUI and the separation of data and control planes simplified operations and reduced operational loads. The Application Delivery Partitions (ADP) feature allowed for the creation of more flexible cloud services, accommodating the introduction of new services quickly. The transition from the old load balancer to the AX Series was smooth, with all equipment selected by spring 2013 and the cutover completed by June 2013.
Operational Impact
Quantitative Benefit
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