WAN Optimization

Correct Answer: Data Compression

The best way to improve the performance of the WAN used for inter-office data transfers, especially after an increase in workforce, would be 'Data Compression'. This technique reduces the sizes of the files that need to be transferred, thereby improving transmission speeds and reducing the chance of congestion. The other options are not as suitable. 'Increasing Bandwidth' could potentially solve the problem but it would be more costly and may not be feasible. 'Switching to IPv6' would only change the IP addressing scheme and would not necessarily improve data transfer speeds. 'Changing ISP' is unnecessary unless the current ISP is providing poor service and is not directly linked to WAN optimization for data transfer.

Correct Answer: Traffic Shaping

The best technique to adopt when experiencing slow response times due to a disconnected WAN link would be Traffic Shaping. Traffic shaping controls data transfer rates and delay variation to improve network performance, allowing you to prioritize certain types of traffic over others and prevent bottlenecks. Disabling encryption won't actually optimize traffic; instead, it will reduce security. Increasing bandwidth might appear as a logical solution, but it won't prevent similar issues in the future when the bandwidth reaches its limit. Caching is a technique to store data temporarily in high-speed storage areas to expedite access to it but doesn't specifically optimize WAN traffic.

Correct Answer: Caching

The best way to reduce latency when accessing cloud-based applications is by Caching. Caching is a technique where information is stored locally instead of remotely. This way, subsequent requests for that data can be served faster because they are retrieved locally instead of over the network. Data Compression, while it does help in improving network performance, it usually isn't as effective as Caching in terms of reducing latency. The use of a VPN can actually increase latency due to the encryption and decryption processes. Lastly, Increasing Bandwidth might improve throughput but doesn't guarantee a significant reduction in latency, especially in cases where the latency is due to server processing times or network congestion.