Web Application Delivery for Education Learning System
Company Size
1,000+
Region
- America
Country
- Canada
Product
- Blackboard Academic Suite 8
- Blackboard Vista 8
- A10 Networks Application Delivery Controllers (ADC)
- Citrix NetScaler
- F5 Networks BIG-IP
Tech Stack
- Web 2.0
- CORBA/IIOP
- Layer 7 Deep Packet Inspection
- ASIC SSL Acceleration
- Scalable Symmetrical Multiprocessing (SSMP)
Implementation Scale
- Enterprise-wide Deployment
Impact Metrics
- Cost Savings
- Customer Satisfaction
- Digital Expertise
- Productivity Improvements
Technology Category
- Cybersecurity & Privacy - Network Security
- Functional Applications - Remote Monitoring & Control Systems
Applicable Industries
- Education
Applicable Functions
- Business Operation
- Facility Management
Services
- Cybersecurity Services
- System Integration
About The Customer
McMaster University is a leading university in Canada, known for its commitment to creativity, innovation, and excellence. With a student population of over 23,000, McMaster has excelled in inspiring critical thinking, personal growth, and a passion for learning. The university's unique 'McMaster Model' – a student-centered, problem-based, interdisciplinary approach to learning – has been adopted by universities around the world. McMaster is also one of four Canadian universities listed among the Top 100 universities globally, with more than 145,000 alumni in 128 countries.
The Challenge
McMaster University needed to replace its outdated WebCT 4.1 Learning Management System (LMS) with a more advanced and comprehensive system. The new system had to support e-Learning, course and student management, and include Web 2.0 collaborative features. Additionally, the university required an upgrade of the underlying system architecture, including both physical and virtual servers, to ensure high availability and to power the new features. An Application Delivery Controller was also needed to provide application acceleration, load balancing, and Layer 7 scripting with rewrite functionality. After researching various options, McMaster narrowed the choice to Citrix NetScaler, F5 Networks BIG-IP, Cisco ACE, and A10 Networks Application Delivery Controllers (ADC).
The Solution
McMaster University chose the A10 Networks Application Delivery Controller (ADC) in a high availability configuration for maximum redundancy. The A10 ADC delivered twice the performance at half the price of competitors and met all functional requirements. Key features included web server load balancing, internal load balancing for Blackboard CORBA/IIOP, Layer 7 deep packet inspection and rewrite, and ASIC SSL acceleration. The A10 ADC successfully load balanced web server traffic, provided full proxy and routing for added security, and enabled URL rewrite capabilities to convert HTTP to HTTPS automatically. The ASIC SSL acceleration off-loaded compute-intensive functions from the LMS to the A10 ADC's dedicated processor, freeing resources on the load-balanced web servers. The A10 ADC's Advanced Core Operation System (ACOS) with Scalable Symmetrical Multiprocessing (SSMP) ensured that the Layer 7 deep packet inspection and replacement process did not impact performance.
Operational Impact
Quantitative Benefit
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