A method of improving performance of network communication for an application communicating via a wide area network (WAN) including executing a classifier including a machine learning algorithm to classify a data set corresponding to a profile of network communication via the WAN for the application, the classification identifying the network communication as a candidate for WAN optimization, wherein the classifier is trained based on a plurality of training data sets each having associated an indication of suitability for WAN optimization; and responsive to the identification of the network communication as a candidate for WAN optimization implementing WAN optimization for the application.