SCIENCE

Meru Networks has announced the AP400 Mobile Edge access point (AP) platform, the industry’s first three-stream 802.11n quad-radio AP platform.

Based on new hardware architecture, the platform is designed specifically to help IT organisations manage a smooth and accelerated transformation of their enterprise edge network from a wired Ethernet switch architecture to the new Mobile Edge.

With a maximum total data rate of 1.8Gbps¹, the AP400 Mobile Edge platform includes Meru’s patented virtualised wireless LAN (WLAN) technology to deliver a flexible, software-configurable mobile edge architecture purpose-built for high-performance enterprise mobility, supporting indoor and outdoor use.

The platform is optimised to service the new generation of mobile devices such as iPads, iPhones, Android-based smartphones and tablets, and supports the user’s need to access high definition (HD) video, wireless VoIP and other multi-media applications.

The AP400 Mobile Edge platform also leverages Meru’s patent-pending Orthogonal Array Beam Forming technology and next generation sub-carrier level beam forming to deliver Adaptive Optimisation. This new innovative capability is designed to deliver the highest performance and consistent quality-of-service (QoS) for low-power multi-media mobile devices.

The AP400 platform also includes an onboard USB port for adding an additional WLAN radio to provide cellular WAN backhaul capabilities.

Similar to that of a wired switch, the AP400 Mobile Edge software-configurable platform provides IT organisations a portfolio of multi-function power tools to readily provision, secure and manage their new mobile edge wireless network.  A “WLAN 500” mode can be invoked to optimise the wireless network for maximum capacity, client-density and QoS. Applications that are mission-critical or require highly-secure access can have dedicated spectrum allocated for those purposes. Air Traffic service mode enables predictive network analytics, proactive spectrum analysis and maximum wireless network security.

Multiple AP400s can be combined to create a pervasive and seamless mobile edge fabric, simultaneously making available all the spectrum channels over every square inch of the enterprise’s facilities that are covered by the APs.

With users’ increasing reliance on mobile devices for access to applications, the Ethernet switches used at the access layer are becoming obsolete, yet many are still demanding costly upgrades, expensive support contracts and time from already constrained IT resources to serve a diminishing subset of their enterprise users.

With a full line of models built on Meru’s mobile edge platform, the AP400 platform is designed to drastically reduce unnecessary additional investments in Ethernet switching. The AP400 platform enables IT organisations to rapidly plan and deliver a smooth and seamless migration to a mobile edge for their users, while exploiting their existing investment in installed wired switches through their normal decommissioning lifecycle.

Key facts
* The AP400 platform includes an onboard USB port for adding the optional WLAN radio or providing cellular WAN backhaul capabilities. The platform when combined with Meru’s channel layering architecture, delivers gigabit bandwidth at every square inch of access point coverage and uniquely makes every channel available throughout the enterprise.

* The AP400 Mobile Edge software-configurable platform provides IT organisations a portfolio of multi-function power tools to readily provision, secure, optimise and manage their new mobile edge wireless network. The AP400 platform also offers Meru’s optional Proactive Spectrum Analysis (PSM) functionality. Air Traffic service mode enables predictive network analytics, proactive spectrum analysis and maximum wireless network security. Applications that are mission-critical or require highly, uninterrupted and secure access can have dedicated spectrum allocated for those purposes.

* Meru’s WLAN 500 was implemented to demonstrate Meru’s competitive advantages in supporting very high densities of mobile devices accessing multi-media applications.   Meru’s AP400 Mobile Edge platform takes the experience of successfully providing interactive service simultaneously to 500 mobile voice, video, and data clients in 500 square feet of space, and brings it to the average enterprise.  Device density situations can destroy network fidelity long before they reach 500 clients in 500 square feet.  When deployed to solve density problems, i.e. WLAN 500™ Networking Mode, all radios are enabled with Meru’s unique coordination, load balancing and band-steering algorithms across all APs in the network to optimise throughput so the enterprise can avoid a Wi-Fi Meltdown™.

* With the introduction of the AP400 Mobile Edge platform, Meru is introducing the concept of Mobile Application Segregation.  By dedicating a single, virtualised channel to a specific application or applications, Meru’s AP400 platform lets enterprises provision and limit specific applications to designated channels for secure limited access for authorised users for certain emergency use, or for peak access overload situations. This provides IT organisations with additional flexibility for mobile network security and optimisation.

* By eliminating Ethernet switches and transitioning to Meru’s AP400 Mobile Edge platform, enterprises can significantly reduce their wired LAN and switch closet costs with fewer management points, no switches to upgrade in the future and less power consumption.

Zeus Kerravala, senior vice president and distinguished research fellow, Yankee Group
“Enterprises are becoming more mobile by the day. The workforce is no longer attached to their desks accessing applications via a wired connection. Optimising mobile devices and providing a flexible and reliable network from anywhere will be the next challenge on the IT horizon, forcing enterprises to rethink the way the network edge is designed. Meru is offering enterprises a clear migration path to a new wireless edge with the introduction of the AP400 platform, while enabling much needed cost savings and a more efficient workforce.”

Ihab Abu-Hakima, president and CEO, Meru Networks
“With the number of mobile devices having no wired Ethernet port capability about to exceed those devices with Ethernet ports, the paradigm shift from traditional wired switch LANs to the new mobile edge is coming at the enterprise faster than expected. Enterprises need a migration path and the tools to help them reach the end goal. The AP400 Mobile Edge platform was designed for exactly this transformation; with the added advantage of eliminating businesses’ dependence on what we believe are soon to be obsolete, expensive wired switches. By architecting an all-wireless edge based on the AP400, enterprises can address a wide variety of network challenges from managing the accelerating growth in numbers of mobile devices, to optimising secure mobile application access and performance ? all while easing management complexities and significantly reducing their wired LAN costs.”

Availability
The AP400 Mobile Edge AP platform is scheduled to be available in the second half of 2011.