Riverbed Technology has recently announced the release of Steelhead Mobile, the software client version of its Steelhead range of Wide-area Data Services (WDS) products. The Steelhead Mobile software client allows an enterprise to extend LAN-like application performance to its mobile workforce.

The new offering consists of two components: client software and a central management hardware appliance called the Steelhead Mobile Controller, which manages Steelhead Mobile file caching and license pooling, independent of the main Steelhead appliance. Enterprises must also deploy a Steelhead appliance to use Steelhead Mobile.

By addressing the three main problems plaguing WANs (high latency, low bandwidth and “chatty” protocols), the product claims to optimise WAN traffic, resulting in increased performance of everyday applications—including file systems, e-mail messages, back-up, document management, custom applications, databases, CAD, FTP as well as ERP and CRM solutions.

“We’ve leveraged our experience with more than 2,500 Riverbed customers to build the mobile WDS solution that global enterprises need and want,” said Eric Wolford, senior vice president, marketing and business development at Riverbed. “Steelhead Mobile offers workers on the move, telecommuters and very small branch offices the same LAN-like performance that our Steelhead appliance customers enjoy today in an easy to install and manage package. IT managers will appreciate the investment made in deployment, monitoring and management tools that make their jobs easier.”