Features
Expandable Architecture
·
Forward Compatible / Upgradable to Higher Speed
WLAN standards
·
Superior Product Life Cycle, Investment
Protection for years to come
·
Layer 3 / 4
Technology
·
Will be the first WLAN platform to deliver
policy-based, User Personalized Networking and advanced networking features
·
Multi-Layer QoS
Support for Current and Future Radio
Technologies
·
A la carte selection of radios will allow
customers to customize this wireless access platform to fit specific needs /
long – term strategy
·
Investment protection and ease of technology
migration – customers will not have to discard existing 802.11b radios already
in use
Multiple Management Options including
NetSight, AP Manager, Telnet, Web-Management, and Console
·
Management to support networks that scale from
one to thousands of wireless nodes
10 / 100 Ethernet Uplink
·
Uplink designed to scale for multiple high-speed radios
Remote Power
·
Saves money and hassle in installing wireless
networks
The RoamAbout R2 is an expandable
wireless access platform designed to support multiple radio technologies and
networking requirements for years to come.
The Wireless LAN industry is
growing at nearly 100% annually. Deal
size and relative importance of WLANs for Security, Availability, and Mobility
is growing relative to the market.
However, customers are beginning to become concerned about ROI and life
span for major wireless expenditures.
New, higher- rate standards and requirements for advanced networking functionality,
combined with policy-enabled management, are causing some customers to want to delay full-scale deployments of WLANs in their
enterprises.
The RoamAbout R2 is the answer for
ROI, Lower-Cost-Of-Ownership, and technology migration planning for enterprise
customers.
Built on an expandable
architecture, the RoamAbout R2 will support multiple high-speed radios,
multiple architectures, and advanced networking features, and enable policy
networking: and it will do so from a highly-customizable, affordable, and
highly expandable platform!
Product Overview
The RoamAbout R2 meets the challenges described above. It proposes two core values propositions:
1. Advanced
network functionality: The RoamAbout R2 will ultimately deliver nearly all
the functionality commonly expected from the industry’s highest-functioning
wiring-closet switches. Because it uses
Layer 3 / 4 Switching technology, it will include features such as: IEEE 802.1x
/ Extensible Authentication Protocol, IP routing enabling 1-100
Point-to-multi-point bridging, VLAN support, session and dynamic encryption,
full layer 4 classification including 4 priority queues for quality of service
and service level agreements, dynamic load balancing, and IGMP snooping. Additionally, RoamAbout R2 will support
SNMPv3, 802.11e Security, 802.11f Inter-Access Point Protocol, and 802.1af
power over copper data cabling.
All of these features will be realized through firmware releases in
2001. It also supports two radios,
meaning double aggregate bandwidth availability or simultaneous outdoor
bridging and indoor WLAN support, or standalone bridging as part of a wireless
mesh topology. The RoamAbout R2 will be
the most flexible wireless access platform in the industry.
2. Simultaneous
support for current and future wireless technologies: The RoamAbout R2 will
initially ship as an 802.11b wireless access platform. When new, higher-rate radios become available
in late 2001, it will be fully upgradable to these technologies. Because it is designed to support two radios
simultaneously, this means that the RoamAbout R2 will be able to operate as
both an 802.11b and an 802.11a access device.
In simple terms, RoamAbout R2 will stand alone in the market
as a value for forward-thinking WLAN customers.
The platform is designed to offer a life cycle that is years longer than
comparable products because of its advanced intelligence, upgradable
architecture, and support for multiple technologies. These advantages yield smooth migration of
technology without having to upgrade an entire infrastructure or discard
previously purchased PC radio cards.
With a lower cost of ownership and unrivaled investment protection,
RoamAbout R2 will win in the marketplace.
Security, Availability, and Mobility are the key market
messages for Enterasys in 2001. The
RoamAbout R2 embodies all three. It also
delivers on the promise of 802.1x (a touchstone of Secure
Harbor) and with it, User
Personalized Networking (the core value for NetSight Policy Manager). It delivers on a vision for the office of
2005 when a user has immediate access to mission critical systems, with an
experience tailored specifically for his or her individual requirements,
anytime, anywhere.
Product Features
and Benefits
·
Modular mezzanine slot- expandable for future radios
/ investment protection and flexibility
·
10/100 Ethernet Port- high bandwidth uplink to meet
bandwidth needs for years to come
·
Remote Power- saves money and hassle for
running power to the access platform
·
AP2000 features- same feature set that has won
6 industry awards and brings high customer acceptance
·
Telnet and Web Management- Management flexibility that
our customers have asked for
·
NetSight Support- Fully manageable from the NetSite
NetSight platform, enabling all the
advanced management features associated with NetSight
·
SNMP v3- a more powerful management
standard with a better security offering
·
802.1x / EAP- a
powerful authentication mechanism - the network becomes aware of the users and their
classifications, enables policy-based networking
·
1 to 100 Point – to – Multi-point - Expanding the outdoor solution to 100
segments through new IP routing functionality (particularly important on
campuses and for ISP’s)
·
VLAN aware- in outdoor mode, the access
point will pass VLAN-tagged packets.
·
Session Encryption- a dynamic encryption key for
each user, more secure than a shared key for all users
·
IEEE 802.11e- proposed standard for
security and QoS for wireless – allow for interoperability of these important
new feature additions
·
IEEE 802.1f- proposed standard for access
point-to- access point communication – facilitates better support for roaming
from one cell to another across a multi-vendor Access Point network
·
SLA- Service Level Agreements –
ability to provision bandwidth for particular network segments (for multi-point
solution)
·
Dynamic Load Balancing- As bandwidth requirements and
density of users increase, it will be important to effectively spread the load
across multiple access points.
·
IGMP Snooping- Better provisioning of available
bandwidth for multicast traffic.