Wifi Revolution

Enterasys Networks announced several enhancements to its HiPath Wireless portfolio, which includes new hardware platforms and new software features. Enterasys forms part of the Siemens Enterprise Communications (News - Alert) Group (SEN Group).

 

The new features will unify wired and wireless network management and security besides extending the flexibility of the solutions-oriented wireless architecture. The portfolio will now offer standards-based, secure infrastructure options for enterprise users desirous of reducing operational expenses in wireless networking.

 

HiPath Wireless portfolio will include an enterprise-class dual radio 802.11a/b/g access point, at a single-radio price point which allows various deployment options enabling a secure and centrally-managed mobility. The appliance-based wireless controller provides cost-effective scalability and flexibility as required by medium and large enterprises and educational institutions, said the company.

 

Chris Crowell, Enterasys (News - Alert) executive vice president and general manager confirmed that these new platforms will provide more cost-effective and robust wireless capabilities to customers. Further advances in wired/wireless management integration, will allow users to also reduce operational expenses, he said.

 

“Wireless networks have moved from convenience to critical in enterprise environments,” said William Terrill, principal analyst, Enterprise Network Systems at Current Analysis (News - Alert).

 

“Being able to integrate and manage both the wired and wireless connections as a single entity, and do so for both local and remote sites, can significantly reduce the overhead and complexity of managing the network. Wireless clients have to be able to securely access the same resources on the network as their wired cousins in today's mobile enterprise,” added Terrill.

 

HiPath now extends the integration between Enterasys wired and wireless management software so as to include centralized backup/restore and software management for the wired and wireless infrastructure components. The flexible wireless network architecture can deliver both centralized and distributed traffic forwarding which will suit customers’ business needs, said Enterasys.

 

The enhanced policy management at the access point (AP) with advanced AP filtering allows user policy enforcement at the network point of entry itself. Unwanted traffic and locally bridged traffic can be filtered out before they create bottlenecks on expensive WAN links.

 

Company officials said that the integrated Guest Access offers a fully integrated captive portal solution which does not require external RADIUS or Web server. The intuitive dedicated user interface allows even non-technical personnel to create temporary guest accounts and distributed credentials.

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