Aruba Networks on Tuesday announced the launch of enterprise-grade gigabit Wi-Fi for better outdoor connectivity.
Dell’Oro Group said the number of outdoor APs will grow approximately 146 percent from 2013-2018 worldwide.
“The Aruba 270 Series is an ideal and cost-efficient gigabit Wi-Fi solution for public facing enterprises, like large hospitality, retail and campuses, looking for high-performance, small cell deployments to service large coverage areas,” said Husnain Bajwa, distinguished engineer, Aruba Networks.
Aruba Networks will tap education institutions and large public facing enterprises which have strict requirements on design and form factor. APs with large antennas, exposed wiring and large enclosures are not permitted in many organizations and municipalities. Aruba says its Aruba 270 Series do not have any exposed antennas or wiring.
University of the South, located in Sewanee, Tennessee, is currently adding a 43-room inn and event center to its 13,000-acre campus. It has tapped Aruba’s new 270 Series.
Geno Schlichting, Wireless Network Engineer, University of the South, said: “The performance, including coverage distance, and the improved client capacity and association with ClientMatch technology means that fewer outdoor access points are needed for coverage, thereby reducing our total cost.”
Existing enterprise-grade outdoor APs are built on the prior-generation 802.11n technology. While this may be sufficient for basic connectivity, modern enterprises and large public venues require gigabit Wi-Fi to support new 802.11ac-enabled devices, performance sensitive applications and a higher density of devices, solving the capacity issues confronting IT.
The Aruba 270 Series maximizes performance on both the 5GHz and 2.4GHz bands delivering true gigabit speeds. Performance gains are not limited to 802.11ac devices; the Aruba 270 Series APs also enable existing 802.11n clients to operate up to three-times faster, achieving a higher transmission rate at the same range.
The company claims that Aruba 270 Series APs remove installation complexity by offering single-screw mounting brackets, integrated connector and antenna enclosure, and dual PoE+ and AC powering options in a single unit. The result is a simple and cost efficient solution that reduces install time by up to 75 percent.
Many WLAN vendors require fans for cooling and heating elements to prevent equipment failure. Purpose-built to survive the harshest outdoor environments, Aruba 270 Series APs withstand exposure to extremely high and low temperatures (-40 to +150 degrees Fahrenheit), persistent moisture, and are fully sealed to keep out airborne contaminants.
The 270 Series is available in two models – the Aruba AP-274 with external antennas and Aruba AP-275 with integrated antennas. The base price for the Aruba 270 Series starts at $1,595.
