Bandspeed Expands AirMaestro™ Platform

AUSTIN, Texas - As the SME market looks to deploy Wi-Fi networks with advancing requirements to support services such as voice and video, the ideal experience for the user remains elusive. Users demand cost-effective, secure, and easy to manage Wi-Fi networks that offer fast downloads and provide clear voice-over-Wi-Fi calls with zero drops. However, wireless solution providers have not fully responded to market requirements for a great customer experience – until now.

Bandspeed, the leader in Wi-Fi infrastructure solutions for the mass market, has announced the new Virtual Controller software for the AirMaestro Platform. The Bandspeed AirMaestro with Virtual Controller is the industry’s first complete WLAN solution to offer SMEs and service providers a “Wireless Office in a Box” solution featuring simplified deployment, remote accessibility and centralized management to enable a superior wireless experience. Bandspeed AirMaestro with Virtual Controller software provides a complete WLAN solution for SMEs and service providers to meet existing and future WLAN requirements.

The Bandspeed AirMaestro Virtual Controller is the ideal solution for demanding WLAN deployments that require robust support for voice-over-Wi-Fi applications and WLAN security. The Bandspeed AirMaestro Virtual Controller’s distributed intelligence architecture is self-organizing, self-healing, and provides intelligent and coordinated configuration of APs, dynamic load balancing, fast roaming and rogue AP mitigation. Additional features include:

Clear Voice-over-Wi-Fi Calls. The AirMaestro platform features automated/intelligent AP configuration to avoid interference. The Virtual Controller provides fast roaming and load balancing for voice calls. Fast roaming between APs occurs in less than 50 milliseconds, ensuring calls are not disrupted.
Enhanced WLAN Security: In additional to providing simultaneous, dual-band access, each AirMaestro AP has an integrated and dedicated RF security sensor. The Virtual Controller software extends Rogue AP detection to provide WLAN firewall capability through Rogue AP mitigation. The Virtual Controller also offers enhanced guest services, now supporting up to 16 BSSIDs per access point, each assignable to a unique VLAN.
Easy to Deploy, Use, Manage: The Virtual Controller management console makes centralized monitoring and WLAN management simple and remotely accessible. The enhanced management console provides multiple RF monitor and WLAN network views including detailed spectral analysis at the AP level. Wizard-driven tools simplify WLAN service deployment/modification across the network.
Scalability. The network is scalable to support company growth and the applications the network will be asked to support in the future. The Virtual Controller provides support for up to 25 APs in a single Layer 2 network, as well as wizard-driven services management that allows existing services to be extended to new access points quickly and easily.
Flexibility. AirMaestro with Virtual Controller-based APs support multi-hop wireless backhaul with spanning tree protocol to extend the reach of the WLAN without the added expense and hassle of running new wires. APIs are also available to support 3rd party software integration.
The Bandspeed AirMaestro with Virtual Controller builds upon the existing and currently shipping AirMaestro Light Edition (LE). The AirMaestro LE enables the mass market to cost-effectively deploy and manage automated, robust, and secure enterprise-class Wi-Fi networks for up to 5 APs. Via the features detailed above, the Virtual Controller software now extends this capability for up to 25 APs and enhances the security, manageability and functionality of the network. It is compatible with existing Bandspeed solutions, providing an upgrade path for current Bandspeed customers.

“The Bandspeed AirMaestro with Virtual Controller is a complete and affordable WLAN solution for the SME market,” said Paul DeBeasi, senior analyst, The Burton Group. “To build a similar system today, a customer would require a WLAN controller, multiple dual-band APs, a wireless sensor network, and a spectrum analyzer. With the Virtual Controller, all of this functionality is provided in an integrated solution that makes it significantly easier and less expensive to deploy and manage.”

“The beauty of AirMaestro with Virtual Controller is its simplicity. Bandspeed specifically designed the solution for SMEs,” said Bill Eversole, president and CEO, Bandspeed. “SMEs have been asking for a complete, robust and easy-to-use WLAN solution, and Bandspeed is setting a new standard with AirMaestro with Virtual Controller.”