Even with a configuration that included a redundant standby switch, Symbol's system was priced slightly below the average of the other offerings. The company's alternative proposal--to supply us with Foundry switches to replace the Cisco gear--cut an additional $10,000.
Symbol Wireless Switch 5000. Symbol Technologies, (800) 927-9626, (631) 738-2400. www.symbol.com
Cisco Systems, today's leading enterprise WLAN provider, answered our RFP with a mixture of IOS-enabled APs, a management appliance (Cisco Works Wireless LAN Solution Engine, or WLSE) and promises for future enhanced functionality as part of its SWAN (Structured Wireless Aware Networking) architecture. It's a credible product map that leverages Cisco's ultra-reliable and powerful APs--but objectively speaking, based on what's shipping, Cisco simply can't match the functionality of its upstart competitors. Then again, if the majority of its customers don't need all that functionality yet, it's a safe bet that many will be content to stay the course and wait for future enhancements.
To pull off its vision, Cisco will need to coordinate the efforts of several business units, including those responsible for WLAN products, management products and switching products. That could be a real challenge, but the company appears to be off to a good start with WLSE 2.5, a Linux-based management appliance that lets administrators easily configure, monitor and manage as many as 2,500 Cisco Aironet APs. Newly deployed APs sitting anywhere on the network can retrieve configuration information from WLSE using a predefined default template. Configuration parameters that deviate from the default can be handled based on a single AP or a group of APs. WLSE can handle management chores ranging from ensuring proper security policy implementation--by guaranteeing that all APs are configured properly and 802.1x servers are up and responding--to pushing new firmware upgrades and downgrades to APs en mass. These are tasks that would otherwise be laborious.
Today's shipping version of WLSE is somewhat limited, but Cisco showed us the 2.5 version that should be hitting the streets by the time you read this. The company says it plans to add rogue-AP detection, assisted site-survey capabilities, and dynamic channel and power output management to its upcoming WLSE 2.5 release.
Continuing to focus on management, Cisco has revamped its 350-, 1100- and 1200-series APs with upgrades from the older Vx-Works OS to the popular IOS. Admins accustomed to the command lines of their Cisco routers and switches will welcome the upgrade. If a CLI doesn't thrill you, Cisco has also reworked the AP's Web interface, allowing access to the same functionality the old, cluttered interface permitted, but in a somewhat more intuitive and hierarchical fashion.
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