iPhone may be disrupting the cisco based wireless network

On Duke's wireless network and iPhones


Duke University Office of Information Technology engineers have detected a series of wireless-network disruptions. They have reported nine such episodes since the problem was discovered late last week. Each event lasted no longer than 10 minutes and most users would have noticed no difference in their wireless service, though disruptions may have caused access delays or sluggish internet performance for isolated users.

Technicians have tracked the source of the disruption to people whose iPhones are registered to access Duke’s wireless network but cannot attribute the cause of the disruptions to the devices and are working with colleagues from Apple, makers of the iPhone, and Cisco, the vendor for Duke’s network equipment, to pinpoint the cause of the problem.

Their investigation continues. OIT will update this report as new information becomes available.

iPhone may be disrupting the cisco based wireless network

On Duke's wireless network and iPhones


Duke University Office of Information Technology engineers have detected a series of wireless-network disruptions. They have reported nine such episodes since the problem was discovered late last week. Each event lasted no longer than 10 minutes and most users would have noticed no difference in their wireless service, though disruptions may have caused access delays or sluggish internet performance for isolated users.

Technicians have tracked the source of the disruption to people whose iPhones are registered to access Duke’s wireless network but cannot attribute the cause of the disruptions to the devices and are working with colleagues from Apple, makers of the iPhone, and Cisco, the vendor for Duke’s network equipment, to pinpoint the cause of the problem.

Their investigation continues. OIT will update this report as new information becomes available.

iPhone may be disrupting the cisco based wireless network

On Duke's wireless network and iPhones


Duke University Office of Information Technology engineers have detected a series of wireless-network disruptions. They have reported nine such episodes since the problem was discovered late last week. Each event lasted no longer than 10 minutes and most users would have noticed no difference in their wireless service, though disruptions may have caused access delays or sluggish internet performance for isolated users.

Technicians have tracked the source of the disruption to people whose iPhones are registered to access Duke’s wireless network but cannot attribute the cause of the disruptions to the devices and are working with colleagues from Apple, makers of the iPhone, and Cisco, the vendor for Duke’s network equipment, to pinpoint the cause of the problem.

Their investigation continues. OIT will update this report as new information becomes available.

Aruba proposes alternative to using IPSec for remote access security

For years, there have been two traditional methods for secure remote access: IPSec and SSL VPNs. Both have been discussed in this newsletter over the years, and each has its definite strengths and weaknesses. Now, wireless LAN provider Aruba has proposed an alternative to using IPSec on the client computer that we find innovative.

Aruba proposes that telecommuters and road warriors consider deploying Aruba’s special remote-access point (RAP) software on the company’s APs and using the Aruba APs from home or hotel rooms. The APs — rather than your client device - communicate with Aruba’s centralized controller in your data center over an IPSec tunnel. This precludes the user from having to mess with passwords, PINs and IPSec key fobs.

The only requirement is that the remote AP has wired Internet connectivity.

This approach certainly seems to us to have some appeal. But we also turned to our colleague, Joanie Wexler, author of Network World’s Wireless in the Enterprise newsletter, for her take. Joanie said, “This could be easier for home users who have to log in to the VPN repeatedly every day and for road warriors who would like to use multiple wireless devices from a single hotel-room Internet connection.”

If you would like to take a closer look at this solution, a white paper with an extensive explanation is available here. And while you’re at the Webtorials site, you might also want to take a look at a paper on next-generation access, the Kubernan State-of-the-Market report on Mobile WiMAX.

We’d like to hear your thoughts on the Aruba approach. Let us hear from you, and we’ll be happy to share the feedback.

Steve Taylor is president of Distributed Networking Associates and publisher/editor-in-chief of Webtorials. For more detailed information on most of the topics discussed in this newsletter, connect to Webtorials, the premier site for Web-based educational presentations, white papers, and market research. Taylor can be reached at taylor@webtorials.com

Jim Metzler is the Vice President of Ashton, Metzler & Associates, a consulting organization that focuses on leveraging technology for business success. Jim assists vendors to refine product strategies, service providers to deploy technologies and services, and enterprises evolve their network infrastructure.

Aruba proposes alternative to using IPSec for remote access security

For years, there have been two traditional methods for secure remote access: IPSec and SSL VPNs. Both have been discussed in this newsletter over the years, and each has its definite strengths and weaknesses. Now, wireless LAN provider Aruba has proposed an alternative to using IPSec on the client computer that we find innovative.

Aruba proposes that telecommuters and road warriors consider deploying Aruba’s special remote-access point (RAP) software on the company’s APs and using the Aruba APs from home or hotel rooms. The APs — rather than your client device - communicate with Aruba’s centralized controller in your data center over an IPSec tunnel. This precludes the user from having to mess with passwords, PINs and IPSec key fobs.

The only requirement is that the remote AP has wired Internet connectivity.

This approach certainly seems to us to have some appeal. But we also turned to our colleague, Joanie Wexler, author of Network World’s Wireless in the Enterprise newsletter, for her take. Joanie said, “This could be easier for home users who have to log in to the VPN repeatedly every day and for road warriors who would like to use multiple wireless devices from a single hotel-room Internet connection.”

If you would like to take a closer look at this solution, a white paper with an extensive explanation is available here. And while you’re at the Webtorials site, you might also want to take a look at a paper on next-generation access, the Kubernan State-of-the-Market report on Mobile WiMAX.

We’d like to hear your thoughts on the Aruba approach. Let us hear from you, and we’ll be happy to share the feedback.

Steve Taylor is president of Distributed Networking Associates and publisher/editor-in-chief of Webtorials. For more detailed information on most of the topics discussed in this newsletter, connect to Webtorials, the premier site for Web-based educational presentations, white papers, and market research. Taylor can be reached at taylor@webtorials.com

Jim Metzler is the Vice President of Ashton, Metzler & Associates, a consulting organization that focuses on leveraging technology for business success. Jim assists vendors to refine product strategies, service providers to deploy technologies and services, and enterprises evolve their network infrastructure.

Aruba proposes alternative to using IPSec for remote access security

For years, there have been two traditional methods for secure remote access: IPSec and SSL VPNs. Both have been discussed in this newsletter over the years, and each has its definite strengths and weaknesses. Now, wireless LAN provider Aruba has proposed an alternative to using IPSec on the client computer that we find innovative.

Aruba proposes that telecommuters and road warriors consider deploying Aruba’s special remote-access point (RAP) software on the company’s APs and using the Aruba APs from home or hotel rooms. The APs — rather than your client device - communicate with Aruba’s centralized controller in your data center over an IPSec tunnel. This precludes the user from having to mess with passwords, PINs and IPSec key fobs.

The only requirement is that the remote AP has wired Internet connectivity.

This approach certainly seems to us to have some appeal. But we also turned to our colleague, Joanie Wexler, author of Network World’s Wireless in the Enterprise newsletter, for her take. Joanie said, “This could be easier for home users who have to log in to the VPN repeatedly every day and for road warriors who would like to use multiple wireless devices from a single hotel-room Internet connection.”

If you would like to take a closer look at this solution, a white paper with an extensive explanation is available here. And while you’re at the Webtorials site, you might also want to take a look at a paper on next-generation access, the Kubernan State-of-the-Market report on Mobile WiMAX.

We’d like to hear your thoughts on the Aruba approach. Let us hear from you, and we’ll be happy to share the feedback.

Steve Taylor is president of Distributed Networking Associates and publisher/editor-in-chief of Webtorials. For more detailed information on most of the topics discussed in this newsletter, connect to Webtorials, the premier site for Web-based educational presentations, white papers, and market research. Taylor can be reached at taylor@webtorials.com

Jim Metzler is the Vice President of Ashton, Metzler & Associates, a consulting organization that focuses on leveraging technology for business success. Jim assists vendors to refine product strategies, service providers to deploy technologies and services, and enterprises evolve their network infrastructure.

MobileAccess wireless-distribution system upgraded for simpler WLAN deployment

MobileAccess is modifying its in-building wireless-distribution system to simplify deployments for wireless LANs.

Like the previous model, the new MA-860 Wireless LAN Module will be a box into which you plug WLAN access points. The MA-860 combines these signals with signals from cellular base stations and wireless sensor networks, for example, and over coaxial cable to and from ceiling-mounted MobileAccess antennas. These multiband antennas act as a kind of radiant grid throughout the building, a single infrastructure that can support different types of wireless signals.

The MA-860, which typically is mounted in distribution switching closets, has new signal-conditioning code that compensates for the WLAN radio energy that “leaks” from the coaxial cable. What this means in practice is that IT staff can position the MobileAccess antennas as if they were WLAN access points. No additional measurements, testing or experimentation is needed, according to Cathy Zatloukal, CEO for the Vienna, Va., company.

Also new is a port that for the first time supports multimode fiber, which now can be used where available instead of single-mode fiber to connect the MA-860 to the central MobileAccess head-end unit.

A complete MobileAccess deployment consists of the head-end components, which link with cellular base stations or repeaters and put those signals onto the fiber backbone; the remote hub units, which include the MA-860 and other boxes for various wireless voice and data services; and the multiband antennas.

The MA-860 is in beta tests with Cisco and is expected to ship in the fourth quarter. Pricing has not been completed.