Aruba Networks, Inc. (NASDAQ: ARUN), a leading provider of
next-generation network access solutions for the mobile enterprise,
brings enterprise-grade gigabit Wi-Fi to the great outdoors for the
first time. Ideal for densely occupied public facing enterprises that
require high-performance and small cell capabilities, the new Aruba
270 Series Access Points (APs) reset the bar for outdoor Wi-Fi
performance, aesthetics and ease of deployment in a form-factor designed
to blend into its environment.
The demand for high-performance, enterprise-grade Wi-Fi by mobile hungry
users – known as #GenMobile
– in education and enterprises campuses, large-scale resorts,
indoor/open air malls and other high density public venues, has
increased dramatically due to the influx of Wi-Fi-enabled mobile
devices. Dell’Oro Group, an industry analyst firm, reports that the
number of outdoor APs will grow approximately 146 percent from 2013-2018
worldwide according to its January 2014 Wireless LAN 5-year Forecast
Report, which represents a significant market opportunity for Wi-Fi
vendors. Today, organizations that want to deploy Wi-Fi outdoors are
forced to compromise performance, installation efficiency, resiliency or
aesthetics. While there are solutions that provide some of these
critical attributes, only the Aruba 270 Series APs address all these
requirements.
“The Aruba 270 Series is an ideal and cost-efficient gigabit Wi-Fi
solution for public facing enterprises, like large hospitality, retail
and campuses, looking for high-performance, small cell deployments to
service large coverage areas,” said Husnain Bajwa, Distinguished
Engineer, Aruba Networks. “The result is an improved mobile broadband
experience without having to wait for licensed small cells to mature.”
Inconspicuous Design Blends into its Environment
Education institutions to large public facing enterprises have strict
requirements on design and form factor. APs with large antennas, exposed
wiring and large enclosures are not permitted in many organizations and
municipalities. Aruba solved this challenge by developing a compact
element-resistant enclosure for the Aruba 270 Series with no exposed
antennas or wiring. The result is a solution that is no more obtrusive
than a modern video surveillance camera.
Providing reliable outdoor wireless coverage is a priority for the
University of the South (known familiarly as “Sewanee”), located in
Sewanee, Tennessee. Named one of America’s most beautiful college
campuses by Travel and Leisure Magazine, Sewanee is currently adding a
43-room inn and event center to its sprawling 13,000-acre campus. “While
performance is a key factor in selecting outdoor access points,
aesthetics are also important,” said Geno Schlichting, Wireless Network
Engineer, University of the South. “Aruba’s new 270 Series access points
are appealing to us for a number of reasons. The increased performance,
including coverage distance, and the improved client capacity and
association with ClientMatch technology means that fewer outdoor access
points are needed for coverage, thereby reducing our total cost. Also,
with their flexible connectors and multiple hanging options, the new
all-weather APs should be the perfect fit for our campus environment.”
Gigabit Performance for the Speed of Business
Existing enterprise-grade outdoor APs are built on the prior-generation
802.11n technology. While this may be sufficient for basic connectivity,
modern enterprises and large public venues require gigabit Wi-Fi to
support new 802.11ac-enabled devices, performance sensitive applications
and a higher density of devices, solving the capacity issues confronting
IT. The Aruba 270 Series maximizes performance on both the 5GHz and
2.4GHz bands delivering true gigabit speeds. Performance gains are not
limited to 802.11ac devices; the Aruba 270 Series APs also enable
existing 802.11n clients to operate up to three-times faster, achieving
a higher transmission rate at the same range. When coupled with Aruba
ClientMatch™ technology, users are able to realize the full potential of
802.11ac with predictable performance as they roam across their
facilities.
Simplified Installation for Rapid Deployment
The Achilles heel for many outdoor Wi-Fi solutions is its complexity and
cost to install. Organizations must not only run multiple exposed cables
and wiring for connectivity from the AP back to the switch, but they are
also are also forced to use complex mounting brackets and AC power to
operate heating elements and fans. These added installation requirements
for each AP increases deployment times impeding productivity and adding
overhead costs. Aruba 270 Series APs remove installation complexity by
offering single-screw mounting brackets, integrated connector and
antenna enclosure, and dual PoE+ and AC powering options in a single
unit. The result is a simple and cost efficient solution that reduces
install time by up to 75 percent.
Highly Resilient for All Environments
A key concern with any outdoor AP is its ability to withstand constant
precipitation, high humidity and a range of temperatures. Many WLAN
vendors require fans for cooling and heating elements to prevent
equipment failure. Purpose-built to survive the harshest outdoor
environments, Aruba 270 Series APs withstand exposure to extremely high
and low temperatures (-40 to +150 degrees Fahrenheit), persistent
moisture, and are fully sealed to keep out airborne contaminants. Since
there are no fans, moving parts or heating elements, this eliminates the
possibility of failure on those ancillary parts ultimately improving
reliability.
Pricing and Availability
The 270 Series is available in two models – the Aruba AP-274 with
external antennas and Aruba AP-275 with integrated antennas. The base
list price for the Aruba 270 Series starts at $1,595 USD and it is
available for order today.
Additional Resources
About Aruba Networks, Inc.
Aruba Networks is a leading provider of next-generation network access
solutions for the mobile enterprise. The company’s Mobile Virtual
Enterprise (MOVE) architecture unifies wired and wireless network
infrastructures into one seamless access solution for corporate
headquarters, mobile business professionals, remote workers and guests.
This unified approach to access networks enables IT organizations and
users to securely address the Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) phenomenon,
dramatically improving productivity and lowering capital and operational
costs.
Listed on the NASDAQ and Russell 2000® Index, Aruba is based in
Sunnyvale, California, and has operations throughout the Americas,
Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific regions. To learn more,
visit Aruba at http://www.arubanetworks.com.
For real-time news updates follow Aruba on Twitter
and Facebook,
and for the latest technical discussions on mobility and Aruba products
visit Airheads Social at http://community.arubanetworks.com.
© 2014 Aruba Networks, Inc. Aruba Networks’ trademarks include Aruba
Networks®, Aruba The Mobile Edge Company® (stylized), Aruba Mobility
Management System®, People Move Networks Must Follow®, Mobile Edge
Architecture®, RFProtect®, Green Island®, ETips®, ClientMatchTM,
Virtual Intranet AccessTM, ClearPass Access
Management SystemsTM, Aruba InstantTM,
ArubaOSTM, xSecTM,
ServiceEdgeTM, Aruba ClearPass Access
Management SystemTM, AirmeshTM,
AirWaveTM, Aruba CentralTM,
and “ARUBA@WORKTM. All rights reserved. All
other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
Copyright Business Wire 2014