Wi-Fi monitoring advances continue

NETWORK WORLD NEWSLETTER: JOANIE WEXLER ON WIRELESS IN THE
ENTERPRISE
08/17/05
Today's focus: Wi-Fi monitoring advances continue

Dear networking.world@gmail.com,

In this issue:

* Wi-Fi IDS/IPS: One network or two?
* Links related to Wireless in the Enterprise
* Featured reader resource
_______________________________________________________________
This newsletter is sponsored by Nokia
Empower Your Mobile Enterprise

Nokia believes that business mobility will fundamentally change
the way work gets done-and for the better. To allow the entire
organization to get the most from this paradigm shift in
productivity, Nokia Enterprise Solutions focuses on delivering
increased efficiency through enhanced mobility. Learn more by
downloading this white paper today!
http://www.fattail.com/redir/redirect.asp?CID=110503
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WHAT IS EV-DO?

If you thought that being able to connect to the internet from
almost anywhere is something you would not be able to do for a
while, think again. EV-DO is here and major cell phone service
providers have started offering it. For more on what EV-DO is,
click here:
http://www.fattail.com/redir/redirect.asp?CID=110043
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Today's focus: Wi-Fi monitoring advances continue

By Joanie Wexler

The wireless LAN monitoring discipline takes various
architectural approaches, depending on vendor, to enable you to
continually scan the 802.11 airwaves for security, performance,
and location-tracking purposes. Meanwhile, based on policy, the
monitoring system can trigger the wireless network to take
automated action and send you alerts, as appropriate.

Since last month's update in this area
<http://www.networkworld.com/nlwir5269>, at least a couple of
things have happened. Two of the newer players, AirTight
Networks and Network Chemistry, have made feature-related and
integration announcements that are giving their primary
competitors, AirDefense and AirMagnet, reasons to sweat.

AirTight announced Version 3.1 of its SpectraGuard Enterprise
software, which features Knowledge-Based Troubleshooting.
According to Sri Sundaralingam, AirTight director of product
management and technical marketing, this capability is a boon to
the help desk. Rather than having to decipher code-level data
about what is transpiring on the network, support personnel are
walked step-by-step through a flow chart to the root cause of an
issue, he says.

The company also introduced a scaled down, $495 version of its
product called SpectraGuard Sentry for smaller businesses. The
appliance displays all major WLAN security information in a
single dashboard. What's missing compared to the enterprise
version is centralized event correlation (the system presumes
just one or two access points) and location-tracking
capabilities.

For its part, Network Chemistry announced its Open Agent
Initiative, whereby it will provide its intrusion
detection/prevention system (IDS/IPS) software agent to run on
third-party access points, royalty free, beginning with Cisco
and Symbol APs. This step should appeal to the many enterprises
that may not want to invest in a separate overlay wireless
network specifically for monitoring purposes.

AirDefense and AirMagnet have already made strides in the
integration area here. Also, Network Chemistry is providing the
sensors and monitoring software in Bluesocket's new IDS/IPS
products. Bluesocket recently shifted its role from overlay WLAN
security vendor only to a combination WLAN systems and IDS/IPS
vendor, likely to serve the all-in-one enterprise requirements
described.

Next time: What are some points of consideration when
determining a Wi-Fi monitoring solution for your network?

The top 5: Today's most-read stories

1. Cisco to juice 6500 switch
<http://www.networkworld.com/nlwir5270>

2. Google goes berserk
<http://www.networkworld.com/nlwir5271>

3. Test: CipherTrust tops encryption field
<http://www.networkworld.com/nlwir5272>

4. IT staff shortage looming
<http://www.networkworld.com/nlwir5273>

5. Cisco to double Catalyst 6500 switch capacity in coming
months, report says
<http://www.networkworld.com/nlwir5022>

Today's most-forwarded story:

Cisco to juice 6500 switch
<http://www.networkworld.com/nlwir5274>
_______________________________________________________________
To contact: Joanie Wexler

Joanie Wexler is an independent networking technology
writer/editor in California's Silicon Valley who has spent most
of her career analyzing trends and news in the computer
networking industry. She welcomes your comments on the articles
published in this newsletter, as well as your ideas for future
article topics. Reach her at <mailto:joanie@jwexler.com>.
_______________________________________________________________
This newsletter is sponsored by Nokia
Empower Your Mobile Enterprise

Nokia believes that business mobility will fundamentally change
the way work gets done-and for the better. To allow the entire
organization to get the most from this paradigm shift in
productivity, Nokia Enterprise Solutions focuses on delivering
increased efficiency through enhanced mobility. Learn more by
downloading this white paper today!
http://www.fattail.com/redir/redirect.asp?CID=110502
_______________________________________________________________
ARCHIVE LINKS

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Wireless research center
Latest wireless news, analysis and resource links
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Anytime, anywhere networking in the wireless world

Learn about the rapidly changing world of wireless networks and
mobile devices, by tuning in to our webcast, "Trends and Best
Practices in Mobility Management."
http://www.fattail.com/redir/redirect.asp?CID=110151
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FEATURED READER RESOURCE
WIRELESS LANS BUYER'S GUIDE: THE GOODS ON 185 PRODUCTS

We've compiled the largest buyer's guide ever on wireless LAN
equipment. Whether you're looking for an access point, PC Card
or trying to decide between 802.11a, b or g, take a look at the
information that vendors have provided us. We've got the goods
on 185 products. Click here for more:
<http://www.networkworld.com/bg/wlan/index.jsp>
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