Novarum Campus Benchmark Testing Points to 802.11n Adaptive Mesh Systems as the 'Only Real Choice' for Future Deployments

SUNNYVALE, Calif., Jan. 11 /PRNewswire/ -- Ruckus Wireless(TM) today announced that its ZoneFlex(TM) outdoor wireless broadband access system outperformed leading products from BelAir and Cisco Systems, delivering a 12:1 price/performance advantage, according to a new benchmark study released today by Novarum, a strategic consulting and analysis firm for the wireless broadband data industry.

The testing focused on two key areas: 1) throughput performance and, 2) coverage predictability (as measured by equity between clients). According to the report, based on actual over-the-air (OTA) testing, the Ruckus dual-band 802.11n smart antenna mesh network outperformed its legacy 802.11a/g competitors by 4:1 (Cisco) and 6:1 (BelAir). View the full report entitled, "The Value of Smart Antennas: Campus Mesh Network Performance Benchmark," here: http://www.ruckuswireless.com/pdf/novarum-benchmark-study.pdf.

In addition, the coverage quality, or the ability of laptops to successfully connect from anywhere, particularly indoors, was superior with the Ruckus system.

In comparing the cost efficiency of the tested campus mesh solution, Novarum used Cisco as the baseline. Published pricing was used for the three systems under test along with the mean downstream and upstream indoor client performance numbers to establish a cost/performance metric. According to the report, the relative cost/performance difference revealed that Ruckus ZoneFlex dual-band 802.11n campus mesh system delivered a remarkable 12x improvement over competitive systems from Cisco and BelAir.

"With no extant third-party testing that sets a baseline for performance and service quality for any campus products, we set out to define a useful benchmark for both existing and emerging mesh solutions against which users can make informed deployment decisions," said Ken Biba, founder and chief technology officer at Novarum who directed and conducted the testing. "The lack of comparative research is doubly relevant considering the major transition in 2009/2010 from legacy 802.11a/g radios to smart antenna technology with 802.11n."

The full release, regarding testing methodology, key findings and detailed cost comparisons is available here: http://www.ruckuswireless.com/press/releases/20100111-novarum-benchmark.

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    Bill Jeppesen
    Ruckus Wireless
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SOURCE Ruckus Wireless