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Aruba Networks 'Conquers Challenge of Wi-Fi Scalability' to Win 'Clear Choice' Award From Network World in the World's Largest Public Wi-Fi Test

Posted on: Monday, 13 November 2006, 09:00 CST

SUNNYVALE, Calif., Nov. 13 /PRNewswire/ -- Aruba Networks, the Mobile Edge Company, today announced that it earned the prestigious "Clear Choice" award from Network World during the influential publication's competitive test of large-scale Wi-Fi and Voice over Wi-Fi (Vo-Fi) solutions. In four separate tests for throughput, latency, VoIP call capacity and data roaming, Aruba was able to demonstrate that it can easily scale to meet enterprise demands for both large-scale Wi-Fi and Vo-Fi deployments. Aruba Networks received an overall score of 4.6 out of 5, receiving perfect scores of 5 for throughput and VoIP call capacity.

"Aruba passed our scalability tests with flying colors," wrote Network World Lab Alliance partner David Newman, president of Network Test and the individual responsible for designing and conducting the test. "Some of the results -- especially in terms of throughput -- were among the highest we've ever seen in Wi-Fi gear. Clearly, it's possible to scale Wi-Fi to enterprise levels."

The tests subjected the Aruba 6000 mobility controllers along with 25 Aruba AP-70 access points to the stresses of a large enterprise deployment, with hundreds of clients roaming between APs. In some tests, Aruba's performance even exceeded theoretical limits by its used of dynamic RF management and implementation of point coordination function, a mechanism specified in the 802.11 standard.

"As enterprises migrate to wireless as their primary access method, scalability will increasingly become the most critical element of any mobility deployment," said Vijay Raman, Aruba's director of technical marketing. "In building our Mobile Edge architecture, we knew this would be the case and did the hard work at the foundation to ensure our products met enterprise needs."

Network World invited 19 vendors to participate in the test including Cisco and Trapeze, but in the end, only Aruba and Meru Networks submitted their products for testing. However, Meru was unable to complete the testing due to various hardware and configuration issues.

"Every Wi-Fi vendor tells prospective customers its gear can scale up to meet the demands of enterprise service, but clearly Aruba has demonstrated in an objective setting that it can really do so," continued Newman. "Large- scale Wi-Fi testing is very difficult, but it is a better predictor of performance in enterprise settings than the usual method of running just a few FTP sessions on a small collection of access points. Aruba was the only vendor able to meet all of our testing criteria."

For the full Network World article please visit http://www.networkworld.com/reviews/2006/110606-wifi-test.html

For a detailed audio description of the test methodology, results and what this test means for enterprises, interested parties can listen to the podcast with Network World Test Editor Keith Shaw and David Newman here: http://www.networkworld.com/podcasts/labview/110606-view-from-the-lab.html

Since the testing for this review took place, Aruba has announced several major new features and product enhancements designed to further strengthen Aruba's already industry-leading Vo-Fi performance and capabilities. Compliant with standards and Wi-Fi Alliance specifications, Aruba's new features move beyond the baseline requirements, addressing the real-world needs of today's most advanced Vo-Fi networks and solidifying the scalability, performance and manageability required before enterprises migrate to dual-mode fixed-mobile convergence implementations. The addition of these features is the second of a five-phase plan for Aruba to bring Fixed-Mobile Convergence (FMC) to enterprise networks. Interested parties can find out more about these advances at http://www.arubanetworks.com/news/release/2006/11/06/b and at http://www.arubanetworks.com/news/release/2006/11/06/a .

About Network World's Clear Choice designation

The Network World Clear Choice honor is bestowed upon the highest scoring product in a comparative review when that product scores a 3.7 or higher out of a possible 5 points. Additionally, a product featured in a single-product review is given a Clear Choice designation if it achieves a minimum of a 4.5 score as determined by their testers.

Network World is the premier source of objective, authoritative testing- based articles in the network marketplace. Network World produces articles featuring both single-product and comparative product tests on a weekly basis. The publication partners with its 14-member Network World Lab Alliance, a group of the most qualified industry experts, network integrators and universities, to set methodology, conduct testing and produce the articles.

Test results are published each week in Network World, and online at http://www.networkworld.com/reviews/

About Network World

Network World, Inc., the Leader in network knowledge, empowers network IT executives through education, information, and community. Network World, an IDG company, is the leading provider of news, analysis, reviews, events, and education on information technology. Network World publishes the leading newsweekly, Network World, hosts the most active online community, http://www.networkworld.com/, and produces educational seminars and events worldwide. Network World's portfolio of strategic marketing programs provides marketing and agency professionals with the tools to generate high-quality leads, optimize marketing campaigns, and create new revenue opportunities.

About Aruba Networks

Aruba Networks is a fast-growing enterprise infrastructure company enabling the Mobile Edge, an evolutionary network architecture that represents a new approach to transitioning enterprise networks from a fixed, port-based architecture to an architecture centered on secure, identity-based mobility. The Mobile Edge simultaneously delivers mobile data and VoIP services, as well as a common user experience to mobile workers in the office, at home and on the road, by creating a secure mobility overlay that spans the LAN, the WAN and the Internet. To deliver the Mobile Edge, Aruba manufactures and markets a complete line of fixed and modular mobility controllers, wired and wireless access points, an advanced mobility software suite, and a mobility management system. Privately held and based in Sunnyvale, California, Aruba has operations in the United States, Europe, the Middle East and Asia Pacific, and employs staff around the world. To learn more, visit Aruba at http://www.arubanetworks.com/ .

NOTE: Aruba Networks and Aruba The Mobile Edge Company are trademarks of Aruba Wireless Networks, Inc. All other trademarks or registered trademarks are the property of their respective holders. Portions (C) 2006 Aruba Wireless Networks, Inc. All rights reserved. Specifications are subject to change without notice.

Aruba Networks

CONTACT: Don Reckles of Aruba Networks, Inc., +1-408-329-5108, ordreckles@arubanetworks.com; or Jay Nichols of Sterling Communications, Inc.,+1-415-392-2300, or jnichols@sterlingpr.com, for Aruba Networks, Inc.

Web site: http://www.arubanetworks.com/

Source: PRNewswire

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