New High-end Outdoor Access Point Delivers Cutting-edge Wi-Fi Performance; Mid-range Indoor Access Point Brings Wave 2 Performance to Mainstream Market
While improving the wireless experience for retail, hospitality, education, enterprise and service provider customers, Ruckus Wireless, now part of Brocade has launched two new wireless access points (APs) and upgraded management software that double Wi-Fi client density and data rates over previous generations.
The new APs are based on the 802.11ac Wave 2 standard featuring multiple user-multiple input, multiple output (MU-MIMO) technology, which can simultaneously transmit multiple client streams to different devices on the same RF channel. Ruckus was first-to-market with Wave 2 APs in April 2015, and will now have the industry’s broadest Wave 2 portfolio. All Ruckus Wave 2 APs combine MU-MIMO with Ruckus’ patented BeamFlex+ adaptive antenna technology and ChannelFly predictive channel selection to deliver the highest performance Wi-Fi possible, optimizing signals for every client and transmission.
The new products include:
- Ruckus ZoneFlex T710 access point – An outdoor version of the industry-first Wave 2 R710 AP delivering multi-gigabit Wi-Fi performance and unprecedented client capacity. The T710 includes four dual-band antennas—utilizing BeamFlex+ adaptive antenna technology—along with interfaces for Ethernet and fiber backhaul, plus built-in GPS for ease of location and inventory management, making it a flexible platform for enterprise and service provider outdoor deployments.
- Ruckus ZoneFlex R510 access point – A Wave 2 version of Ruckus’ most popular indoor AP (R500). The R510 is a competitively priced AP for mid-market customers, featuring two dual-band anntennas (also utilizing BeamFlex+ technology) that combine MU-MIMO to service more devices with the highest efficiency. Unlike competing products that require expensive switch upgrades to accommodate higher power requirements, the R510 can work with existing 802.3af-capable Ethernet switches.
Both APs can be managed by Ruckus ZoneDirector and SmartZone controllers. ZoneDirector and SmartZone are software platforms for managing wireless networks, including user access controls, guest networking functions, advanced Wi-Fi security and traffic management. As part of today’s announcement, Ruckus is upgrading SmartZone to version 3.4 with new features for self-optimizing Wi-Fi networks, remote network management, simplified installation of new APs, and Amazon Web Services support. Ruckus is also upgrading ZoneDirector to version 9.13 to enable even better network installation and management. Both platforms also now provide built-in support for Ruckus’ Smart Positioning Technology (SPoT) location-based service and Cloudpath certificate-based security management software, user onboarding and policy access management software
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Ruckus ZoneFlex APs are available through Ruckus’ global distribution network. The R510, T710, SmartZone 3.4, and ZoneDirector 9.13 are currently scheduled to be released in July.
As per the company sources, “Brocade has completed the acquisition of Ruckus Wireless to build a pure-play networking company that supports the rapidly evolving requirements of the digital transformation era. The combination expands the breadth of Brocade’s portfolio of market-leading storage networking and IP networking solutions by adding high-performance wireless hardware and software products. Wireless is a critical access technology for modern New IP network architectures and is a natural extension of Brocade’s advanced offering of fabrics, software-based virtualization, network analytics and mobile networking solutions.”
“Growth in mobility is driving exponential increases in connected devices and data, and fueling the need for greater analytics capabilities and more pervasive security across the network. The combined company’s expertise and technology leadership in carrier-grade wireless, virtual Evolved Packet Core, mobile edge computing, and network visibility further strengthens the disruptive mobility strategy that Brocade announced in February. It also positions the company to provide differentiated solutions and scale-out capabilities in support of emerging opportunities, such as OpenG technology and 5G services, Internet of Things (IoT), and smart cities,” he added. “The combined company will be able to deliver superior focus and speed of innovation and best-in-class solutions spanning the full spectrum of networking. The combined world-class portfolio now provides customers with greater flexibility in meeting today’s infrastructure requirements, including high performance, flexible, secure access networks.”
“Together, Ruckus and Brocade create a unique and exemplary leader in networking across the global market. Both companies have pursued a similar vision for modern networks built on open systems, network virtualization and ubiquitous mobility. Our combined product portfolio offers numerous leverage points for continuous integration and innovation in the future. The Ruckus team is excited to join Brocade to drive our roadmap further and to jointly deliver innovative, value-added solutions that fulfil the wired and wireless needs of our customers,” he maintained.
