Case Studies AX Series Selected for Financial Trading Systems Requiring Millisecond Response Time and Stability

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	AX Series Selected for Financial Trading Systems Requiring Millisecond Response Time and Stability

AX Series Selected for Financial Trading Systems Requiring Millisecond Response Time and Stability

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
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. Read More
About 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. Read More
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. Read More Log in to view content
Contents

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

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.

About 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.

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.

Impact #1	Enhanced performance and stability were immediately evident after installing the AX Series.
Impact #2	The enhanced monitoring function via a Web GUI helped reduce operational loads.
Impact #3	Operations were simplified due to the separation of data and control planes, allowing for more flexible maintenance schedules.

Impact #1

Enhanced performance and stability were immediately evident after installing the AX Series.

Impact #2

The enhanced monitoring function via a Web GUI helped reduce operational loads.

Impact #3

Operations were simplified due to the separation of data and control planes, allowing for more flexible maintenance schedules.

Benefit #1	Eight-fold improvement in performance at half the cost of competing products.
Benefit #2	No additional license fees per function or performance, reducing overall costs.

Benefit #1

Eight-fold improvement in performance at half the cost of competing products.

Benefit #2

No additional license fees per function or performance, reducing overall costs.

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Overview

AX Series Selected for Financial Trading Systems Requiring Millisecond Response Time and Stability

Operational Impact

Quantitative Benefit