Wi-Fi Challenges...Are you prepared for density, identity management and 802.11 AC

Meru NetworksJuly 2012

Everything Is

Changing Fast

HOT ISSUE: Bring Your Own Device (BYOD)

Everything Is

Changing Fast

3

WiFi Meltdown – even smart people had the WiFi fail- Multil billion $$ Ipad Launch

Traditional Enterprise WLAN Architecture Cannot Prepare You

Client-in-control wireless networks

give control to the devices only:

• Each device chooses how and where to connect

without regard for other devices

• Devices decide when to break a connection and

make a new one as they move through the

network

The results: CHAOS

• Inability to scale

• Inconsistent reliability

• Compromised QoS

• Labor-intensive management and operation

• Inefficient resource management

Next BIG step for WiFi – 802.11ac

• Some early products already released

• Ratification expected next year

• Chip manufactures already released 802.11ac chips

• Clients soon to ship

• 80MHz and 160MHz channel width

• 802.11ac is coming….

And if we are a microcell vendor we still have to have a minimum of 3 channels to play the “Let’s not overlap each other dance”.

1st Channel

2nd Channel

So? Where are the microcell vendors going to get the 3rd channel without utilizing 4 of the channels affected by DFS regulations? The answer is simple. They can’t!

2nd Channel

1st Channel

3rd Channel ?????????

3rd Channel ?????????

1st Channel

2nd Channel

3rd Channel ?????????

2nd Channel

1st Channel

3rd Channel ?????????

So? Where are the microcell vendors going to get the 3rd channel 80MHz wide bonded channel that they need without utilizing 4 of the channels affected by DFS regulations?

The answer is simple. They can’t!

So if you use a Multi Channel Architecture/Microcell you have only two choices:

a.) Utilize the DFS channels and tell your customers that “Yes a false positive detection of a radar signal by your Wi-Fi radio chipset will cause your Wi-Fi network to complete break because you will lose one of the three (minimum) necessary channels for a microcell environment to work!

b.) adopt a Single Channel Architecture. Meru has been right on target from the beginning!

What are IT ‘s challenges

• BYOD – Bring Your Own Device

– How to manage flood of devices?

8

• Limited IT Staff

– Same person for wired/wireless/security

• Wi-Fi is pervasive and primary access network

– New biz workflows require minimum Wi-Fi downtime

THE CHALLENGES OF DEPLOYING A GUEST NETWORK

> Easily create user accounts?

> Provide the details to your guests?

> Give different levels of access?

> Audit and Record everything that happens?

> Meet your security requirements?

• How do you:

INTRODUCING GUEST MANAGEMENT WITH IDENTITY MANAGER

• Who should create user accounts?

– Receptionist/Lobby Ambassador

– IT Security

– Managers

– Help Desk

– Anyone

• Identity Manager lets you choosebased upon your security policy

• Allowing anyone to create accounts provides increased usage and will be just as secure Reduced Cost Full Audit Trail

Speed of access Ease of use

PROVISIONING

PROPRIETARY AND CONFIDENTIAL12

PROVISIONING USING THESPONSOR PORTAL

> Policy Based SponsorWeb Portal for internalusers

> Authenticate with corporate credentials• Local Database• Active Directory• LDAP• RADIUS• Kerberos• Client Certificates

PROPRIETARY AND CONFIDENTIAL13

3. Add user

2. Specify the account length

1. Enter user details

CREATING GUEST ACCOUNTS

PROPRIETARY AND CONFIDENTIAL14

Send account information via

print-out, email, or SMS text message

NOTIFYING GUESTS

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IDM SUITE SOLVES THE KEY PROBLEMS• Guest Management

– Delivers secure, scalable wireless access for parents, students, faculty/staff, visitors, and their mobile devices

– Less reliance on IT while enforcing the policies set forth by IT

• Smart Connect

– Solves the greatest barrier to secure connectivity adoption: reliance on the end-user or help desk to configure security settings

– Automatically provisions client devices for secure 802.1x based on pre-determined IT policy

– Process only happens one time. Auto connected every time joins network.

Thank You.

Eric Jorgensen

Territory Sales Manager, Central & Western Canada

ejorgensen@merunetworks.com

 BYOD a Challenge?

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