Infotech Lead Europe: Microsoft has tapped Meru Networks’ Wi-Fi solutions during CeBIT 2013 to offer connectivity.
Monika Friedrich, CeBIT Project Manager, Microsoft, said: “Already on the first day of the tradeshow we had 400 devices connected over the wireless LAN network. This year we had a huge number of visitors from around the world and even hosted a number of VIPs including the German Chancellor Angela Merkel and the Polish Prime Minister, Donald Tusk.”
Wi-Fi, among other things, has fueled the growth of enterprise WLAN in Q4 2012 to grow by 28 percent.
IDC vice president Rohit Mehra recently said that rapid growth with bring your own device (BYOD) continues to drive increased WLAN infrastructure rollouts in the enterprise. The second key factor driving growth is the increasing use of Wi-Fi by cellular operators and managed service providers.
“It is important for us that these live demos run smoothly and the pre-requisite for this if of course reliable and high-speed WLAN connectivity. Last year we had major issues to provide connectivity without a wired connection. This year, we are extremely pleased with the performance of the Meru technology that worked without any hitches throughout the entire show,” Frederich added.
“That Meru’s MobileFLEX architecture was able to meet Microsoft’s needs at the at CeBIT, the most challenging of venues, this year, demonstrates the efficacy of the combination of Microsoft, Meru, and our valued partner, IT-Services,” said Srinath Sarang, co-founder and general manager of Hospitality and Entertainment at Meru.
Microsoft utilized Meru’s Context-aware Application Layers (CALs) to provide access to the Microsoft staff, visitors and journalists, who, at peak times, were using more than 600 mobile devices including netbooks, tablets, smartphones and various other wireless devices from many different manufacturers connected simultaneously.
German systems integrator, M.S. IT-Services selected Meru Networks technology while planning the wireless network for the multi-level, 3000 m2 Microsoft stand. M.S. IT-Services was responsible for building up the network infrastructure on the stand which included over 1,050 Ethernet ports, 24 physical and 260 virtual servers and firewalls. Fifty Meru AP332e access points (APs) and two MC4200 controllers deployed in redundant configuration were deployed in order to support over 600 clients.
