Airespace joined other wireless LAN platform providers in introducing a solution aimed at medium-sized offices: The Airespace 3500 is a wireless LAN switch that can support as many as six access points and offers the same features as Airespace's larger switches. The new product allows Airespace to target two new sets of customers: the large enterprises that have smaller remote offices as well as medium-sized organizations, said Jeff Aaron, a spokesman for Airespace.
Airespace also offers an access point designed for remote offices that might require just one or two access points. The access point communicates over the wide area network with the remote wireless LAN switch to be centrally managed.
The Airespace 3500 can stand alone or can communicate over the wide area network with a centralized Airespace switch at headquarters. System administrators using the switch can assign bandwidth allocations per individual users. For example, an administrator might want to ensure that executives or voice handset users receive a certain level of bandwidth. Or, an administrator could ensure that employees can access 80 percent of the network, reserving 20 percent for visitors. Airespace is in the process of receiving certification for Wi-Fi Multimedia, the interim 802.11e quality of service standard as defined by the Wi-Fi Alliance.
Airespace has added RF attack signatures so the system monitors for common RF attacks. Airespace APs act as monitors, searching for such attacks or for rogue devices.
Airespace has also added reporting tools that allow users or partners to track bandwidth utilization, client count, AP utilization and other parameters. The capability enables service level agreement enforcement as well as return on investment analysis. "Customers have implemented networks for a couple of years now and they're looking to have specifics in network utilization to create an ROI model to justify the capital expenditure," said Aaron.
Airespace also announced that it supports Internet Protocol version 6. The support may be important for some government agencies and certain international markets, said Aaron. "It future-proofs our wireless LAN so as environments move toward that we're ready to support it," he said.