VIENNA, Va. -- MobileAccess Networks, a leading provider of in-building wireless network solutions, announced today feature enhancements to the MobileAccess MA-850 Intelligent RF Switching Hub that boost the reliability of enterprise Wi-Fi networks. With its new Access Point (AP) redundancy features, the MA-850 is ideal for organizations, like hospitals, that are relying on Wi-Fi services for critical wireless applications. Well-received by hospitals and other enterprise customers, the MA-850 continues to receive accolades from the wireless industry.
The MA-850 enables a unique Wi-Fi architecture that lets IT managers cluster APs into telecom closets, where they can be managed and maintained with minimal disruption when compared to conventional Wi-Fi deployments, where APs must be mounted on ceilings throughout the facility. With its internal RF switch matrix, the MA-850 can selectively direct Wi-Fi signals from the APs to passive broadband antennas positioned on the ceilings. This ability enables a popular "pay-as-you-grow" feature where the capacity of a single AP can be shared across a broad coverage area that otherwise would require as many as four APs.
Rick Schroeder, Network Analyst for St. Mary's / Duluth Clinic Health System in Minnesota, a MobileAccess customer who recently implemented the MA- 850 solution agrees. "The MA-850 supports a scaling feature that lets us broaden the coverage potential of each wireless access point, so we can design with fewer of them -- which is a huge operational savings for the hospital."
The new AP redundancy feature in the MA-850 capitalizes on the co-location of APs and leverages the MA-850 switch matrix to enable dynamic, redundant coverage options that compensate for AP failures. Should an AP fail, the MA- 850 will automatically respond by switching that AP's coverage area over to a designated back-up AP. In addition, the MA-850 will trigger an SNMP alarm to report the AP failure to the organization's IT managers. With the MA-850 AP redundancy feature, IT managers can provide a new level of reliability for their Wi-Fi system and maximize the up-time for critical Wi-Fi based applications.
In parallel, the MA-850 continues to receive accolades from within the wireless industry. Jim Geier, founder of Wireless-Nets, Ltd. and editor-in- chief of Mobilized Software, conducted an independent test and evaluation of the MA-850 and concluded that, "the MobileAccess MA-850 is an effective solution for providing Wi-Fi coverage throughout office facilities. System integrators and IT organizations should strongly consider the MA-850 solution over traditional access point architectures." His test report and accompanying white paper, "Essential Considerations for Wireless LAN Deployments," can be downloaded from http://www.mobileaccess.com/geierwp_dl.cfm.
Since announcing the MA-850 in July 2004, MobileAccess has seen widespread customer adoption within the healthcare, financial services, government and education industries. "The rapid adoption of the MA-850 demonstrates the importance that our customers place on Wi-Fi solutions that offer strong, reliable coverage while also being easy to manage and maintain," said Cathy Zatloukal, President and CEO of MobileAccess. "The new MA-850 redundancy feature offers another level of reliability for organizations, like our healthcare customers, that are relying on their Wi-Fi networks to support critical applications."
About MobileAccess MA-850 Intelligent RF Switching Hub
The MA-850 enables a fundamentally new Wi-Fi architecture in which 802.11 APs can be clustered together in secure telecom closets, while only passive broadband antennas are located on the ceilings. In contract to the conventional "AP everywhere" approach to deploying Wi-Fi, the MA-850 solution allows IT managers to easily access APs, reducing the operational costs of managing the Wi-Fi network and minimizing disruption within the facility. In addition, the same passive antennas and cabling can be used to simultaneously support other wireless services such as cellular, PCS, and two-way radio.
The MA-850 supports advanced RF features that enable more flexible and reliable Wi-Fi implementations. With an embedded RF switching matrix, the MA- 850 enables a "Pay-As-You-Grow" capability that can minimize the number of required APs, significantly reducing cost. This same switching matrix enables an AP redundancy feature that can re-direct Wi-Fi coverage around a failed AP, boosting the uptime for the Wi-Fi system.
The MobileAccess MA-850 enables IT managers to deploy enterprise-class Wi- Fi infrastructures that can readily adapt to accommodate unforeseen future wireless service requirements.
About MobileAccess Networks
MobileAccess Networks (http://www.mobileaccess.com/) is a leading developer of in-building wireless solutions for corporate enterprises and wireless service providers. The MobileAccess Product Family leverages patented techniques for the transmission of Radio Frequency signals over optical fibers. MobileAccess products guarantee business-quality performance and reliability for all current and future wireless services, including cellular voice, Wi-Fi and public safety, throughout large buildings and campus environments. With hundreds of networks installed worldwide, MobileAccess Networks UnWires the Workplace with cost-effective, scalable solutions that deliver superior wireless coverage for all data and voice applications. Founded in 1998, MobileAccess Networks provides in-building wireless solutions to AT&T Wireless, Verizon, Sprint PCS, Nextel, Cingular, T-Mobile, Partner, Deutsche Telecom, France Telecom, Orange, Cellcom and DutchTone. High profile customers include U.S. House of Representatives, Ft. Lauderdale Airport, American Family Insurance, American University, Red Cross and many others.
Source: MobileAccess Networks
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