Meru brings virtualisation to wireless LANs
Announcement posted by Wavelink 13 Jul 2009
A dedicated virtual WLAN for every client device provides wired switch reliability and lowers cost
Melbourne, December 17, 2008 – Wavelink has introduced new virtualisation techniques
from WLAN vendor Meru Networks for Meru’s enterprise wireless LAN products.
This new virtual port technology optimises radio frequency (RF) resources to raise WLAN
performance and reliability to wireline levels, while reducing the cost of wireless networking
to a fraction of its wired equivalent.
For the first time, every client device on a Meru WLAN will have its own dedicated virtual
wireless network. Just as with dedicated ports on a wired switch, enterprise s gain control
over the wireless resources allocated to each client, lowering both initial expenditures and
ongoing management costs.
The increased control realised with virtual port technology is especially important as wireless
becomes the primary edge technology for network connectivity in an increasing number of
environments, and as new and more diverse wireless devices, based on the high -
performance 802.11n Wi-Fi standard, proliferate throughout the enterprise.
"Virtualisation has brought dramatic co st savings, resource efficiencies and predictability to
the server and storage worlds," said Jonathan Ordman, director, Wavelink.
"Now it is doing the same for wireless LANs – at a time when the increasing diversity of
devices and applications in the enterprise makes cost-effective use of assets more critical
than ever. When applied to the WLAN, the fine -grained control and effective resource -
sharing of virtualisation lets each user device live within its own 'virtual world,' where
performance and other policies can be customised to its specific needs."
Virtualisation - pooling and partitioning on the WLAN Virtualisation technology has two chief components – pooling and partitioning. In 2003 Meru pioneered the concept of wireless "virtual cells," which enable all wireless access points
(APs) in an organisation to share a common, pooled radio channel resource – a technique
that removes the discontinuity of physical boundaries between access points, eliminating co -
channel interference and disruptive "handoffs" as clients roam across the network.
With the introduction of virtual port technology, the common pooled resources of virtual cells
can be partitioned into multiple virtual WLANs, with a unique WLAN for each user device; the
dedicated virtual WLAN moves with the user as long as his device is connected to the
wireless network.
As with wired switches, the network has full control over the resources and services
allocated to a given device. Because the device is "sandboxed" in its own virtual WLAN, the
user has a highly reliable wired-like experience, with full access to appropriate resources yet
protected from disruptions by other users' network demands.
Availability
Virtual port technology is included in Meru's System Director 3.6 software, which is available
now from Wavelink.
About Wavelink
Wavelink Communications (www.wavelink.com.au) specialises in the supply, marketing and
support of leading edge IP telephony and wireless solutions. Wavelink distributes a range of
products from Polycom, Digium and Meru Networks.
About Meru Networks
Meru Networks develops and markets wireless infrastructure solutions that enable the All -
Wireless Enterprise. Its industry-leading innovations deliver pervasive, wireless service
fidelity for business-critical applications to major Fortune 500 enterprises, universities,
healthcare organizations and local, state and federal government agencies. Meru's award -
winning Air Traffic Control technology brings the benefits of the cellular world to the wireless
LAN environment, and its WLAN System is the only solution on the market that delivers
predictable bandwidth and over-the-air quality of service with the reliability, scalability and
security necessary to deliver converged voice and data services over a single WLAN
infrastructure. Founded in 2002, Meru is based in Sunnyvale, Calif. For more information,
visit www.merunetworks.com.
Wavelink Communications
Tel: 1300 147 000
www.wavelink.com.au
from WLAN vendor Meru Networks for Meru’s enterprise wireless LAN products.
This new virtual port technology optimises radio frequency (RF) resources to raise WLAN
performance and reliability to wireline levels, while reducing the cost of wireless networking
to a fraction of its wired equivalent.
For the first time, every client device on a Meru WLAN will have its own dedicated virtual
wireless network. Just as with dedicated ports on a wired switch, enterprise s gain control
over the wireless resources allocated to each client, lowering both initial expenditures and
ongoing management costs.
The increased control realised with virtual port technology is especially important as wireless
becomes the primary edge technology for network connectivity in an increasing number of
environments, and as new and more diverse wireless devices, based on the high -
performance 802.11n Wi-Fi standard, proliferate throughout the enterprise.
"Virtualisation has brought dramatic co st savings, resource efficiencies and predictability to
the server and storage worlds," said Jonathan Ordman, director, Wavelink.
"Now it is doing the same for wireless LANs – at a time when the increasing diversity of
devices and applications in the enterprise makes cost-effective use of assets more critical
than ever. When applied to the WLAN, the fine -grained control and effective resource -
sharing of virtualisation lets each user device live within its own 'virtual world,' where
performance and other policies can be customised to its specific needs."
Virtualisation - pooling and partitioning on the WLAN Virtualisation technology has two chief components – pooling and partitioning. In 2003 Meru pioneered the concept of wireless "virtual cells," which enable all wireless access points
(APs) in an organisation to share a common, pooled radio channel resource – a technique
that removes the discontinuity of physical boundaries between access points, eliminating co -
channel interference and disruptive "handoffs" as clients roam across the network.
With the introduction of virtual port technology, the common pooled resources of virtual cells
can be partitioned into multiple virtual WLANs, with a unique WLAN for each user device; the
dedicated virtual WLAN moves with the user as long as his device is connected to the
wireless network.
As with wired switches, the network has full control over the resources and services
allocated to a given device. Because the device is "sandboxed" in its own virtual WLAN, the
user has a highly reliable wired-like experience, with full access to appropriate resources yet
protected from disruptions by other users' network demands.
Availability
Virtual port technology is included in Meru's System Director 3.6 software, which is available
now from Wavelink.
About Wavelink
Wavelink Communications (www.wavelink.com.au) specialises in the supply, marketing and
support of leading edge IP telephony and wireless solutions. Wavelink distributes a range of
products from Polycom, Digium and Meru Networks.
About Meru Networks
Meru Networks develops and markets wireless infrastructure solutions that enable the All -
Wireless Enterprise. Its industry-leading innovations deliver pervasive, wireless service
fidelity for business-critical applications to major Fortune 500 enterprises, universities,
healthcare organizations and local, state and federal government agencies. Meru's award -
winning Air Traffic Control technology brings the benefits of the cellular world to the wireless
LAN environment, and its WLAN System is the only solution on the market that delivers
predictable bandwidth and over-the-air quality of service with the reliability, scalability and
security necessary to deliver converged voice and data services over a single WLAN
infrastructure. Founded in 2002, Meru is based in Sunnyvale, Calif. For more information,
visit www.merunetworks.com.
Wavelink Communications
Tel: 1300 147 000
www.wavelink.com.au