Ruckus Wireless's SmartMesh Wi-Fi meshing technology for 802.11n delivers three times the performance of typical WLANs and cuts deployment costs by eliminating cabling to access points (APs) and RF planning.
SmartMesh is a software upgrade for the Ruckus ZoneDirector family of WLAN controllers. Its meshing technology enabes 802.11n WLANs to self-organize, self-optimize, and self-heal. Early adopters have halved deployment time and cost, according to a company spokesperson.
In addition to SmartMesh, Ruckus Wireless also introduced:
- ZoneDirector 3000, a line of scalable, easy-to-use enterprise WLAN controllers for Ruckus ZoneFlex APs
- Ruckus FlexMaster remote Wi-Fi management system for centralized management of ZoneFlex APs and/or WLANs over a wide area IP network.
Selina Lo, president and CEO of Ruckus Wireless, said the company's new product addresses three missing ingredients that have stymied the deployment of wireless meshing within the enterprise: 1) scalable capability, 2) easy deployment and 3) low maintenance.
Ruckus SmartMesh is based on intelligent beam-steering technology pioneered by Ruckus Wireless called Smart Wi-Fi, which controls the form and direction of Wi-Fi signals, adapting them in real-time to the changing RF environment due to interference, distance and physical obstructions.
Beam steering extends signal range and minimizes the number of mesh nodes needed for a given coverage area. This in turn reduces the associated "hop" delay that can reduce client throughput by 50 percent or more per hop.
Automatic interference avoidance and optimum path selection enables the SmartMesh to deliver consistent high performance. As a result, the company claims that Ruckus 802.11n SmartMesh AP is capable of delivering higher throughput than a standard 802.11g wired AP even across two mesh hops.
The use of Smart Wi-Fi antennas also minimizes neighbor node interference within the mesh—unlike omni-directional antennas that radiate signals in all directions all the time, Smart Wi-Fi signals are directed specifically to the receiver only for the duration of a transmission.
Network administrators can easily enable SmartMesh through a point-and-click graphical user interface (GUI) on the Ruckus ZoneDirector. APs are automatically configured and managed by the ZoneDirector. Network provisioning, optimization and RF tuning are also automatic. Administrators can place SmartMesh access points where needed and walk away.
SmartMesh optimizes network topology by continually determining the best path to clients as well as among mesh backhaul nodes. Self-healing around RF problems and auto-recovery in the event of an AP failure ensure high availability of the SmartMesh. A graphical map provides a complete view of the mesh topology at any given moment.
Among the early adopters is Lodgian, Inc., which is retrofitting a hotel with the Ruckus SmartMesh. Within the 180-room Buckhead Courtyard Marriott hotel, Lodgian has deployed the Ruckus SmartMesh to provide high-performance Wi-Fi connectivity to every inch of the property.
Along with SmartMesh, Ruckus Wireless is introducing a new line of scalable enterprise-class Smart WLAN controllers, the ZoneDirector 3000. Supporting up to 250 ZoneFlex access points, the ZoneDirector 3000 is a robust Smart WLAN controller for large enterprise environments.
All ZoneDirectors and/or ZoneFlex APs are now manageable through the Ruckus FlexMaster Wi-Fi management system. Now enterprises can securely manage remote smart WLANs and APs in regional or branch offices from a single point over the Internet or private IP networks.
SmartMesh is available immediately as a free software upgrade (ZoneDirector 6.0 software) to premium support customers with Ruckus ZoneDirector Smart WLAN controllers. SmartMesh can be used with the entire family of Ruckus ZoneFlex 802.11g/n Smart Wi-Fi access points.
Available in July, the ZoneDirector 3000 starts at $6,000 for 25 APs.
The FlexMaster management system is available now for ZoneFlex APs starting at $5,000 for 100 APs. FlexMaster managing ZoneDirectors will be available in July.
More information is available at www.ruckuswireless.com.
