802.11n: platform vs. point solution

www.wildpackets.com© WildPackets, Inc.

Jay BotelhoDirector of Product ManagementWildPacketsjbotelho@wildpackets.comFollow me @jaybotelho

802.11nPlatform vs. Point Solution

Show us your tweets!Use today’s webinar hashtag:

#wp_80211nwith any questions, comments, or feedback.

Follow us @wildpackets

Agenda

• Wireless Trends

• The Wi-Fi Lifecycle

• 11n – A Driving Force

• Designing and Planning

• The Wireless Management Onion

• 11n – What Matters to You

• Company Overview

• Product Line Overview

Platforms

• Hardware PlatformA group of compatible computers (computing devices) that can run the same software (firmware).

• Software PlatformA major piece of software, as an operating system, an operating environment, or a database, under which various smaller application programs can be designed to run.

• PlatformA horizontal surface or structure raised above the level of the surrounding area.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/platform

Wireless Trends

Trends to Watch

• Blurring the lines – Wi-Fi and Cellular‒ Wi-Fi complements cellular‒ Voice Enterprise – moving from proprietary to standards-based‒ Voice handoff‒ Fitting 11n into the design

• Consumer devices in the enterprise

• The rebirth of the smart AP

• Net Neutrality – “Freedom to Access vs. Access Itself”‒ QoS pricing?‒ Tethering

Trends to Watch (cont.)

• Wi-Fi certification‒ Wi-Fi Direct (P2P)

• Best of What's New 2010 designation from Popular Science• Enables devices to connect, share, sync, print, and play - when,

where and how users want‒ Hot-spot certification – truly secure hotspot connections?

• Higher throughput from new spectrum allocation‒ 60GHz‒ Very High Throughput 5GHz

• NOT on my list – Consolidated network management

The Wi-Fi Lifecycle

Network Designand Requirements

”How to create a high performance Wi-Fi network?”

ManagementTroubleshootingExpansion ”How to resolve issues and cope with changes? How to expand the network?”

DeploymentandVerification ”Does my network function as required?”

Ensure coverageVerify performanceCheck correct AP configurationsTest end-to-end network

operation

See the network coverage and performance during and after deployment

Solve Wi-Fi issues, such as 802.11n issues Excessive interference Rogue APs, Broken APs Coverage holes / leakage Plan for added capacity or

coverage

See network trouble spots and find corrective measures

See the impact of added access points or new technologies

Define applications to be usedDefine areas to be covered

Find locations for the APsDetermine AP configurationsFind optimal antennas and their

alignment

See the network coverage and performance prior to depoyment

The Wi-Fi Life Cycle Has a Lot to Consider

11n – A Driving Force

Example – Purdue University

• "The management of our wireless network, when you boil it down, is three people. It's three busy people, but not three suicidal people." - Scott Ksander, Executive Director of Networks and Security

• 6,000 802.11n APs, 265 buildings, 10,000 users

• Using a controller-based architecture is a must

• Uses Cisco software for centralized monitoring but requires specific trouble-shooting tools for the field

• 11n is a must – Purdue learned the hard way that large lecture halls with 802.11bg APs could not tolerate 600 students logging in at the same time

Source: http://searchnetworking.techtarget.com/news/article/0,289142,sid7_gci1373978,00.html

The Real World at Liberty University

• Multi-channel, IP-based video (IPTV) over wireless

• Provide roaming students with universal access to multi-channel video

• Delivery of 15 live TV channels

• Liberty's campus channel as well as ABC, CBS, CNN, ESPN, FOX, NBC, and a range of other broadcasters

• Serves 46,000 local/remote students and 2,600 FTEs

• Network includes more than 770 Aruba 802.11n access points

Source: http://www.marketwire.com/press-release/Liberty-University-Launches-Campus-Wide-Wireless-IPTV-Using-80211n-Wi-Fi-From-Aruba-NASDAQ-ARUN-1069662.htm

Designing and Planning

Wireless Network DesignNo Longer An Option

• Visual, Enterprise-grade Wi-Fi toolkit for‒ 3D Network Design‒ Deployment and Verification‒ Troubleshooting

• Created for IT administrators / managers and wireless professional services persons

‒ For anyone dealing with a Wi-Fi network of over 10 APs

• Software application, runs on Windows laptops (XP/Vista/7 32/64bit)

• Supports 802.11n, and 802.11a/b/g

Automatic Network Planning

Select your requirement, such as VoIP

Indicate desired coverage areas

Select AP model and AP parameters

Automatically find optimal number of APs, AP placement, and configurations based on your requirements

ESS calculates the locations and configurations for the APs for the entire building – in 3D!

Fully supports 802.11n

The Wireless Management Onion

Spectrum

RF activity over time (bottom is now, top is 2,5 minutes ago)

A wireless camera was first turned off, then switched on to cause an RF havoc

Wi-Fi Channels 1-3 are mostly affected by the device

Find issues caused by non-802.11 devices, such as microwave ovens, wireless cameras, motion detectors, and Zigbee.

RF intensity (the higher the more intense)

Momentary RF intensity (blue = max, green = avg)

Network Issues Visualization pinpoints network problem locations and causes with a single view

Instant, on-the-spot assessment using the Live Network Status view. Take the laptop the problematic location and see what’s wrong.

Each color represents a different cause for network errors:Low signal or data rate, insufficient overlap, high packet loss, high latency times

Troubleshoot network issues on-the-spot, or after survey

Network

Wired and Wireless

• Security protocols and policy• Rogue APs and clients• Ad-hoc networks• Wireless security attacks• QoS configuration and use• Signal strength• Dropped packets and retries

• Tracking wireless packets onto the wired network

• QoS configuration and use• VPN/MPLS• Application vs. network latency

AccessPoint Router

Air-link

PrivateNetworkor the

Internet

AuthServer

Ethernet Ethernet

WLANController

11n – What Matters to You

How Much Do You Need?

• MIMO

• Channel Bonding

• Block Acknowledgements

• Aggregation

• Short Guard Interval

• Beam Forming

802.11n – Are You Seeing It All?

Aruba Networks, 2008

Availability

• Must distinguish between APs and wireless adapters

• “NxM” = 3x3 is pretty easy to find‒ Both for APs and wireless adapters

• 3x3:3 is difficult to find‒ Look for 450 MHz throughput – not many out there‒ APs are a bit easier to find‒ Wireless adapters are much more difficult to find

• Form factor is also an issue‒ PCIe cards (internal laptop adapters) will be first to market‒ USB devices coming slowly – power is an issue in “:3” devices

Company Overview

Corporate Background

• Experts in network monitoring, analysis, and troubleshooting‒ Founded: 1990 / Headquarters: Walnut Creek, CA‒ Offices throughout the US, EMEA, and APAC

• Our customers are leading edge organizations‒ Mid-market, and enterprise lines of business‒ Financial, manufacturing, ISPs, major federal agencies,

state and local governments, and universities‒ Over 7,000 customers / 60+ countries / 80% of Fortune 1,000

• Award-winning solutions that improve network performance‒ Internet Telephony, Network Magazine, Network Computing Awards‒ United States Patent 5,787,253 issued July 28, 1998

• Different approach to maintaining availability of network services

What We Do

• Provide network visibility and intelligence …‒ WatchPoint, OmniPeek, OmniEngines

• Expert systems – we find the problems for you• Superior drill-down capability – trouble-shoot from anywhere• Flexible, customizable, extensible – leverage your investment

‒ Professional services, training, best practices

• For all network segments …‒ Data center to desktop to remote office‒ LAN, WAN, Wireless …‒ HTTP, Email, Database, VoIP, Video …

• To …‒ Network engineers; IT Management; Developers

Real-World Deployments

Education

Health Care / Retail

Financial

Telecom

Government

Technology

Product Line Overview

Product OfferingsSoftware and Turnkey Appliances

• Enterprise Monitoring and Reporting‒ WatchPoint Server‒ OmniFlow, NetFlow, and sFlow Collectors

• Network Probes & Recorders‒ Omnipliance Network Recorders – Edge, Core‒ TimeLine Network Recorder‒ OmniAdapter Analysis Cards

• Distributed Analysis Software‒ OmniPeek – Enterprise, Professional, Basic, Connect‒ OmniEngine – Enterprise, Desktop, OmniVirtual

• Portable Solutions‒ OmniPeek software‒ Omnipliance Portable

WatchPointCentralized Monitoring for Distributed Enterprise Networks

• High-level, aggregated view of all network segments

‒ Monitor per campus, per region, per country

• Wide range of network data‒ NetFlow, sFlow, OmniFlow,

• Web-based, customizable network dashboards

• Flexible and detailed reports

Omnipliance Network Recorders

• Captures and analyzes all network traffic at the source 24x7‒ Runs our OmniEngine intelligent probe software‒ Generates vital statistics on network and application performance‒ Intuitive root-cause analysis of performance bottlenecks

• Intelligent data transport‒ Network data analyzed locally‒ Detailed analysis passed to OmniPeek on demand‒ Summary statistics sent to WatchPoint for long term trending and

reporting‒ Efficient use of network bandwidth

• Expert analysis speeds problem resolution‒ Fault analysis, statistical analysis, and independent notification

• Multiple Issue Digital Forensics‒ Real-time and post capture data mining for compliance and

troubleshooting

TimeLine Network Recorder11.7Gbps Sustained Capture

• Fastest network recording and real-time statistical display — simultaneously

‒ Network statistics display in TimeLine visualization format

• Rapid, intuitive forensics search and retrieval‒ Historical network traffic analysis and quick data rewinding‒ Several pre-defined forensics search templates making

searches easy and fast

• A natural extension to the WildPackets product line

• Turnkey bundled solution

Omnipliance Network RecordersPrice/performance solutions for every application

Portable Edge Core TimeLineRuggedized

TroubleshootingSmall Networks / Remote Offices

Regional Offices /Small Datacenter

DatacenterWorkhorse

Chassis 1U 3U 3U

Memory 2 GB / 8 GB 4 GB / 8 GB 6 GB / 24 GB 18 GB / 24 GB

Expansion 1 PCI-E / 2 PCI-X 1 PCI-E or 1 PCI-X 4 PCI-E 4 PCI-E

Storage 500 GB / 2.5 TB 1 TB 8 TB 8 TB / 16 TB / 32 TB

OmniPeek Network Analyzer

• OmniEngine Manager‒ Connect and configure distributed OmniEngines/Omnipliances

• Comprehensive dashboards present network traffic in real-time‒ Vital statistics and graphs display trends on network and application

performance‒ Visual peer-map shows conversations and protocols‒ Intuitive drill-down for root-cause analysis of performance bottlenecks

• Visual Expert diagnosis speeds problem resolution‒ Packet and Payload visualization provide business-centric views

• Automated analytics and problem detection 24/7‒ Easily create filters, triggers, scripting, advanced alarms and alerts

Key Differentiators

• High-level network monitoring to root-cause analysis

• Single solution for today’s converged networks‒ Wired, Wireless, 1GB, 10GB, VoIP, Video, TelePresence, IPTV

• Reduce and even eliminate network downtime‒ Automated monitoring 24x7‒ Speedy resolution of network bottlenecks

• Improve network and application performance

• Uniquely Extensible Platform – tailored to your needs

‒ Plug-ins and APIs for integration and customization

Show us your tweets!Use today’s webinar hashtag:

#wp_80211nwith any questions, comments, or feedback.

Follow us @wildpackets

Follow us on SlideShare!Check out today’s slides on SlideShare

www.slideshare.net/wildpackets

Thank You!

WildPackets, Inc.1340 Treat Boulevard, Suite 500Walnut Creek, CA 94597(925) 937-3200

802.11n: platform vs. point solution

network coverage

wireless network designno

network function

high performance wifi

lines wifi

n issues

deploymentsolve wifi

wireless cameras

Technology

next generation 802.11n

802.11n wireless 802.11n wireless lan usb adapter user

wlan 802.11n - mac sublayer

cloud platform vs vcloudsuite oct 2013 enterprise customer

virtual financial tools & technology platform $19.95 vs ???

[sgpkor] platform vs service

native vs cross platform vs html5

open platform design flow chart vs 0.2

cross platform mobile application development- titanium vs...

ruckus - 03-802.11n

802.11n sniffer

ieee 802.11n – high throughput

native vs cross platform development

ieee 802.11n wireless series - rokland · introduction to...

mobile app vs. the web platform

solarwinds orion platform products vs. ipswitch whatsup

benchmark: facebook vs vkontakte ads platform testing

mobile app development: off the-shelf vs platform

agile vs. predictive - itm platform

vrd - aruba 802.11n networks