WLAN infrastructure startup Airespace Inc. is set to introduce hardware and software aimed at supporting remote offices and keeping track of users locations.
The new products include a lightweight access point that provides WAN support and a new version of the software that controls Airespace switches.
The Airespace 1200R Remote Edge Access Point is designed for deployment in remote office environments, said officials at Airespace, in San Jose, Calif.
As with previous Airespace access points, the 1200R is meant to work with the companys line of wireless LAN switches and appliances as part of a centrally managed WLAN. But unlike previous versions, the 1200R includes a WAN link.
Supported links include DSL, cable modem, frame relay, asynchronous transfer mode and T-1 lines. (While “fat” access points from companies such as Cisco Systems Inc. generally include a WAN connection, most lightweight access points from WLAN switch companies do not.)
IT managers can configure policies for the access points over the WAN from the central office switch, officials said.
“You dont have to send someone to set it up,” said Matthew Glenn, director of product management at Airespace. “You just plug it in, and, boom, youre in business.”
The 1200R costs $750. It will be generally available next quarter.
In addition, Airespace this week will ship Version 2.0 of the AireOS embedded software and Airespace Control System management software, which sits inside Airespace switches.
Chief among the features in the new software is integrated location tracking, which adds the ability to find clients on the WLAN with an accuracy of within 10 meters. This is helpful in places such as hospitals, where both employees and equipment tend to be mobile and necessarily findable. Furthermore, location tracking will help enterprises that are planning large voice-over-WLAN deployments, officials said.
The location feature integrates with Airespaces Airewave Director management software, meaning Director can adjust the access point load and monitor channel activity according to mobility patterns.
Version 2.0 is available immediately.