Comtech FX Series WAN Optimization vs Riverbed SteelHead

Comtech FX Series WAN Optimization is a self-hosted appliance solution for optimizing high IP traffic, especially satellite links across GEO, MEO, and LEO. It can compress, bond, balance, prioritize, and shape traffic, with a Protocol Enhancement Proxy at both ends. Turbostreaming accelerates file transfers and web browsing; the datasheet states over 150 Mbps per user TCP session and up to 600 Mbps file transfer across 500 ms GEO links. The system supports transparent Layer 2 and Layer 3 operation, VLAN and MPLS stacks, and L2/L3 VPNs with overlapping IP spaces. It accelerates 4G/LTE and 5G traffic in GTP tunnels and supports IPv4 and IPv6 together. QoS can classify traffic by VPN, address, protocol, port, or label. Optional features include header, payload, GZIP, and packet compression, plus byte caching. FX5020e can bond satellite segments. License tiers limit accelerated TCP sessions; excess sessions pass through unaccelerated.

Riverbed SteelHead has no write-up on Specifiction yet; its figures are above.