Getting A Grip On Wireless

Headnote

The four packages reviewed deliver a rich array of wireless-network control capabilities-some common, some unique.

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"Wireless security" used to be an oxymoron, but not any more.

A year ago, BCR readers saw the results of our first hands-on review of a new product class: systems designed expressly for securing wireless networks (see BCR, October 2004, pp. 24-32). Much has happened since then, and the time had come to revisit the subject. So the results of this, the latest BCR-Miercom test round, are presented here.

First we re-surveyed the industry, looking for systems and packages that provide "enhanced and advanced management and control" of wireless networks. We uncovered several key new players. And at least one vendor in last year's review, Chantry Networks, had been snatched up (acquired by Siemens).

An open solicitation to participate was issued to all potential candidates, and four vendors accepted (Table 1):

* Aruba Networks, which submitted its A2400 Mobility Controller, featuring a modular, appliance-type platform. Modules included the vendor's firewall, intrusion prevention system, and a 24-port switch that delivers PoE (power-over-Ethernet) to Aruba's Access Points (APs). The system also works with other, 3rd-party APs, but full functionality requires Aruba's APs.

* Cranite Systems, which sent us its WirelessWall system. We ran the controller components of this software-only package on a Linux-based IBM server. Any 3rd-party APs are supported: We tested it with Cisco Aironet 1100 and 1200, and Buffalo AirStation G54 APs.

* Devicescape Software, which provided its software-only Wireless Operations Center (WOC). Unlike the other products reviewed, Devicescape's WOC is not an active controller. Rather, it is a passive, wireless-network management and monitoring package, which we ran on a Windows XP Pro laptop. (Linux is also supported.)

* Symbol Technologies, which submitted its WS 5100 Controller, a fixed-configuration controller appliance. Symbol also included a new adjunct system, the W-IPS (Wireless Intrusion Prevention System), which augments the WS 5100 with extensive security capabilities.

As Table 1 shows, the packages are quite diverse. Aruba and Symbol address a nearly equivalent feature set-including many special voice over IP (VOIP)-handling capabilities, as well as rogue-AP detection and mitigation. Not unexpectedly, these two vendors' offerings are also comparably priced.

Granite's WirelessWall system,...