Aruba Networks Airheads Technical Conference, Phuket, Thailand 2010

At a glance, about Aruba Networks Airheads Technical Conference, Phuket, Thailand 2010.

Venue: JW Marriott Hotel, Phuket Thailand
Date: 1 - 3 December, 2010

The Airheads Conference is all about Technology Directions and Roadmap: A detailed review of Aruba’s plans for the future. This conference focusing on a few topics as follows:

Designing Defensive Networks with WIPS
Overview of fundamental WLAN security concepts, update on recent threats, and discussion of best-practices for defending your networks. Including a discussion on Aruba’s overall security architecture.

Supporting Voice & Video over WiFi
Wireless LANs are becoming mission-critical networks supporting a wide variety of voice and video applications (including Microsoft OCS). This session covers best practices for design, implementation, management and monitoring to deliver reliable performance for voice and video applications.

Managing an Aruba Networks with AirWave
Focusing on using the AirWave Wireless Management Suite to configure AOS, measure network capacity, and monitor usage patterns. Including discussion and demonstrations of AirWave 7.0

Taking the WLAN Outdoors
An overview of key issues to consider when implementing an outdoor network for access, video surveillance and other applications. Includes discussion of core outdoor design principles, antenna selections, mesh network designs, and more.

Teleworking & Branch Scenarios
Workers need secure access to their network resources wherever they are: at home, in small remote offices, on the road. This session offers an in-depth look at Aruba Virtual Branch Network architecture and other solutions to address the needs of remote users.

A Least Privilege Approach to Security using PEF
An in-depth discussion of user roles, Aruba’s Policy Enforcement Firewall (PEF), and Wireless Intrusion Prevention (WIP) in Aruba’s new 6.0 software. The speaker will provide in-depth examples of how to protect corporate asset, isolate viruses and worms and more.

Designing Wi-Fi Networks for Density
As more users and devices connect to your network, how do you design your WLAN to assure performance and reliability? The best practices for designing high-density wireless networks – and discuss how to avoid common mistakes.

Aruba Networks Airheads Technical Conference, Phuket, Thailand 2010

At a glance, about Aruba Networks Airheads Technical Conference, Phuket, Thailand 2010.

Venue: JW Marriott Hotel, Phuket Thailand
Date: 1 - 3 December, 2010

The Airheads Conference is all about Technology Directions and Roadmap: A detailed review of Aruba’s plans for the future. This conference focusing on a few topics as follows:

Designing Defensive Networks with WIPS
Overview of fundamental WLAN security concepts, update on recent threats, and discussion of best-practices for defending your networks. Including a discussion on Aruba’s overall security architecture.

Supporting Voice & Video over WiFi
Wireless LANs are becoming mission-critical networks supporting a wide variety of voice and video applications (including Microsoft OCS). This session covers best practices for design, implementation, management and monitoring to deliver reliable performance for voice and video applications.

Managing an Aruba Networks with AirWave
Focusing on using the AirWave Wireless Management Suite to configure AOS, measure network capacity, and monitor usage patterns. Including discussion and demonstrations of AirWave 7.0

Taking the WLAN Outdoors
An overview of key issues to consider when implementing an outdoor network for access, video surveillance and other applications. Includes discussion of core outdoor design principles, antenna selections, mesh network designs, and more.

Teleworking & Branch Scenarios
Workers need secure access to their network resources wherever they are: at home, in small remote offices, on the road. This session offers an in-depth look at Aruba Virtual Branch Network architecture and other solutions to address the needs of remote users.

A Least Privilege Approach to Security using PEF
An in-depth discussion of user roles, Aruba’s Policy Enforcement Firewall (PEF), and Wireless Intrusion Prevention (WIP) in Aruba’s new 6.0 software. The speaker will provide in-depth examples of how to protect corporate asset, isolate viruses and worms and more.

Designing Wi-Fi Networks for Density
As more users and devices connect to your network, how do you design your WLAN to assure performance and reliability? The best practices for designing high-density wireless networks – and discuss how to avoid common mistakes.

Aruba Networks Airheads Technical Conference, Phuket, Thailand 2010

At a glance, about Aruba Networks Airheads Technical Conference, Phuket, Thailand 2010.

Venue: JW Marriott Hotel, Phuket Thailand
Date: 1 - 3 December, 2010

The Airheads Conference is all about Technology Directions and Roadmap: A detailed review of Aruba’s plans for the future. This conference focusing on a few topics as follows:

Designing Defensive Networks with WIPS
Overview of fundamental WLAN security concepts, update on recent threats, and discussion of best-practices for defending your networks. Including a discussion on Aruba’s overall security architecture.

Supporting Voice & Video over WiFi
Wireless LANs are becoming mission-critical networks supporting a wide variety of voice and video applications (including Microsoft OCS). This session covers best practices for design, implementation, management and monitoring to deliver reliable performance for voice and video applications.

Managing an Aruba Networks with AirWave
Focusing on using the AirWave Wireless Management Suite to configure AOS, measure network capacity, and monitor usage patterns. Including discussion and demonstrations of AirWave 7.0

Taking the WLAN Outdoors
An overview of key issues to consider when implementing an outdoor network for access, video surveillance and other applications. Includes discussion of core outdoor design principles, antenna selections, mesh network designs, and more.

Teleworking & Branch Scenarios
Workers need secure access to their network resources wherever they are: at home, in small remote offices, on the road. This session offers an in-depth look at Aruba Virtual Branch Network architecture and other solutions to address the needs of remote users.

A Least Privilege Approach to Security using PEF
An in-depth discussion of user roles, Aruba’s Policy Enforcement Firewall (PEF), and Wireless Intrusion Prevention (WIP) in Aruba’s new 6.0 software. The speaker will provide in-depth examples of how to protect corporate asset, isolate viruses and worms and more.

Designing Wi-Fi Networks for Density
As more users and devices connect to your network, how do you design your WLAN to assure performance and reliability? The best practices for designing high-density wireless networks – and discuss how to avoid common mistakes.

Polycom, Aruba now lead the Cloud Video Conferencing technology

Aruba Networks and Polycom announced on August 26, 2010 that they are teaming up to deliver video features to users via cloud computing. Aruba will provide its Virtual Branch Networking (VBN) solution to its users -- typically through its cloud-based offerings -- who can then utilize Polycom's telepresence, videoconferencing and voice communications solutions.

Aruba said the joint solution will reduce the time, cost and network engineering needed to deliver the unified communications products to remote users working at home, in branch offices or on the road. Aruba said the cost involved in joint Aruba-Polycom remote access points can be as low as USD 99 per site. Aruba noted that its Virtual Intranet Client can deliver remote access points for virtually no cost to PC users while delivering security service economically to branches.

I believe, that the Aruba-Polycom technology definitely much better than Cisco-Tandberg partnership solutions. The International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) will be first end user in Asia Pacific to attain the advantage from this collaboration. IIUM has deployed its campus wide wireless infrastructure based on Aruba Network technology since 2008, which centrally managed all together 6 branch campuses. Early of this year, they have engaged with Polycom video conferencing solution as part of their digital education infrastructure.

According to IIUM technical expert; Mr. Jaiz Anuar and Mr. Hairulnizam (from IT Division), IIUM now aiming to provide a future infrastructure for virtual lecture which can be accessed by students via wireless network cloud. Both of them agreed that, the teaching methodology have to change parallel with the technology advancement. Since the Aruba-Polycom partnership focused on proliferating new collaborative communications solutions, it will help the university to realize its intention in establishing mobility campus by providing holistic ICT services for the achievement and continuation of excellence in IIUM. The experts say, many new initiative can be done in the future on Video over WLAN.

Mobile Education is the Future. In other words, the whole ecosystem of learning and communication will undergo a rather serious upheaval — much the same way campuses did when laptop computing became the standard. This will present challenges both in terms of infrastructure and pedagogy, but it will also provide rich opportunities for reinventing the academy and for rediscovering learning.

Communication preferences will also continue to evolve. Just as we have moved from letter writing to e-mail to texting, we will move next into video chat and voice texting. The Pew Foundation’s most recent study shows that “Almost a fifth of American adults – 19% – have tried video calling either online or via their cell phones. These figures translate into 23% of internet users and 7% of cell phone owners who have participated in video calls, chats, or teleconferences. Video calling has become increasingly available as camcorders have spread through the online environment, cameras have been built into smart phones, and as video-chat services like Skype, Google Talk, and Apple iChat have become a feature of the online and smart phone environment. Teleconferencing is also becoming more embedded in the business environment.”

In addition, we will see a fairly rapid evolution of software solutions for both tablets and smart phones that makes it unnecessary to have a large-form computer for all essentially learning tasks. This include better productivity apps and improved multitasking. We will also see a proliferation of integrated and add-on input peripheral devices. More important, cloud-based services like Google Docs will eliminate most of the need for standard productivity software downloaded to devices.

Polycom, Aruba now lead the Cloud Video Conferencing technology

Aruba Networks and Polycom announced on August 26, 2010 that they are teaming up to deliver video features to users via cloud computing. Aruba will provide its Virtual Branch Networking (VBN) solution to its users -- typically through its cloud-based offerings -- who can then utilize Polycom's telepresence, videoconferencing and voice communications solutions.

Aruba said the joint solution will reduce the time, cost and network engineering needed to deliver the unified communications products to remote users working at home, in branch offices or on the road. Aruba said the cost involved in joint Aruba-Polycom remote access points can be as low as USD 99 per site. Aruba noted that its Virtual Intranet Client can deliver remote access points for virtually no cost to PC users while delivering security service economically to branches.

I believe, that the Aruba-Polycom technology definitely much better than Cisco-Tandberg partnership solutions. The International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) will be first end user in Asia Pacific to attain the advantage from this collaboration. IIUM has deployed its campus wide wireless infrastructure based on Aruba Network technology since 2008, which centrally managed all together 6 branch campuses. Early of this year, they have engaged with Polycom video conferencing solution as part of their digital education infrastructure.

According to IIUM technical expert; Mr. Jaiz Anuar and Mr. Hairulnizam (from IT Division), IIUM now aiming to provide a future infrastructure for virtual lecture which can be accessed by students via wireless network cloud. Both of them agreed that, the teaching methodology have to change parallel with the technology advancement. Since the Aruba-Polycom partnership focused on proliferating new collaborative communications solutions, it will help the university to realize its intention in establishing mobility campus by providing holistic ICT services for the achievement and continuation of excellence in IIUM. The experts say, many new initiative can be done in the future on Video over WLAN.

Mobile Education is the Future. In other words, the whole ecosystem of learning and communication will undergo a rather serious upheaval — much the same way campuses did when laptop computing became the standard. This will present challenges both in terms of infrastructure and pedagogy, but it will also provide rich opportunities for reinventing the academy and for rediscovering learning.

Communication preferences will also continue to evolve. Just as we have moved from letter writing to e-mail to texting, we will move next into video chat and voice texting. The Pew Foundation’s most recent study shows that “Almost a fifth of American adults – 19% – have tried video calling either online or via their cell phones. These figures translate into 23% of internet users and 7% of cell phone owners who have participated in video calls, chats, or teleconferences. Video calling has become increasingly available as camcorders have spread through the online environment, cameras have been built into smart phones, and as video-chat services like Skype, Google Talk, and Apple iChat have become a feature of the online and smart phone environment. Teleconferencing is also becoming more embedded in the business environment.”

In addition, we will see a fairly rapid evolution of software solutions for both tablets and smart phones that makes it unnecessary to have a large-form computer for all essentially learning tasks. This include better productivity apps and improved multitasking. We will also see a proliferation of integrated and add-on input peripheral devices. More important, cloud-based services like Google Docs will eliminate most of the need for standard productivity software downloaded to devices.

Polycom, Aruba now lead the Cloud Video Conferencing technology

Aruba Networks and Polycom announced on August 26, 2010 that they are teaming up to deliver video features to users via cloud computing. Aruba will provide its Virtual Branch Networking (VBN) solution to its users -- typically through its cloud-based offerings -- who can then utilize Polycom's telepresence, videoconferencing and voice communications solutions.

Aruba said the joint solution will reduce the time, cost and network engineering needed to deliver the unified communications products to remote users working at home, in branch offices or on the road. Aruba said the cost involved in joint Aruba-Polycom remote access points can be as low as USD 99 per site. Aruba noted that its Virtual Intranet Client can deliver remote access points for virtually no cost to PC users while delivering security service economically to branches.

I believe, that the Aruba-Polycom technology definitely much better than Cisco-Tandberg partnership solutions. The International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) will be first end user in Asia Pacific to attain the advantage from this collaboration. IIUM has deployed its campus wide wireless infrastructure based on Aruba Network technology since 2008, which centrally managed all together 6 branch campuses. Early of this year, they have engaged with Polycom video conferencing solution as part of their digital education infrastructure.

According to IIUM technical expert; Mr. Jaiz Anuar and Mr. Hairulnizam (from IT Division), IIUM now aiming to provide a future infrastructure for virtual lecture which can be accessed by students via wireless network cloud. Both of them agreed that, the teaching methodology have to change parallel with the technology advancement. Since the Aruba-Polycom partnership focused on proliferating new collaborative communications solutions, it will help the university to realize its intention in establishing mobility campus by providing holistic ICT services for the achievement and continuation of excellence in IIUM. The experts say, many new initiative can be done in the future on Video over WLAN.

Mobile Education is the Future. In other words, the whole ecosystem of learning and communication will undergo a rather serious upheaval — much the same way campuses did when laptop computing became the standard. This will present challenges both in terms of infrastructure and pedagogy, but it will also provide rich opportunities for reinventing the academy and for rediscovering learning.

Communication preferences will also continue to evolve. Just as we have moved from letter writing to e-mail to texting, we will move next into video chat and voice texting. The Pew Foundation’s most recent study shows that “Almost a fifth of American adults – 19% – have tried video calling either online or via their cell phones. These figures translate into 23% of internet users and 7% of cell phone owners who have participated in video calls, chats, or teleconferences. Video calling has become increasingly available as camcorders have spread through the online environment, cameras have been built into smart phones, and as video-chat services like Skype, Google Talk, and Apple iChat have become a feature of the online and smart phone environment. Teleconferencing is also becoming more embedded in the business environment.”

In addition, we will see a fairly rapid evolution of software solutions for both tablets and smart phones that makes it unnecessary to have a large-form computer for all essentially learning tasks. This include better productivity apps and improved multitasking. We will also see a proliferation of integrated and add-on input peripheral devices. More important, cloud-based services like Google Docs will eliminate most of the need for standard productivity software downloaded to devices.

Aruba Networks offers the best solution for Video over WLAN

Last week I got a chance to test and review the implementation of Video over WLAN. The test gear is Aruba AP 125, medium range of Aruba Controller and Axis Web Cam. The main medium is over wireless LAN. The overall test is enhanced with Azalea Video Technology (AVT). The result is really superb ! The video run smoothly.


Video transmission over WLAN with AVT is really sharp and smooth. The test then been extended by using Sony CCTV. The remote zooming features from SONY works very well. The video quality has been improved by AVT and the reliable transmission over WLAN enhanced by QoS inside the Aruba technology. The merging of Aruba Networks and Azalea Technology promising a better quality for future deployment of video transmission over WLAN. It offers high reliability, flexibility and mobility. Future education infrastructure will be depending on video broadcasting and Aruba will be the best solution for it.

Aruba Networks offers the best solution for Video over WLAN

Last week I got a chance to test and review the implementation of Video over WLAN. The test gear is Aruba AP 125, medium range of Aruba Controller and Axis Web Cam. The main medium is over wireless LAN. The overall test is enhanced with Azalea Video Technology (AVT). The result is really superb ! The video run smoothly.


Video transmission over WLAN with AVT is really sharp and smooth. The test then been extended by using Sony CCTV. The remote zooming features from SONY works very well. The video quality has been improved by AVT and the reliable transmission over WLAN enhanced by QoS inside the Aruba technology. The merging of Aruba Networks and Azalea Technology promising a better quality for future deployment of video transmission over WLAN. It offers high reliability, flexibility and mobility. Future education infrastructure will be depending on video broadcasting and Aruba will be the best solution for it.

Aruba Networks offers the best solution for Video over WLAN

Last week I got a chance to test and review the implementation of Video over WLAN. The test gear is Aruba AP 125, medium range of Aruba Controller and Axis Web Cam. The main medium is over wireless LAN. The overall test is enhanced with Azalea Video Technology (AVT). The result is really superb ! The video run smoothly.


Video transmission over WLAN with AVT is really sharp and smooth. The test then been extended by using Sony CCTV. The remote zooming features from SONY works very well. The video quality has been improved by AVT and the reliable transmission over WLAN enhanced by QoS inside the Aruba technology. The merging of Aruba Networks and Azalea Technology promising a better quality for future deployment of video transmission over WLAN. It offers high reliability, flexibility and mobility. Future education infrastructure will be depending on video broadcasting and Aruba will be the best solution for it.

Microsoft dumps Cisco wireless for Aruba

Microsoft has ditched Cisco in favour of WLAN start-up Aruba, as it upgrades one of the world's largest wireless LAN (WLAN) installations from old-fashioned fat access points.

Microsoft is taking out around 5,000 Cisco Aironet access points, and upgrading to an Aruba wireless switch system which will use five thousand thin access points to support 25,000 simultaneous WLAN users, in 277 buildings round the world.

The announcement will be a disappointment to Cisco, as its purchase of Aruba's rival Airespace was supposed to offer an upgrade path for customers like Microsoft who needed a centrally-managed wireless LAN system.

"This will surprise many spectators - including myself," said Richard Webb, wireless anayst at Infonetics Research. "People said that WLAN was a done deal, and large customers would automatically go to Cisco. They'll have to view Aruba in a new light, and some people will be raising eyebrows at the money Cisco paid for Airespace."

In fact, Cisco's efforts to integrate Airespace and provide an upgrade path have been lacklustre, while Aruba and its other main rival, Trapeze, have continued to innovate.

Although Aruba probably offered a very competitive price (no price has been revealed for the deal), Webb said that the deal must have been based on technical merits. "Microsoft isn't buying on price," he said. "The company is not short of money, so if Aruba weren't on the table in terms of technology, no amount of discount would have got the deal."

Security features such as Aruba's firewall and IDS may have been big factors, he said. Indeed, as we reported here a year ago, Microsoft has already been using Aruba for security. Aruba and Microsoft are also stressing support for voice on Wi-Fi, as well as guest networks that lets the office WLAN double as a hotspot for visitors.

Microsoft had extensive tests carried out by wireless test house Iometrix, and the University of New Hampshire's inter-operability lab, which covered security, scalability and performance - the results of which Aruba has promised to put on its site.

Microsoft plans to make some offices "wireless only", and will integrate the WLAN with its Network Access Protection Architecture that protects the network from infected clients. The WLAN will also support a guest access system which will allow visitors to Microsoft buildings to use the Internet.

Aruba is also keen to suggest that, as a result of this contract, it will have close links into Microsoft's future products. "Aruba plans to work with Microsoft to develop and test future software products to ensure they operate simply and easily over wireless networks," says its release. "Consequently, Aruba customers can be assured the best possible interaction and unprecedented interoperability between Microsoft products and Aruba mobility systems."

Microsoft dumps Cisco wireless for Aruba

Microsoft has ditched Cisco in favour of WLAN start-up Aruba, as it upgrades one of the world's largest wireless LAN (WLAN) installations from old-fashioned fat access points.

Microsoft is taking out around 5,000 Cisco Aironet access points, and upgrading to an Aruba wireless switch system which will use five thousand thin access points to support 25,000 simultaneous WLAN users, in 277 buildings round the world.

The announcement will be a disappointment to Cisco, as its purchase of Aruba's rival Airespace was supposed to offer an upgrade path for customers like Microsoft who needed a centrally-managed wireless LAN system.

"This will surprise many spectators - including myself," said Richard Webb, wireless anayst at Infonetics Research. "People said that WLAN was a done deal, and large customers would automatically go to Cisco. They'll have to view Aruba in a new light, and some people will be raising eyebrows at the money Cisco paid for Airespace."

In fact, Cisco's efforts to integrate Airespace and provide an upgrade path have been lacklustre, while Aruba and its other main rival, Trapeze, have continued to innovate.

Although Aruba probably offered a very competitive price (no price has been revealed for the deal), Webb said that the deal must have been based on technical merits. "Microsoft isn't buying on price," he said. "The company is not short of money, so if Aruba weren't on the table in terms of technology, no amount of discount would have got the deal."

Security features such as Aruba's firewall and IDS may have been big factors, he said. Indeed, as we reported here a year ago, Microsoft has already been using Aruba for security. Aruba and Microsoft are also stressing support for voice on Wi-Fi, as well as guest networks that lets the office WLAN double as a hotspot for visitors.

Microsoft had extensive tests carried out by wireless test house Iometrix, and the University of New Hampshire's inter-operability lab, which covered security, scalability and performance - the results of which Aruba has promised to put on its site.

Microsoft plans to make some offices "wireless only", and will integrate the WLAN with its Network Access Protection Architecture that protects the network from infected clients. The WLAN will also support a guest access system which will allow visitors to Microsoft buildings to use the Internet.

Aruba is also keen to suggest that, as a result of this contract, it will have close links into Microsoft's future products. "Aruba plans to work with Microsoft to develop and test future software products to ensure they operate simply and easily over wireless networks," says its release. "Consequently, Aruba customers can be assured the best possible interaction and unprecedented interoperability between Microsoft products and Aruba mobility systems."

Microsoft dumps Cisco wireless for Aruba

Microsoft has ditched Cisco in favour of WLAN start-up Aruba, as it upgrades one of the world's largest wireless LAN (WLAN) installations from old-fashioned fat access points.

Microsoft is taking out around 5,000 Cisco Aironet access points, and upgrading to an Aruba wireless switch system which will use five thousand thin access points to support 25,000 simultaneous WLAN users, in 277 buildings round the world.

The announcement will be a disappointment to Cisco, as its purchase of Aruba's rival Airespace was supposed to offer an upgrade path for customers like Microsoft who needed a centrally-managed wireless LAN system.

"This will surprise many spectators - including myself," said Richard Webb, wireless anayst at Infonetics Research. "People said that WLAN was a done deal, and large customers would automatically go to Cisco. They'll have to view Aruba in a new light, and some people will be raising eyebrows at the money Cisco paid for Airespace."

In fact, Cisco's efforts to integrate Airespace and provide an upgrade path have been lacklustre, while Aruba and its other main rival, Trapeze, have continued to innovate.

Although Aruba probably offered a very competitive price (no price has been revealed for the deal), Webb said that the deal must have been based on technical merits. "Microsoft isn't buying on price," he said. "The company is not short of money, so if Aruba weren't on the table in terms of technology, no amount of discount would have got the deal."

Security features such as Aruba's firewall and IDS may have been big factors, he said. Indeed, as we reported here a year ago, Microsoft has already been using Aruba for security. Aruba and Microsoft are also stressing support for voice on Wi-Fi, as well as guest networks that lets the office WLAN double as a hotspot for visitors.

Microsoft had extensive tests carried out by wireless test house Iometrix, and the University of New Hampshire's inter-operability lab, which covered security, scalability and performance - the results of which Aruba has promised to put on its site.

Microsoft plans to make some offices "wireless only", and will integrate the WLAN with its Network Access Protection Architecture that protects the network from infected clients. The WLAN will also support a guest access system which will allow visitors to Microsoft buildings to use the Internet.

Aruba is also keen to suggest that, as a result of this contract, it will have close links into Microsoft's future products. "Aruba plans to work with Microsoft to develop and test future software products to ensure they operate simply and easily over wireless networks," says its release. "Consequently, Aruba customers can be assured the best possible interaction and unprecedented interoperability between Microsoft products and Aruba mobility systems."

Review: Aruba Virtual Branch Network (VBN) RAPs

Highly-distributed businesses have long faced a choice of evils: ship skilled staff out to install pricey enterprise APs or let small branch and home office workers install their own consumer plug-n-play APs. For organizations with hundreds of storefronts or thousands of teleworkers, the former is prohibitively expensive. But for secure multimedia WLANs, the latter is unthinkable.

According to Aruba Networks, Virtual Branch Networks (VBNs) are a more palatable solution. Interop LV09 judges were impressed, awarding Best of Show in the Wireless/Mobile category to VBN. During our own test drive, we found VBN extremely promising—but we spotted a few rough edges that could use bit more honing.

Virtualizing remote WLANs

Aruba's VBN is an architecture that enables centralized control over a large number of small remote office WLANs, up to 100 clients apiece. In the VBN architecture, every Remote Access Point (RAP) operates as a remotely-managed VPN gateway, enforcing role-based access policies and tunneling only permitted traffic back to the corporate network.

Sure, branch office VPNs can be built using many enterprise wireless routers. What differentiates Aruba's VBNis entry-level gear with "zero-touch" provisioning. Aruba can drop-ship factory-default $99 RAPs to hundreds of destinations on your behalf. On first power-up, each RAP tunnels over the Internet to a user-designated Aruba controller. When the controller hears from a whitelisted RAP, it installs and activates IT-defined firmware and policies over a secure boot-strap tunnel. The end result: a business-grade WLAN, provisioned in less than ten minutes, with almost no end-user or IT assistance.

Eliminating advance or on-site IT provisioning from an otherwise lengthy, error-prone process speeds new site activation and reduces per-site investment. And, because RAPs are managed over that tunnel throughout their life, IT can remotely assert relatively sophisticated, dynamic role-based access controls. While RAPs are ultimately constrained by inexpensive hardware, the policies they can enforce are far from consumer-grade.

Putting VBN into action

This architecture can be implemented using any combination of the following new VBN RAPs.

• The RAP-2WG is a fist-sized single-radio 802.11b/g AP with two 10/100 Ethernet ports, targeted for use by "fixed telecommuters" and home offices with up to five users. (Pictured above.)

• The RAP-5WN is a desktop/wall-mount dual-band 802.11a/b/g/n AP with five 10/100 Ethernet ports, slated for small branch offices with up to 256 users. (Picture below.)

• The RAP-5 is a wired-only RAP-5WN, to incorporate small branches that require authenticated, secure Ethernet, but not wireless VBN access.

Older (non-VBN) Aruba RAPs can be added to the same network manually—for example, the dual-radio AP-125 for a branch requiring simultaneous dual-band operation. However, the zero-touch feature that appealed to us is only available in new VBN RAPs. To road-test VBN, we therefore installed an RAP-2WG and an RAP-5WN in over a dozen home and small office networks.

Review: Aruba Virtual Branch Network (VBN) RAPs

Highly-distributed businesses have long faced a choice of evils: ship skilled staff out to install pricey enterprise APs or let small branch and home office workers install their own consumer plug-n-play APs. For organizations with hundreds of storefronts or thousands of teleworkers, the former is prohibitively expensive. But for secure multimedia WLANs, the latter is unthinkable.

According to Aruba Networks, Virtual Branch Networks (VBNs) are a more palatable solution. Interop LV09 judges were impressed, awarding Best of Show in the Wireless/Mobile category to VBN. During our own test drive, we found VBN extremely promising—but we spotted a few rough edges that could use bit more honing.

Virtualizing remote WLANs

Aruba's VBN is an architecture that enables centralized control over a large number of small remote office WLANs, up to 100 clients apiece. In the VBN architecture, every Remote Access Point (RAP) operates as a remotely-managed VPN gateway, enforcing role-based access policies and tunneling only permitted traffic back to the corporate network.

Sure, branch office VPNs can be built using many enterprise wireless routers. What differentiates Aruba's VBNis entry-level gear with "zero-touch" provisioning. Aruba can drop-ship factory-default $99 RAPs to hundreds of destinations on your behalf. On first power-up, each RAP tunnels over the Internet to a user-designated Aruba controller. When the controller hears from a whitelisted RAP, it installs and activates IT-defined firmware and policies over a secure boot-strap tunnel. The end result: a business-grade WLAN, provisioned in less than ten minutes, with almost no end-user or IT assistance.

Eliminating advance or on-site IT provisioning from an otherwise lengthy, error-prone process speeds new site activation and reduces per-site investment. And, because RAPs are managed over that tunnel throughout their life, IT can remotely assert relatively sophisticated, dynamic role-based access controls. While RAPs are ultimately constrained by inexpensive hardware, the policies they can enforce are far from consumer-grade.

Putting VBN into action

This architecture can be implemented using any combination of the following new VBN RAPs.

• The RAP-2WG is a fist-sized single-radio 802.11b/g AP with two 10/100 Ethernet ports, targeted for use by "fixed telecommuters" and home offices with up to five users. (Pictured above.)

• The RAP-5WN is a desktop/wall-mount dual-band 802.11a/b/g/n AP with five 10/100 Ethernet ports, slated for small branch offices with up to 256 users. (Picture below.)

• The RAP-5 is a wired-only RAP-5WN, to incorporate small branches that require authenticated, secure Ethernet, but not wireless VBN access.

Older (non-VBN) Aruba RAPs can be added to the same network manually—for example, the dual-radio AP-125 for a branch requiring simultaneous dual-band operation. However, the zero-touch feature that appealed to us is only available in new VBN RAPs. To road-test VBN, we therefore installed an RAP-2WG and an RAP-5WN in over a dozen home and small office networks.

Review: Aruba Virtual Branch Network (VBN) RAPs

Highly-distributed businesses have long faced a choice of evils: ship skilled staff out to install pricey enterprise APs or let small branch and home office workers install their own consumer plug-n-play APs. For organizations with hundreds of storefronts or thousands of teleworkers, the former is prohibitively expensive. But for secure multimedia WLANs, the latter is unthinkable.

According to Aruba Networks, Virtual Branch Networks (VBNs) are a more palatable solution. Interop LV09 judges were impressed, awarding Best of Show in the Wireless/Mobile category to VBN. During our own test drive, we found VBN extremely promising—but we spotted a few rough edges that could use bit more honing.

Virtualizing remote WLANs

Aruba's VBN is an architecture that enables centralized control over a large number of small remote office WLANs, up to 100 clients apiece. In the VBN architecture, every Remote Access Point (RAP) operates as a remotely-managed VPN gateway, enforcing role-based access policies and tunneling only permitted traffic back to the corporate network.

Sure, branch office VPNs can be built using many enterprise wireless routers. What differentiates Aruba's VBNis entry-level gear with "zero-touch" provisioning. Aruba can drop-ship factory-default $99 RAPs to hundreds of destinations on your behalf. On first power-up, each RAP tunnels over the Internet to a user-designated Aruba controller. When the controller hears from a whitelisted RAP, it installs and activates IT-defined firmware and policies over a secure boot-strap tunnel. The end result: a business-grade WLAN, provisioned in less than ten minutes, with almost no end-user or IT assistance.

Eliminating advance or on-site IT provisioning from an otherwise lengthy, error-prone process speeds new site activation and reduces per-site investment. And, because RAPs are managed over that tunnel throughout their life, IT can remotely assert relatively sophisticated, dynamic role-based access controls. While RAPs are ultimately constrained by inexpensive hardware, the policies they can enforce are far from consumer-grade.

Putting VBN into action

This architecture can be implemented using any combination of the following new VBN RAPs.

• The RAP-2WG is a fist-sized single-radio 802.11b/g AP with two 10/100 Ethernet ports, targeted for use by "fixed telecommuters" and home offices with up to five users. (Pictured above.)

• The RAP-5WN is a desktop/wall-mount dual-band 802.11a/b/g/n AP with five 10/100 Ethernet ports, slated for small branch offices with up to 256 users. (Picture below.)

• The RAP-5 is a wired-only RAP-5WN, to incorporate small branches that require authenticated, secure Ethernet, but not wireless VBN access.

Older (non-VBN) Aruba RAPs can be added to the same network manually—for example, the dual-radio AP-125 for a branch requiring simultaneous dual-band operation. However, the zero-touch feature that appealed to us is only available in new VBN RAPs. To road-test VBN, we therefore installed an RAP-2WG and an RAP-5WN in over a dozen home and small office networks.

Review on Aruba RAP-2WG Remote Access Poin

The Aruba RAP-2WG is a single radio 802.11b/g, enterprise-class indoor remote access point, capable of supporting multiple functions including wired and wireless access and air monitoring/wireless intrusion detection and prevention across the 2.4-2.5 GHz spectrum.

The RAP-2WG remote access point delivers secure user-centric network services and applications in remote branch offices as well as for home office workers and telecommuters. Centrally managed from an Aruba Controller, the RAP-2WG provides the network administrator with unparalleled control over services and security. The RAP-2WG supports authenticated wired and wireless access, as well as policy based forwarding mechanisms to allow access to centralized and local resources.

The latest product Aruba's Virtual Branch Network (VBN) solution dramatically simplifies the complexity and cost of deploying a remote solution at branches with one to many users. Complex configuration, management, software updates authentication, intrusion detection, and remote site connectivity tasks are handled by powerful data center-based Aruba controllers running new Aruba software. Centralizing these services in the controllers enables the branch office equipment to be greatly simplified and cost reduced. The virtualized functions are transport-independent, so any wide-area network - including 3G cellular and DSL - can be used to connect the branches offices.

I think this a great product for educational institution that always have a meeting a way from their campus escially when researcher need to conduct a research collabaration meeting with other research group and they also need to have their own local network for linking back to the local server at the university.

With this kind of features, remote office can be enable anywhere at anytime in the world.

Review on Aruba RAP-2WG Remote Access Poin

The Aruba RAP-2WG is a single radio 802.11b/g, enterprise-class indoor remote access point, capable of supporting multiple functions including wired and wireless access and air monitoring/wireless intrusion detection and prevention across the 2.4-2.5 GHz spectrum.

The RAP-2WG remote access point delivers secure user-centric network services and applications in remote branch offices as well as for home office workers and telecommuters. Centrally managed from an Aruba Controller, the RAP-2WG provides the network administrator with unparalleled control over services and security. The RAP-2WG supports authenticated wired and wireless access, as well as policy based forwarding mechanisms to allow access to centralized and local resources.

The latest product Aruba's Virtual Branch Network (VBN) solution dramatically simplifies the complexity and cost of deploying a remote solution at branches with one to many users. Complex configuration, management, software updates authentication, intrusion detection, and remote site connectivity tasks are handled by powerful data center-based Aruba controllers running new Aruba software. Centralizing these services in the controllers enables the branch office equipment to be greatly simplified and cost reduced. The virtualized functions are transport-independent, so any wide-area network - including 3G cellular and DSL - can be used to connect the branches offices.

I think this a great product for educational institution that always have a meeting a way from their campus escially when researcher need to conduct a research collabaration meeting with other research group and they also need to have their own local network for linking back to the local server at the university.

With this kind of features, remote office can be enable anywhere at anytime in the world.

Review on Aruba RAP-2WG Remote Access Poin

The Aruba RAP-2WG is a single radio 802.11b/g, enterprise-class indoor remote access point, capable of supporting multiple functions including wired and wireless access and air monitoring/wireless intrusion detection and prevention across the 2.4-2.5 GHz spectrum.

The RAP-2WG remote access point delivers secure user-centric network services and applications in remote branch offices as well as for home office workers and telecommuters. Centrally managed from an Aruba Controller, the RAP-2WG provides the network administrator with unparalleled control over services and security. The RAP-2WG supports authenticated wired and wireless access, as well as policy based forwarding mechanisms to allow access to centralized and local resources.

The latest product Aruba's Virtual Branch Network (VBN) solution dramatically simplifies the complexity and cost of deploying a remote solution at branches with one to many users. Complex configuration, management, software updates authentication, intrusion detection, and remote site connectivity tasks are handled by powerful data center-based Aruba controllers running new Aruba software. Centralizing these services in the controllers enables the branch office equipment to be greatly simplified and cost reduced. The virtualized functions are transport-independent, so any wide-area network - including 3G cellular and DSL - can be used to connect the branches offices.

I think this a great product for educational institution that always have a meeting a way from their campus escially when researcher need to conduct a research collabaration meeting with other research group and they also need to have their own local network for linking back to the local server at the university.

With this kind of features, remote office can be enable anywhere at anytime in the world.

Aruba Networks and Force 10 Networks Offers Reliable Real Time High Speed WLAN for Campus

Seamless Converged Mobility Solution

Force10 Networks® and Aruba Networks® have partnered to deliver an interoperable solution for seamless converged mobility with unmatched security services by combining best-of-breed switching and routing with WLAN infrastructure.

The inherent reliability of the Force10 C300 resilient switch guarantees predictable and constant access for all users, wired and wireless. Aruba’s customer focused approach to secure mobility extends network connectivity and enterprise security anywhere as a user roams, allowing the largest networks to be centrally managed.

Together, this innovative solution allows customers to provide a high performance wireless and wired network in education, healthcare, finance and enterprises large and small. By building a unified network fabric that extends pervasive reliability, network control and scalability, enterprises are ensured a network that is a strategic asset.

Solution Key Features

• Non-blocking architecture supports up to 384 line-rate Gigabit Ethernet ports
• Embedded security features guarantee a secure connection
• Intelligent power management system prioritizes power to distributed access points

Suitable Campus Solution

• In-house Campus Broadcasting Services via wireless network
• In-house free IP-Telephony VoIP or VoWiFi for campus sommunity

Aruba Networks and Force 10 Networks Offers Reliable Real Time High Speed WLAN for Campus

Seamless Converged Mobility Solution

Force10 Networks® and Aruba Networks® have partnered to deliver an interoperable solution for seamless converged mobility with unmatched security services by combining best-of-breed switching and routing with WLAN infrastructure.

The inherent reliability of the Force10 C300 resilient switch guarantees predictable and constant access for all users, wired and wireless. Aruba’s customer focused approach to secure mobility extends network connectivity and enterprise security anywhere as a user roams, allowing the largest networks to be centrally managed.

Together, this innovative solution allows customers to provide a high performance wireless and wired network in education, healthcare, finance and enterprises large and small. By building a unified network fabric that extends pervasive reliability, network control and scalability, enterprises are ensured a network that is a strategic asset.

Solution Key Features

• Non-blocking architecture supports up to 384 line-rate Gigabit Ethernet ports
• Embedded security features guarantee a secure connection
• Intelligent power management system prioritizes power to distributed access points

Suitable Campus Solution

• In-house Campus Broadcasting Services via wireless network
• In-house free IP-Telephony VoIP or VoWiFi for campus sommunity