As the holidays quickly approach, most individuals are finding themselves drowning in egg nog, wrapping paper, Christmas carols, and jolly tunes on the radio. But, another aspect of the holidays that the vast majority is sure to encounter is long lines at retail stores as shoppers rush to make their last-minute purchases at malls and brick-and-mortar locations.

At the heart of the typical check-out counter, other than the sales representatives assisting customers with their purchases is the computer or register responsible for completing transactions. While it’s already frustrating enough to have to wait more than a few minutes to check out, imagine how impatient and perhaps furious the waiting customers will be if the store’s transactions system is lagging, or, even worse, crashes.

These systems, which may include Web kiosks, POS terminals, CRM systems, and check-out terminals, are only a few of the highest priority applications found on a retail network. At the krux of these networks is a satellite or terrestrial WAN connection that communicates between store and headquarter locations or with third-party suppliers. So, whether it’s browsing a 10-page gift registry, authorizing a credit card, or pulling up a special discount, it’s imperative that businesses possess a reliable WAN connection and high-quality store-to-headquarter satellite connectivity, without the latency and chatter.

Satellite optimization and WAN optimization as a service leader Expand Networks (News - Alert) has developed a solution that mitigates the issues faced by businesses when their transactions are vulnerable to unreliable WAN conditions. Using its Expand Compass architecture, the company assists retail companies in simplifying their IT infrastructure and delivering reliable and secure access to networked applications to remote operations.

Using Expand Networks’ compression algorithms, retail stores can also limit the cost of bandwidth and simultaneously increase the number of users able to access the network. Therefore, the applications most crucial to the business will remain top priority. At the same time, Expand’s monitoring capabilities via ExpandView – the company’s centralized management platform – will be able to detect where there may be issues with application response and WAN performance.

As applications are catalyzed across the distributed network, the transfer of mission-critical data – such as credit card information – must be secure, especially for the protection of corporate information assets. Expand’s AAA and encryption features gives stores the coverage they need as packets are exchanged over the WAN.

With Expand Networks’ optimization solutions in place, retail stores will be able to answer customer inquries more quickly and efficiently, while customers will be able to breeze through transactions or self-service check-outs. Much like a domino effect, improved staff productivity will inevitably lead to cost-effective IT management, and, most importantly, a painless shopping experience for customers whether it’s year-round or during the most hectic shopping season.

Tammy Wolf is a TMCnet web editor. She covers a wide range of topics, including IP communications and information technology. To read more of her articles, please visit her columnist page.

Edited by Carrie Schmelkin