Software Addresses Design of High-Performing Secure Wireless Networks

SCHAUMBURG, Ill., /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Motorola, Inc. has expanded the capabilities of its LANPlanner and EnterprisePlanner wireless network design software to include planning of wireless intrusion prevention and detection systems.

AirDefense, a leading provider of wireless security and monitoring solutions, has entered into an agreement with Motorola under which AirDefense may license Motorola's LANPlanner and Infielder software and intends to sell the solutions for use in designing and managing AirDefense systems.

Companies worldwide have used Motorola's RF design and management software to plan their wireless network access point infrastructures. With the added ability to plan security systems, businesses can now incorporate security planning into the network design process, enabling the creation of an integrated, secure, cost effective and reliable wireless infrastructure.

"More and more organizations are depending on wireless networks for business critical applications and these companies must ensure superior performance without compromising security," said Jim Welch, general manager of Motorola's RF Design and Management Software division. "Our software enables anyone involved in the deployment of these wireless networks to plan for the capacity, reliability and performance required to provide high quality of service along with a security infrastructure that helps to protect the company's vital computing assets and information."

Motorola's wireless network design software considers the key factors that impact the quality of service and security offered by a wireless network -- the environment, applications and number of users -- and utilizes this knowledge and its impact on the intended network performance when enabling the design.

When planning the placement of intrusion prevention and detection sensors, the software specifically considers how the environment affects the sensors' ability to monitor wireless signals. For coverage, companies often want to monitor their facility as well as an area outside of the building in order to identify outside threats or intrusion attempts. With Motorola's solution, the designer creates a plan that shows the area the sensors will be monitoring; more importantly, the plan identifies coverage holes. The designer can easily adjust the sensor locations or add more equipment to develop a comprehensive protection model. The system must also have the capacity to analyze all traffic on the network, and the volume is driven by the types of applications and the number of users. During the design process, Motorola's software considers the capacity needed for a wide variety of applications ranging from Internet access and email to bandwidth intensive applications like voice over Wi-Fi along with the number of users.