Stampede Technologies has announced the release of the Stampede Web 2.0 Performance Series, a set of acceleration tools for service-oriented architecture, Asynchronous JavaScript and XML and XML applications. The company also has introduced an appliance to run its new software.

Stampede, based in Dayton, Ohio, announced the Stampede Web 2.0 Performance Series on April 25. The product features XML acceleration, Web application fire-walling, XML threat management and transparent client support for applications developed using AJAX, the company said.

Stampede's combination of a hardware appliance and client software takes the company beyond the traditional ADC (Application Delivery Controller) model to offer benefits typically only available with more expensive hardware-oriented WOCs (WAN Optimization Controllers).

The hardware appliance is being provided as part of a partnership Stampede has entered into with Tarari of San Diego, which produces content processor silicon.

"The Stampede Web 2.0 Performance Series provides functionality and business value that is only available with a two-sided hardware/software solution," said Gordon Dorworth, Stampede Technologies' president and CEO, in a statement.

"As these new technologies are used for developing SOA applications, even greater pressure is put on the network, and overall performance tends to suffer.

"Asynchronous and polling message paradigms are constantly opening and closing TCP sessions, and large amounts of XML data and cookies will bloat the network bandwidth," said Dorworth.

"In addition, network latency concerns are an even bigger issue for interactive, rich client applications, and these networks become even more vulnerable to attack."

The Stampede Web 2.0 Performance Series addresses these problems, the company said. The client services include: XML document differencing, bi-directional compression, HTTP and TCP management, large document streaming via Stampede's TurboStreaming technology and SSL client-side termination, the company said.

Java experts predict that AJAX will be huge. Click here to read more.

Meanwhile, the Stampede Web 2.0 Performance Series appliance features SOA optimization services for accelerating XML schema validation and content routing.

Stampede officials said the Stampede Web 2.0 Performance Series is offered in two configurations: software acceleration for environments that only require limited XML capability, or hardware acceleration for high-end XML implementations with intense processing requirements.

The hardware option, based on silicon content processing technologies from Tarari, features XML content inspection, XML well-formedness checking, XDoS attack detection and message anomaly detection, the company said.

The Stampede Web 2.0 Performance Series will be available August 1 as a full solution pre-installed on a certified hardware platform, the company said.

Pricing for an entry-level configuration with software supported SOA Optimization Services acceleration starts at $40,000 for a single appliance. Appliances with hardware assisted acceleration start at $50,000.

This article was originally published on eWEEK.com.