Aruba Wireless Networks Announces Major Wi-Fi Breakthroughs

Aruba Wireless Networks, a privately held wireless networking company, revealed major advancements in Wi-Fi switching technology. Aruba’s new Wi-Fi switching system is the first to combine wireless network access and sophisticated air monitoring with high-speed Gigabit Ethernet switching and higher-layer packet processing technologies. First public demonstration was held last week in New York City.

“This is the Wi-Fi system that enterprise customers have wanted,” said Merv Andrade, Aruba’s director of Security and Technology, a key contributor to the IEEE 802.11i security task group and former technical lead of Cisco’s Wireless LAN Business Unit. “Our technology not only interoperates with current Cisco wireless and other heterogeneous environments but adds significant value in critical areas such as securing airspace, centralized control and self-calibration of 802.11 networks.”

At the heart of Aruba’s invention is patent-pending hardware and software technologies that solve mobility, security and deployment problems preventing the wide-scale adoption of Wi-Fi by corporations.

Pankaj Manglik, co-founder of Aruba Wireless Networks said: “Today’s WLAN architecture is inherently insecure at multiple levels with no real comprehensive security solution available. Wireless security is a multi-faceted problem that requires a holistic approach that protects the network, the traffic and the air space together. We’re delivering all of this protection within a single system that centralizes control and simplifies upgrades.”

The company web site, located at http://www.arubanetworks.com doesn’t offer any information on the solutions or technology, but it was noted that the system will be delivered later this year.