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Companies large and small are desperately searching for a way to extend their networks into the wireless realm without disrupting their existing wired infrastructures—and without exposing their networks to security risks. Though it may be as much a matter of convenience for company executives as productivity for the sales force, reasons abound for going wireless.
Unfortunately, dangers are also rampant and precautions must be taken to ensure security, stability, and efficiency. Nowhere is this truer than with government entities, where the market for wireless technology has gone from a complete moratorium on WiFi ( News - Alert) to using Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) technologies.
Aruba Networks addresses these two evolving technologies—wireless and security—by designing and deploying enterprise-class mobile networks that are capable of handling security concerns created by a mobile workforce. Aruba’s technology enables secure wireless access over a company’s existing wired networks and allows management all of all network services from a single point.
Many of the security issues that arise with mobile users is that access points are varied and it becomes necessary to secure users rather than wired ports. This is Aruba’s specialty. The company’s system was designed to solve this dilemma by requiring authentication and enforcing access controls per user before allowing network access.
What’s more, Aruba has designed its system to leverage a company’s existing IP infrastructure, so no expensive changes are required to integrate Aruba’s functionality, which includes VPN termination, firewalling, RF management, and intrusion prevention.
Now, Aruba Networks has been selected for a joint marketing and reseller agreement with General Dynamics under the U.S. Air Force Network Centric Solutions (NETCENTS) indefinite-delivery, indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract. The agreement will make Aruba’s wireless LAN (WLAN) and mobility technology available to the U.S. government.
NETCENTS is an IDIQ contract that offers the Air Force, the Department of Defense (DoD), and other Federal agencies a single vehicle through which they can invest in network-centric IT products, networking equipment and services, as well as voice, video, and data communications hardware and software. The two companies will jointly offer a WLAN solution that meets new DoD guidelines and incorporates Aruba’s Mobile Edge portfolio of WLAN mobility controllers and Access Points.
The Mobile Edge simultaneously delivers mobile data and VoIP services and enables a common user experience for users at home, in the office, or on the road. Aruba manufactures a complete line of controllers, access points, and software to support its secure mobile experience.
The Aruba family of products
The Aruba Networks solution delivers wireless intrusion detection and protection, high performance, Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS)-validated 802.11i—all in strict compliance with new DoD mandates.
Recently approved by National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), 802.11i is a WLAN security standard that significantly improves the security of WLAN communications when operating in the FIPS-approved Robust Security Network (RSN) mode. This also is in line with new DoD requirements for network hardware and clients connected to the DoD Global Information Grid. Currently, Aruba is the only WLAN vendor that meets these requirements.
Erik Linask is Associate Editor of INTERNET TELEPHONY. Most recently, he was Managing Editor at Global Custodian, an international securities services publication. To see more of his articles, please visit Erik Linask’s columnist page.
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