Meru Enhances E(z)RF Application Suite for Streamlined Management, Proactive Diagnostics and Network Optimization; Doubles Capacity with Meru SA2000 Service Appliance

SUNNYVALE, Calif., Aug. 29, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Meru Networks, Inc., a pioneer in 802.11n virtualized wireless networking, today announced upgrades to the Meru E(z)RF® Network Management Suite and introduced the new SA2000 Network Management Appliance. The combination of solutions streamlines management and optimization of large wireless networks and gives administrators the ability to easily provision, test, troubleshoot and optimize the wireless networks for higher overall quality of service while reducing IT overhead and cost.

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Meru's upgraded network management applications include the E(z)RF Network Manager 2.3, which provides centralized management of large enterprise installations and now scales to support hundreds of WLAN controllers and thousands of access points. The Meru Service Assurance Manager 1.2 and Spectrum Analyzer 1.1 leverage Meru's unique virtual cell architecture to create virtual clients from idle access points, thereby enabling proactive, cost-effective network testing and validation. These applications streamline network analysis, testing and troubleshooting, and enable management of vast networks from a single web-based management console. The new Meru SA2000 Services appliance supports twice the database capacity while fitting into a 50% smaller footprint.

"We have a very large campus with multiple virtual wireless cells, handling hundreds of Wi-Fi devices at any given time," said Eric Hawley, associate vice president of IT, Utah State University. "We rely on the Meru E(z)RF Suite to streamline the management of this extensive network and optimize wireless performance. With our limited IT staff, we must minimize incidents and maximize service to the thousands of students who depend on the wireless network as part of their education. Meru is the only vendor whose service management applications provide the historical, current and predictive information we need. They have brought a new level of order to the management of our network."

Administrators can protect their Meru network from downtime and predict potential network issues before they occur with Meru's suite of management tools. Upgrades to Meru's Service Assurance Management suite include:

• E(z)RF Network Manager 2.3 – advanced deployment and management solution now scales to support even larger networks. The solution enables administrators to easily deploy, configure, monitor and manage hundreds of Meru WLAN controllers and thousands of Meru APs from a single web-based management console. Meru E(z)RF lowers total cost of operations by enabling centralized configuration and software distribution. Automated backup of controller configurations and easy-to-use dashboards allow system administrators to review up to 12 months of data for trends analysis and capacity planning. Finally, the solution offers enhanced security with role-based access controls.  
• Service Assurance Manager (SAM) 1.2 – the industry's first proactive operations and diagnostics system for wireless networks, this application simulates client application traffic to test for end-to-end configuration and performance. End-to-end simulation tests enable system administrators to pinpoint and avert any potential issues throughout the wireless and the wired infrastructure before they occur.  Meru SAM v1.2 uses existing Access Points without suspending service so that enterprises can significantly reduce the cost and inconvenience of network validation. Customizable notifications give administrators 24x7 access to information, eliminating the need to have IT personnel on site.
• Spectrum Manager 1.1 – centralized comprehensive spectrum analysis and management application provides detailed RF network analysis, helping system administrators detect and classify interference from both Wi-Fi and non Wi-Fi sources (e.g. microwave ovens, Bluetooth) and optimize the network for improved quality of service and performance.
• SA2000 Services Appliance – a new appliance and upgraded software platform provides a foundation for the Meru EzRF application suite and enables administrators to cost effectively manage high-capacity wireless LANs.

"Predictable quality of service depends on visibility across all wireless network operations and the ability to head off problems before they impact users," said Kamal Anand, Senior Vice President Product Management, Meru. "Meru's centralized management solutions help administrators quickly isolate, identify and repair complex wireless problems in order to optimize the entire network for performance. Even with limited IT resources, our customers can be confident that they have the ability to deliver flawless connectivity as the network scales."

About Meru Networks

Founded in 2002, Meru Networks provides a virtualized wireless LAN architecture that cost-effectively delivers the performance, reliability, predictability and operational simplicity of a wired network, with the advantages of mobility. Meru's solution represents an innovative, yet standards-based approach to wireless networking that utilizes virtualization technology to create an intelligent and self-monitoring wireless network, enabling enterprises to migrate their business-critical applications from wired networks to wireless networks, to become all-wireless enterprises. Meru's solutions have been adopted in all major industry vertical markets, including Fortune 500 enterprises, healthcare, education, retail, manufacturing, hospitality and government. Meru is headquartered in Sunnyvale, Calif., and has operations in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East and Asia Pacific. For more information, visit www.merunetworks.com or call (408) 215-5300.

Meru Networks is a registered trademark of Meru Networks, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

SOURCE Meru Networks, Inc.