We don't often consider the impact of manageability of technology in our daily lives, even though it's become an integral part of just about every aspect of our lives. Likely most prevalent amongst technology management issues is how we deal with our home entertainment systems. From a desire to manage all the devices that deliver and control various forms of media - cable, DVDs, games, etc... - with a single, intelligent mangement device evolved what we like to call the "universal remote".

These little management devices are able to control every component comprising our home entertainment system, greatly reducing the cost of maintaining multiple controls (batteries are expensive) as well as enabling us to be more organized and expend less time and energy learning how to use individual controls. It's easier and less time consuming to use a single control than it is to use three - especially given that we only have two hands.

And while our universal remotes do what they purport to do - control all the devices that make up our home entertainment delivery system - even they are not yet perfect. Adding a new component still requires just a bit of programming in order to ensure that the remote can control it as well. And if a component fails, while we still have access to the other components, we must replace the failed component before we can utilize that particular feature again.

Those IT folks tasked with managing application delivery networks are no stranger to this scenario. Whether appliance or chassis-based, adding a new component to the application delivery network means yet another management point, another configuration, and often times yet another network and all the networking tasks that entails.

Imagine an application delivery controller that didn't require more management, or more configuration, or yet another network to deal with. Imagine a single, powerful device in which you could add - or remove - components at will without interrupting existing service, not even for a moment.

Imagine a platform that grows along with your needs, but doesn't require additional management to get there. A platform in which more capacity can be added effortlessly. Added without requiring another management task; without even the minimal requirement to copy a configuration file. Just add a new blade to the platform and voila! More capacity with no configuration necessary.

Imagine a failure in that platform not interrupting service. Not to existing users, not to new users, not to anyone. Imagine a platform that manages itself so well that it automatically configures itself when capacity is added or automatically adjusts to handling any failure that might happen. No reconfiguration, no rerouting, no rebooting. But most important of all - no down time.

Imagine an application delivery controller platform that has the power of many application delivery controllers, but is managed as a single device. Imagine that this same platform not only makes management a breeze, but that it can simplify your architecture and reduce the management burden that comes with being responsible for many little networks - because it doesn't require that you create those little networks in the first place. An application delivery platform that scales effortlessly in capacity without increasing the burden of management.

Imagine a platform that's highly performant and manageable at the same time.

Stay tuned ... imagination is about to become reality.