For: Infrastructure
& Operations
Professionals
The Forrester Wave™: Wireless Local
Area Network Solutions, Q3 2014
by Andre Kindness, August 29, 2014
Key Takeaways
Aruba And Cisco Aironet Solutions Lead The Pack
Forrester’s research uncovered a wireless market in which Aruba Networks and Cisco
Aironet solutions lead the pack. Aerohive, Motorola, Cisco Meraki, HP, and Xirrus offer
competitive options. Ruckus Wireless, Fortinet, and Meru Networks lag.
Use The Five S’s To Determine The Best Networking Platform For Your
Infrastructure
Buying IT solutions based on the fastest access point (AP) or the cheapest 802.11ac
AP is dead. However, looking for wireless solutions for a particular business can
be daunting due to a dizzying array of architectures and marketing buzz. Forrester
recommends that you look for the following in a solution: scalable, shared, simplified,
standardized, and secure.
The Presence Of Business Tools And Vertical-Specific Capabilities
Defines Vendors
With their focus on delivering business value, Aruba Networks and Cisco Systems lead
the wireless vendors. Aerohive, Motorola, and others have started to deliver verticalspecific solutions that will help businesses win new customers and delight current ones.
The other vendors are squaring off in other markets.
Access The Wave Model For Deeper Insight
Use the detailed Forrester Wave model to view every piece of data used to score
participating vendors and create a custom vendor shortlist. Access the report online
and download the Excel tool using the link in the right-hand column under “Tools
& Templates.” Alter Forrester’s weightings to tailor the Forrester Wave model to your
specifications.
Forrester Research, Inc., 60 Acorn Park Drive, Cambridge, MA 02140 USA
Tel: +1 617.613.6000 | Fax: +1 617.613.5000 | www.forrester.com
For Infrastructure & Operations Professionals
August 29, 2014
The Forrester Wave™: Wireless Local Area
Network Solutions, Q3 2014
The 10 WLAN Solutions That Matter Most And How They Stack Up
by Andre Kindness
with Christopher Voce, Thayer Frechette
Why Read This Report
In Forrester’s 58-criteria evaluation of vendors that offered wireless networking solutions, Forrester
identified 10 significant solutions in this category — Aerohive Solution, Aruba Mobility-Defined
Networks, Cisco Aironet, Cisco Meraki, Fortinet Secure Wireless LAN, HP FlexNetwork WLAN, Meru
Networks WLAN, Motorola Solutions WLAN, Ruckus Smart Wi-Fi products, and Xirrus Wireless — and
researched, analyzed, and scored them. This report details our findings about how each vendor measures
up against our defined categories and plots where the wireless solutions stand in relation to each other to
help infrastructure and operations (I&O) professionals select the right partner for their enterprise edge.
Table Of Contents
Notes & Resources
2 New WLAN Requirements Are Coming From
The Top
Forrester conducted lab-based evaluations
in a six-month period in 2013 and
interviewed over 10 vendor and user
companies, including Aerohive Networks,
Aruba Networks, Cisco Systems, Fortinet, HP,
Meru Networks, Motorola Solutions, Ruckus
Wireless, and Xirrus.
5 Use The ‘Five S’s’ To Select Your Next
Wireless Solution
7 Wireless LAN Evaluation Overview
12 Vendors Are Driving Toward Vertical Focus
And Business Value
14 Vendor Profiles
17 Supplemental Material
Related Research Documents
The Enterprise Network Enables Business
Innovation
July 8, 2014
Technology Management In The Age Of The
Customer
October 10, 2013
Virtual Network Infrastructure
December 12, 2011
© 2014, Forrester Research, Inc. All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproduction is strictly prohibited. Information is based on best available
resources. Opinions reflect judgment at the time and are subject to change. Forrester®, Technographics®, Forrester Wave, RoleView, TechRadar,
and Total Economic Impact are trademarks of Forrester Research, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective companies. To
purchase reprints of this document, please email clientsupport@forrester.com. For additional information, go to www.forrester.com.
For Infrastructure & Operations Professionals
2
The Forrester Wave™: Wireless Local Area Network Solutions, Q3 2014
New Wlan Requirements Are Coming From The Top
Networking is on the cusp of transforming from a technology platform that connects personnel
computers to servers and storage to one that helps embed a business into its customers’ lives and
deliver customized products and services.1 Leading CIOs have already started the transformation.
For example, Philips Healthcare and a US-based insurance firm have developed network strategies
based on the business’ requirements — such as data center consolidation — and not immediate IT
initiatives.2 In responding to these new business demands, I&O professionals will notice vendors
gravitating toward being industry-specific solution providers, business departments and product
managers wanting to drive some of the wireless requirements, business departments sponsoring
wireless investments, and business metrics being placed on wireless investments.3
Customer Experience Is Reshaping WLAN Priorities
While monetizing the network is a relatively new concept, the consumerization of IT already
has reset design, deployment, and management parameters on delivering wireless, negating the
haphazard manner of throwing up APs in lobbies and conference rooms that was so common. The
deployment of WLAN has not kept up with demand. It’s taking longer because I&O professionals
have to rethink:
■ Resiliency. While a lot of workers and customers are mobile, enterprises have only started to
shift their employees’ primary connection from wired to wireless. Wireless infrastructures
will have to be business resilient and ready since employees won’t be able to fall back on wired
connections. Wireless coverage and redundancy requirements will increase the complexity
by a magnitude or more.4 I&O professionals will have to think about extending resiliency to
stairwells, elevators, and other places where radio frequency (RF) interference is high but
business is still being done.5
■ Controls. Bring-your-own-device (BYOD) has been a rallying cry for wireless vendors to connect
with their customers, who have watched a tidal wave of personal devices come through the
company door. Onboarding the device is actually only half the issue, and it’s the easy part — I&O
professionals will have to think about carving up a shared medium based on who the user is (e.g.,
employee versus customer), device, operating system, and applications. Even worse, personnel
devices mix personal and work applications together; the wireless system must be sophisticated
enough to discern personal applications, noncritical business applications, and critical business
applications. By enabling controls up to the application layer, teams can wrap policies around
connections, troubleshoot issues, optimize experiences, or enhance security.
■ Deployments. Traditionally, AP deployments were based on the physical layout of the building,
usually settling on a ratio of 8 users to 1 AP. Now IT teams need to think about the user, the job
function, where wireless users need to connect, and the applications employees need to use. In
a not too distant future, networks will need to serve the connected world, where hundreds to
thousands of sensors will want air time even though they don’t have much data to transport.6
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The Forrester Wave™: Wireless Local Area Network Solutions, Q3 2014
■ Users and connections. Guest and employee access have been the default configurations for
wireless. As networks transition into business platforms, they will need to evolve into a more
customized environment that serves up a multitude of engagement types. For example, brick-andmortar retail locations will need to deploy a highly secure environment for the wireless point-ofsale machines, connections to inventory, and location information for partners who come in and
restock shelves. They will also need to facilitate mobile moments with customers and employees.7
■ Management. With wireless vendors offering management in the cloud, more managed service
providers (MSPs) and value-added resellers (VARs) have rolled out new wireless services for
companies. In surveys and client engagements, enterprises have indicated that infrastructure
managers are more willing to outsource that part of the network since their personnel don’t
have the expertise in-house and see wireless infrastructure as more of an overlay.
■ Empowerment. Empowering other users and systems has three benefits: 1) letting others —
within guidelines — harness the power that WLAN brings the business; 2) freeing up resources
by taking responsibilities off of an overstretched networking organization; and 3) allowing other
systems to connect to appropriate resources to support infrastructure automation.8 This concept
has already made its way into wireless solutions: Guest access can now be granted by lobby
administrators. Business professionals for retail, hospitality services, and many other industries
could capitalize on the location information captured by wireless systems.
■ User experiences. Between employees’ and customers’ personal mobile experiences at home
with their own wireless LAN and their cellular connection, employees and customers turn to
their mobile device to accomplish work and personal tasks.9 They fundamentally believe they
should have a good experience at work and now have little patience for a lack of a wireless
blanket across the business. Networking professionals’ attitudes and design considerations will
evolve to more mobile carrier characteristics.
A Marketplace Full Of New Choices
Customers continue to disconnect from their wired connections and are accessing more companies
from their pockets and pushing them to deliver the right product/service wherever they are at
the time they want it. Consequently, employees have the same expectations and demand the
same freedom they have in their personal lives. An even more compelling argument to building a
business wireless platform within the enterprise is to ensure that employees are on the same footing
and in sync with their customers. In response to the growing wireless expectations, the market
has gone through an incredible amount of changes since Forrester’s “The Forrester Wave™: WLAN
Infrastructure, Q2 2007” report. Since then, WLAN solution providers have:
■ Rolled out new and higher bandwidth connections. Vendors have started to roll out 802.11ac,
but they are only offering a slim selection of APs supporting the new standard. Much like
802.11n in the early days, it will take a year or more for the standard to reach its true potential
as new chipsets get developed to support the second wave.
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The Forrester Wave™: Wireless Local Area Network Solutions, Q3 2014
■ Injected Layer 4 through 7 services into wireless offerings. Software-as-a-service (SaaS) and
“good enough” Internet connections have changed WAN architectures from a hub-and-spoke set
of connections to a WAN fabric. Distributed organizations need more network services; as such,
the wireless vendors have introduced network services — such as security and optimization
typically found in the data center — into the wireless edge.
■ Relaunched wired and wireless unification. A little over five years ago, the traditional wired
vendors, who started offering wireless solutions, touted the value of having a single pane for
managing wired and wireless edge with their single management software. Then a few years ago,
the wireless vendors started offering their own edge switches and claiming the same capability.
Now some of the traditional wired vendors have altered and relaunched the unification story by
eliminating a control and embedding the wireless functions in some of the edge switches.10 The
wired and wireless hardware function as a single system requires you to buy both pieces from
the same manufacturer.
■ Changed the direction of wireless architectures. The controller-based AP model — centralized
data, control, and management planes — was the standard wireless architecture in the market
for many years until Aerohive, Xirrus, and others started offering a distributed and coordinated
AP model. Not only does this model not need a controller, the distributed model opens the door
to harnessing cloud management while lowering the complexity of having controllers and APs
at remote locations such as warehouses, manufacturing sites, hotels, and retail locations. In
addition, this model will keep the wireless solution from being overwhelmed with the increased
traffic that will come from 802.11ac APs. Some of the vendors are in the middle of changing
their solutions and offer up to three different types of architectures.
■ Created new companies as others branched out. Ubiquiti and Aerohive are relatively new
companies in the market compared to Cisco Systems and Aruba Networks. Simultaneously
with the rise of new wireless companies, Fortinet and Dell’s SonicWall — which were longtime
security companies — started to offer new wireless capabilities as part of their portfolio. In
an interesting change of direction, more wired companies are choosing not to offer their
own wireless, which requires a heavy amount of research and development. Instead, wired
networking vendors are choosing original equipment manufacturer (OEM) wireless solutions
from companies like Aruba Networks.
■ Launched business-specific features and products. With Wi-Fi blanketing malls, manufacturing
sites, and hotels, companies can ascertain an immense amount of information that they could
never get from carriers or their own apps. The various vendors have started to offer products that
feed location information directly to clients to improve experiences or open up interfaces into
the solutions. These interfaces can either allow business professionals to get in and gather data or
partner business software with the wireless system to leverage the location information.
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The Forrester Wave™: Wireless Local Area Network Solutions, Q3 2014
Vendors Will Need To Hone The Business Focus Of Wireless Solutions
All these market changes have positioned wireless to support the business transformation. While there
is still a lot of R&D ahead for wireless vendors, they have made significant gains in tackling BYOD, the
need for connections and throughput, and unified management. Now companies have started to work
on rolling out capabilities to support Internet of Things and Layer 4 through Layer 7 services. What’s
more interesting and significant is that vendors are moving past just offering technology solutions
to rolling out business platforms by building solutions to support the age of the customer tenets and
helping the business harness the power of wireless with business-specific tools and interfaces.11
Use The ‘Five S’s’ To Select Your Next Wireless Solution
Though wireless vendors have matured beyond their “speeds and feeds” focus, networking
professionals still hang on to what’s familiar — the hottest new feature is still 802.11ac. In many
instances, most of the “new” features are an insignificant piece of the overall solution. For example,
an automobile owner can choose to put iridium rather than copper spark plugs in a car engine to
increase performance, or he can take advantage of other mundane modifications: keeping tires
at the right pressure, ensuring that the air filter is clean, changing out the exhaust, or putting in
a performance chip. Any of those can create an enormous difference in horsepower and mileage
compared with precious metal spark plugs — and for a lot less money.
Since the industry is in the midst of another wireless architectural change, I&O professionals
shouldn’t get caught up in the arguments of one approach against another but understand what the
pros and cons are for each, and how they fit with their businesses. This will help teams understand
how the system can be managed and how the system manages users, connections, and traffic. From
that point, I&O should evaluate the solutions against the 5 S’s: 1) scalable; 2) shared; 3) simplified; 4)
standardized; and 5) secure (see Figure 1). Look for solutions that are:
■ Scalable. The scalability of a solution covers many different facets: AP data rates, amount of
client connections to the AP, or APs meshed together. Networking pros should consider all the
components that encompass scalability and be careful of placing too much emphasis on one
feature over the others — such as 802.11ac, ratio of APs to controllers, or amount of spatial
streams. If the back-end system can’t handle the throughput, if the solution isn’t controller
based, or if the clients only have one spatial stream, 802.11ac and the other features don’t
matter. Define the scalability requirements of the wireless solution based on the amount of users,
devices, and applications that will be connecting four to five years from today and how it scales
linearly from today based on both a performance and cost perspective.12
■ Shared. This set of criteria focuses on elements that will help release networking professionals
from being solely responsible for controlling network resources and give more autonomy to
other parts of their business.13 Within the data center, data center architects and operations
already search for solutions that allow cloud administrators to move virtual machines and reallocate network resources without network administrators’ involvement. In the wireless market,
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The Forrester Wave™: Wireless Local Area Network Solutions, Q3 2014
vendors offer the ability for non-IT professionals, such as lobby admins, to grant network
access without the networking team needing to do anything in the background. Overall, I&O
professionals should examine how the solutions share information with the business as well as
provide opportunities to share the resources with other IT teams, like what software-defined
network promises to bring to the data center.
■ Simplified. Most companies don’t have the budget to hire more networking experts who
specialize in wireless. Simplifying infrastructure and processes means greater efficiency and
flexibility for the organization while allowing a company to tap into a newly open set of
resources. Creating simplicity doesn’t mean fewer options because of fewer parts, but hiding
complexity. For example, take the concept of the plug-and-play capability on consumer devices
and apply it within the data center, where workloads, like applications, get discovered and the
network configures the platform for the application.
■ Standardized. Standardized processes, infrastructure, and technology pushes teams to leverage
a common resource base, thereby reducing waste associated with managing one-offs and
associated side effects. For example, companies that have their employees use their Active
Directory (AD) credentials for corporate- and employee-owned devices can minimize the
amount of help desk calls. However, many teams are resistant to standardization because network
professionals associate standardization with rigidity. In reality, networks are rigid because of
infrastructure irregularities. If standardization isn’t in place, you can’t introduce automation.
■ Secure. Fundamentally, wireless solutions should come with a rich set of authentication modes
and policy controls for wireless users and administrators by default. All wireless connections
(guest or not) should be encrypted to the access point. As wireless users connect with more of
their own resources, infrastructures will have to shift more network services, such as optimization
and security, closer to the user since the end points are no longer the control points. According to
Forrester’s Zero Trust Model, every device, user, and application should have micro-perimeters
erected around them. Security controls need to be in place from the physical layer through the
application layer, which means the solutions should have application visibility and controls.14
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The Forrester Wave™: Wireless Local Area Network Solutions, Q3 2014
Figure 1 Evaluate Wireless LANs Using Five Simple Architectural Characteristics
Business wireless edge
Vendor
terminology
I&O technical needs
Scalable
Flexible/resilient
• Support a variety of connection environments, conditions,
devices, apps, and users with a multitude of software, hardware,
and protocol options
• Linear cost model and architecture
Shared
Unified/open
/programmable
• Built for multitenancy with differentiated user and services
• Shared resources with business professionals, other teams, and
systems
• Managed a single system
Simplified
Standardized
Secure
115916
Automated
Unified/open
/programmable
Secured
• Simple and intuitive interfaces
• Self-forming
• Wizards and templates for apps and business elements
• Standard interfaces
• Orchestration integration
• Standard processes and procudures for mobile users and
administrators
• Integrated network and application controls, overlaid identity
and data
• Managed as a workflow, not a single
technology
Source: Forrester Research, Inc. Unauthorized reproduction or distribution prohibited.
Wireless Lan Evaluation Overview
To assess the state of the wireless LAN market and see how the vendors stack up against each other,
Forrester evaluated the strengths and weaknesses of top wireless vendors.
Criteria Focused On Supporting The New Business Edge Of Engagement
After examining past research, user need assessments, and vendor and expert interviews, we
developed a comprehensive set of evaluation criteria. We evaluated vendors against 58 criteria,
which we grouped into three high-level buckets:
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The Forrester Wave™: Wireless Local Area Network Solutions, Q3 2014
■ Current offering. Our current offering assessment evaluates the completeness of the vendor’s
wireless solution to support a scalable, secure, standardized, shared, and simplified platform.
These criteria capture how the solution can enable the business to support Internet of Things, an
age-of-the-customer strategy, and virtual network infrastructure (VNI) tenets. Forrester only
evaluated wireless hardware, not branch office solutions that might encompass a converged
router and wireless solution. Forrester feels that routers are typically a separate item provided by
a service provider.
■ Strategy. Forrester evaluated the vendor’s strategy on two vectors — technology and business.
From a technology standpoint, Forrester focuses on the vendor’s road map to look for indicators
of an advanced technology strategy, such as onboarding Internet of Things devices; unifying
user and network edge device management in a single system; the system’s ability to automate
wireless functions and be programmed through standard interfaces, interweaving the Layer 4
to 7 services to its wireless connections; igniting network functions virtualization (NFV); and
supporting the five S’s.
The evaluation also addresses the vendor’s strategy to serve a business technology agenda and
help customers support the mobile mind shift, gain insight from big data, help businesses
become a digital disruptor, and transform the customer experience.15
■ Market presence. Our assessment of market presence factors in each vendor’s overall financial
viability, installed base of customers, revenue, community presence, partner ecosystem, and
its number of sales, engineering, and implementation resources. Forrester also examined the
organization’s dedication to the domain based on its focus of resources.
Selected Vendors Balanced A Base Of Common Capabilities And Distinct Differences
Forrester included 10 solutions in the assessment: Aerohive Solution, Aruba Mobility-Defined
Networks, Cisco Aironet, Cisco Meraki, Fortinet Secure Wireless LAN, HP FlexNetwork WLAN,
Meru Networks WLAN, Motorola Solutions WLAN, Ruckus Smart Wi-Fi products, and Xirrus
Wireless. Each of these solutions has (see Figure 2):
■ Components that were available for purchase as of February 15, 2014. Any feature or product
releases after February 15, 2014, were not part of the product evaluation but were considered in
the strategy portion of the evaluation.
■ A complete wireless LAN solution. To get the optimum value and rich set of features from
the wireless network, the solution requires that the wireless network components — access
points, any supporting hardware and software, and management platform — be designed and
manufactured by that vendor. Forrester did not allow vendors to reference third-party tools,
components, or solutions when demonstrating their solution’s features or capabilities.
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The Forrester Wave™: Wireless Local Area Network Solutions, Q3 2014
■ A solution that can be managed under one management platform. Since vendors may have
offered more than one wireless solution, Forrester evaluated each wireless solution based on only
the components that exhibited the claimed capabilities associated with that particular solution.
Features and functionality that were available in the vendor’s other solution were not evaluated.
To differentiate solutions and capabilities within a vendor’s own product portfolio, Forrester
required that all APs (and associated controllers) be managed under a single management
platform. Each platform has to manage the underlining hardware in a more advanced method
than simply transferring configurations over standard SNMP core protocol data units (PDUs).
■ Generated Forrester client interest. The vendor or its client management suite is frequently
mentioned by Forrester clients or is the subject of a substantial number of client inquiries.
■ Generated more than $40 million (USD) in revenue in 2013. The vendor has more than $40
million annually in wireless products.
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The Forrester Wave™: Wireless Local Area Network Solutions, Q3 2014
Figure 2 Evaluated Vendors: Product Information
Vendor
Solution
Aerohive Aerohive
Solution
Aruba
Network
management/
wireless products
evaluated
(management
software,
controllers —if
offered — and APs)
HiveManager managing
AP121 to 390 series
APs
• Aruba AirWave
Aruba
Mobility-Defined managing ArubaOS
controllers and APs
Networks
(RAP-3 to 270 series),
Instant Access Points,
Remote Access Points
• Aruba Central
managing Instant
Access Points
Cisco
Cisco Aironet
Cisco Prime managing
Cisco Aironet APs (3700
to 600 series)
Cisco
Meraki
Cisco Meraki
MR12 to 66 series APs
Firmware
version for AP
(and controllers)
hardware
Management
software
version
HiveOS 6.1r3
HiveManager
6.1r3
• All Aruba Mobility Controllers
and Cloud Services
Controllers: Aruba OS version
6.3.1
AirWave
Network
Management:
version 7.7
• All Aruba Instant APs: Instant
OS version 4.0
• Aruba Central: Cloud-based
• Cisco Wireless Release 7.6
(v7.6.100.0 released Dec. 2013)
(For Cisco 8500 series, Cisco
Flex7500 series, Cisco Wireless
services module (WiSM2), 5500
series, Cisco 2500 series,
Cisco Wireless LAN controller
module for ISR-G2, and Cisco
Virtual wireless controllers)
Cisco Prime
Infrastructure:
Release 2.1 (for
Cisco IOS-XE
Release 3.3SE
and Cisco
Wireless
Release 7.4):
Release
1.4.045 update
• Cisco IOS-XE Release 3.3SE
2 (for Cisco
(v3.3.2SE released Feb. 2014)
Wireless
(For Cisco 5700 series, Cisco
Catalyst 3850 series, and Cisco Release 7.6)
Catalyst 3650 series switches)
Firmware Version 22
Cisco Meraki
Cloud
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The Forrester Wave™: Wireless Local Area Network Solutions, Q3 2014
Figure 2 Evaluated Vendors: Product Information (Cont.)
Network
management/
wireless products
evaluated
(management
software,
controllers — if
offered — and APs)
Vendor
Solution
Fortinet
Fortinet Secure
Wireless LAN
HP
HP FlexNetwork HP Intelligent Manager
Center managing MSM
controllers, MSM310 to
466 series APs, M110 to
200 series APs, and 300
to 560 APs
Meru
Meru Networks
WLAN
Firmware
version for AP
(and controllers)
hardware
• FortiOS controller version 5.0.6
FortigateManager
managing FortiGate
• FortiAP software version 5.0.66
with FortiAP (FAP 11c to
320c series) and
FortiWiFi 30 to 90 series
E(z)RF Network
Manager managing MC
controllers and AP332
to 1010 series APs
Firmware v6.3 for MSM
controllers
Firmware for Unified controllers
• HP6000-CMW520-R2507P14
• HP830-CMW520-R3507P14
• HP870-CMW520-R2607P14
Management
software
version
FortiManager
global
management
software
version 5.0.6
HP Intelligent
Management
Center
Enterprise
Software
Platform 7.0
• WX5004-CMW520-R2507P14
System Director 5.3 for
MC1550-6000 Wireless LAN
controller
E(z)RF Network
Manager v4.0
Motorola Motorola
Solutions
Wireless LAN
AP 6511-7522 Series
APs
WiNG 5.5 that runs on all APs
WiNG 5.5
Ruckus
Ruckus Smart
Wi-Fi products
Ruckus ZoneDirector
manages Smart Wi-Fi
products (ZoneFlex
R700 to 7982 series
APs)
ZoneFlex 9.7 and 9.8
ZoneDirector
versions 9.7
and 9.8.
Xirrus
Xirrus Wireless
Xirrus Management
System (XMS) manages
XR-500 to 7600 APs
and Arrays
Array OS 6.6
• XMSEnterprise
6.6
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The Forrester Wave™: Wireless Local Area Network Solutions, Q3 2014
Vendors Are Driving Toward Vertical Focus And Business Value
Vendors have begun the shift from being technology solution providers in vanilla office
environments to providers that help specific businesses win, serve, and retain customers — in
whatever environment that might be. In general, the vendors offer robust and resilient wireless
solutions that have little difficulty in supporting offices outfitted with laptops and wireless IT
devices — even BYOD. While basic scenarios like that still drive sales, leading vendors have evolved
solutions to cater to nascent but growing opportunities around particular markets that deliver
specific vertical solutions — like big box stores, artisan hotels, or logistic centers. Our evaluation
uncovered a diverse market in which (see Figure 3):
■ Cisco (Aironet) and Aruba lead the pack. The two vendors come from completely different
backgrounds; Aruba is considered a 100% mobility vendor while Cisco offers network hardware
across the entire network and market, but both offer a solid set of wireless products, options,
and vision. The companies separated themselves from the other vendors by introducing wireless
capabilities that can transform businesses and move wireless from a cost center to revenue
generator. For example, Aruba’s location-based capabilities can help those in hospitality improve
the way they engage with customers. Cisco is pushing deeper into supporting the connected world,
where sensors, networks, and analytics software connect physical objects and infrastructure to
computing systems, opening up new ways to enhance business and interact with customers.16
■ Aerohive, Motorola, Cisco (Meraki), HP, and Xirrus expand beyond the traditional office.
All of the vendors in the Strong Performers category offer a solid wireless platform that can be
successfully deployed and managed in any regular office environment. However, each builds
upon that base and delivers something more for complex or underserved business environments.
For example, Aerohive’s wireless solution drives wireless configuration and operational
complexity out in highly distributed environments — such as franchises — that require not
just wireless and wired connections but integrated Layer 4 through 7 services. Motorola tackles
the problems found in concrete areas that exhibit a wide range of environmental conditions,
RF interferences, and business-specific tasks, such as those found in warehouses, retail
stores, and manufacturing sites. HP’s wireless strength resides within Intelligent Management
Center (IMC), which can manage disparate systems, HP wired devices, users, and third-party
devices — useful in dual vendor environments. Cisco’s Meraki solution sets the standard in
simple management with its cloud management system, which resonates with education and
government organizations, where resources are severely limited. Xirrus brings connectivity to
locations with dense connection rates such as conference halls, arenas, or large classrooms.
■ The Contenders — Ruckus, Fortinet, and Meru — serve different market segments. The
Contenders have unique qualities that position them as worthy options for particular markets.
Fortinet excels in environments such as retail stores, where wireless security is a top concern.
Meru takes the complexity out of deploying wireless with its single-channel approach. Ruckus
offers managed service providers and value-added resellers the ability to handle multi-tenant
scenarios — meaning it can offer its customers managed wireless services.
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The Forrester Wave™: Wireless Local Area Network Solutions, Q3 2014
This evaluation of the wireless network market is intended to be a starting point only. We
encourage readers to view detailed product evaluations and adapt the criteria weightings to fit
their individual needs through the Forrester Wave Excel-based vendor comparison tool.
Figure 3 Forrester Wave™: Wireless Local Area Network, Q3 ’14
Risky
Bets
Strong
Performers
Contenders
Leaders
Strong
Aerohive Networks
Aruba Networks
Cisco Meraki
Xirrus
Cisco
Aironet
Ruckus Wireless
Motorola Solutions
HP
Meru Networks
Current
offering
Go to Forrester.com to
download the Forrester
Wave tool for more
detailed product
evaluations, feature
comparisons, and
customizable rankings.
Fortinet
Market presence
Weak
Weak
Strategy
Strong
Source: Forrester Research, Inc. Unauthorized reproduction or distribution prohibited.
© 2014, Forrester Research, Inc. Reproduction Prohibited
August 29, 2014
For Infrastructure & Operations Professionals
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The Forrester Wave™: Wireless Local Area Network Solutions, Q3 2014
2.87 3.50
2.65 3.50
2.15 2.45
3.25 4.00
2.90 3.15
3.40 4.40
STRATEGY
Product strategy
Corporate strategy
Maintenance cost
50%
60%
30%
10%
2.96 3.74 3.90 2.63 2.23 2.55 1.97 3.19
1.85 3.65 4.50 1.30 2.30 2.50 1.20 3.65
4.50 4.50 3.00 4.50 2.50 2.50 3.50 2.00
5.00 2.00 3.00 5.00 1.00 3.00 2.00 4.00
2.27 2.27
1.45 0.95
4.00 4.00
2.00 5.00
MARKET PRESENCE
Installed base
Financial openness
Revenue
Revenue growth
Services
Employees
Partners
0%
20%
5%
20%
15%
10%
15%
15%
2.95
4.00
5.00
2.00
4.00
3.32
1.80
2.00
4.43
4.00
5.00
5.00
3.00
4.34
5.00
5.00
4.70
5.00
5.00
5.00
3.00
5.00
5.00
5.00
Xirrus
3.34 2.76 3.24 2.70 3.19
2.85 3.55 3.15 2.35 3.15
1.95 1.10 3.20 1.35 2.40
3.90 3.40 3.20 3.50 3.85
3.20 2.35 2.45 2.10 2.75
4.80 3.40 4.20 4.20 3.80
Ruckus Wireless
3.42
3.95
3.00
2.90
2.85
4.40
Motorola Solutions
3.57
3.55
3.40
3.30
3.40
4.20
Meru Networks
Cisco Aironet
3.67
3.45
2.35
4.00
3.95
4.60
HP
Aruba Networks
50%
20%
20%
20%
20%
20%
Fortinet
Aerohive Networks
CURRENT OFFERING
Scalable
Shared
Standardized
Simplified
Secure
Cisco Meraki
Forrester’s
Weighting
Figure 3 Forrester Wave ™: Wireless Local Area Network, Q3 ’14 (Cont.)
3.57 2.49 3.25 2.64 3.33 3.82 2.52
3.00 3.50 2.50 3.50 4.50 3.00 3.00
5.00 5.00 5.00 5.00 5.00 5.00 1.00
5.00 1.00 4.00 2.00 3.00 4.00 3.00
5.00 5.00 1.00 2.00 1.00 4.00 2.00
3.35 2.32 4.66 3.32 4.66 3.66 4.32
2.20 1.40 3.20 2.40 3.40 4.00 1.60
2.00 1.00 4.00 2.00 3.00 4.00 2.00
All scores are based on a scale of 0 (weak) to 5 (strong).
Source: Forrester Research, Inc. Unauthorized reproduction or distribution prohibited.
Vendor Profiles
Leaders
■ Cisco Aironet. Cisco brings customers an end-to-end solution from the data center to user
edge.17 Besides being a Leader in Forrester’s WLAN Forrester Wave, Cisco has typically been
first to introduce new technologies to the market, such as Clean Air, ClientLink 3.0, and
802.11ac. Its dominance in the wired arena has helped it attain the No. 1 spot in wireless
market share. The company caters to markets ranging from large carriers to small businesses.
With such a wide array of customers, Cisco has the largest edge portfolio: Aironet APs,
Mobility Express, wireless controllers, switches, Integrated Services routers, Identity Services
Engine, and Prime Management. Cisco’s solution has powered innovative change in stadiums,
hospitals, and shopping malls with its Connected Mobile Experiences (CMX) solution.
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The Forrester Wave™: Wireless Local Area Network Solutions, Q3 2014
■ Aruba Networks. One of the few remaining pure-play wireless vendors, Aruba transformed
the wireless industry from fat APs to coordinated wireless systems — and is now the second
largest wireless vendor. Aruba’s controller based and controller-less APs, Meridian applications,
ClearPass Access Management System product, Aruba Mobility Access Switches, and Airwave
Network Management System (NMS) management have helped hospitality venues evolve
their network from a technology platform to a business platform. Its ClearPass and AirWave
platforms support third-party hardware solutions; Juniper and Alcatel-Lucent resell its products.
Strong Performers
■ Aerohive. As a relative newcomer in the wireless industry, the company has quickly grown by
introducing simplicity in wireless. The company is also instrumental in shifting wireless from a
centralized architecture to a distributed cooperative control one, which is effective in distributed
industries like home owner’s insurance. Historically, Aerohive’s focus has been solely on wireless
LAN, but its acquisition of Pare Networks gave it a unique set of branch office capabilities, while
its customer demands pushed it into offering switches. Aerohive’s HiveManager, appliance or
cloud based, sets the standard on simplifying network operations.
■ Motorola Solutions. Motorola has built a strong name for itself in areas that need industrialized
products across multiple communication transports. Motorola’s Wing OS, AirDefense, and large
selection of APs are core to its wireless solution. Motorola’s strength lies in creating a platform
that enhances connectivity for non-traditional IT devices — such as bar scanners, kiosks, or
point-of-sale machines — by manipulating RF signatures, altering transmit power levels, and
accounting for receiver sensitivities. This helps in retail, manufacturing sites, or distribution
centers. In addition, Motorola’s WLAN solutions ensure that its WLAN integrates into its
broader portfolio of communication solutions.
■ Cisco Meraki. Meraki was acquired by Cisco in 2013. The company was first to create a cloud-
based solution, which has been followed by most vendors. This model allows customers to rent,
on a monthly basis, Cisco’s Meraki solution, which includes cloud-based management, security
appliances, access points, and switches. The intuitive management interface makes it easy for
customers to set up a wireless infrastructure across a highly distributed company and manage
user policies. Meraki only requires the connectivity hardware to be placed at a location with
an Internet connection. This approach is helpful in highly distributed environments such as
restaurant chains or franchised businesses.
■ HP FlexNetwork WLAN solution. HP has a long history in offering wired and wireless
products. The company has combined its 3Com wireless products (WX controllers and
associated APs) with its Colubris (MSM controllers and associated APs) acquisition into
Unified wired WLAN products (800 series appliances and modules), creating a large portfolio
of wireless options. At the center of its solution is its Intelligent Management Center (IMC).
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The Forrester Wave™: Wireless Local Area Network Solutions, Q3 2014
HP IMC creates a single console for network administrators to manage users, HP’s wireless
and wired products, and third-party devices. HP IMC is a core strength in its portfolio. HP
FlexNetwork has been successful in education because of IMC’s ability to bridge architectures
and legacy hardware with current hardware.
■ Xirrus. Xirrus emerged on the market with Wi-Fi Arrays to serve a dense amount of users —
typically in classrooms, convention centers, and entertainment venues — which most readily
available WLAN solutions struggled to do. The company’s modular array architecture can
provide a large coverage area, serve a dense collection of users, and scale from two radios up
to 16 within a single device. For smaller installations, customers can use Xirrus APs. Xirrus
Management System (XMS) binds its APs, arrays, and switches and provides customers a solid
set of user and device management features.
Contenders
■ Ruckus Smart Wi-Fi products. Ruckus focuses exclusively on providing carrier-grade WLAN
solutions with its SmartCell and ZoneFlex APs and controllers, SmartCell Insight, FlexMaster,
and ZonePlanner. Its expertise around capacity and performance make it an attractive vendor
in both the carrier and enterprise space. Leveraging its interactions with telecom and service
providers, Ruckus has brought to the enterprise market a unique solution to help companies
monetize their networks with its cloud Smart Access Management (SAM) service. I&O
professionals or resellers can operate as wireless service providers by creating their own public
hotspots within the wireless platform — helpful in a shop complex, mall, or train station.
■ Fortinet. Built on Fortinet’s FortiGate UTM technology, the company entered the wireless
market from a unique direction with its FortiGate wireless solutions — FortiAP solutions and
Forti Wi-Fi product lines. The FortiAP solutions support firewall, VPN, intrusion prevention,
application control, web filtering, and other security and network capabilities. Unlike most other
wireless vendors, Fortinet provides a deep knowledge of PCI compliance, credit card security,
and personal information protection. This helps Fortinet serve customers in banking and retail.
■ Meru. Meru entered the market with a unique value proposition that had nothing to do with
the “fat versus light” architecture debates going on in the industry at the time. The company
offered single-channel architecture as a way to simplify wireless networking, instead offering
a controller-based system to simplify wireless management. While other long-term wireless
vendors have evolved their architecture and offer multiple approaches, Meru has maintained
its approach and has kept its portfolio consistent. Meru keeps processes and procedures
standardized but hasn’t kept up with some of the other vendors in regard to some of the
functionality that enterprises expect today. Meru has been successful in education and local
and state governments, where organizations have limited resources (amount of staff, wireless
expertise, or time) to deploy a wireless environment.
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The Forrester Wave™: Wireless Local Area Network Solutions, Q3 2014
Supplemental Material
Online Resource
The online version of Figure 3 is an Excel-based vendor comparison tool that provides detailed
product evaluations and customizable rankings.
Data Sources Used In This Forrester Wave
Forrester used a combination of four data sources to assess the strengths and weaknesses of each
solution:
■ Hands-on lab evaluations. We had the vendors run through a 1-hour demonstration of their
product based on a set of requirements that Forrester created. The evaluation was positioned as
the network administrator configuring access points, setting up employee access policies with
corporate-owned devices, creating employee access policies with their own personal devices,
and building a guest portal. We evaluated each product using the same scenario(s), creating a
level playing field by evaluating every product on the same criteria.
■ Vendor surveys. Forrester surveyed vendors on their capabilities as they relate to the evaluation
criteria. Once we analyzed the completed vendor surveys, we conducted vendor calls where
necessary to gather details of vendor qualifications.
■ Product demos. We asked vendors to conduct 2-hour demonstrations of their product’s
functionality. We asked them to show us what the experience was like logging on to the
network for an employee who used a corporate-owned device, an employee with their own
device, and a guest user. We asked them to show us what the experience would be like with a
Windows machine, IOS device, and Android device. We evaluated each product using the same
scenario(s), creating a level playing field by evaluating every product on the same criteria.
■ Customer reference calls. To validate product and vendor qualifications, Forrester also
conducted reference calls with five of each vendor’s current customers.
The Forrester Wave Methodology
We conduct primary research to develop a list of vendors that meet our criteria to be evaluated
in this market. From that initial pool of vendors, we then narrow our final list. We choose these
vendors based on: 1) product fit; 2) customer success; and 3) Forrester client demand. We eliminate
vendors that have limited customer references and products that don’t fit the scope of our evaluation.
After examining past research, user need assessments, and vendor and expert interviews, we develop
the initial evaluation criteria. To evaluate the vendors and their products against our set of criteria,
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The Forrester Wave™: Wireless Local Area Network Solutions, Q3 2014
we gather details of product qualifications through a combination of lab evaluations, questionnaires,
demos, and/or discussions with client references. We send evaluations to the vendors for their review,
and we adjust the evaluations to provide the most accurate view of vendor offerings and strategies.
We set default weightings to reflect our analysis of the needs of large user companies — and/or other
scenarios as outlined in the Forrester Wave document — and then score the vendors based on a
clearly defined scale. These default weightings are intended only as a starting point, and we encourage
readers to adapt the weightings to fit their individual needs through the Excel-based tool. The final
scores generate the graphical depiction of the market based on current offering, strategy, and market
presence. Forrester intends to update vendor evaluations regularly as product capabilities and vendor
strategies evolve. For more information on the methodology that every Forrester Wave follows, go to
http://www.forrester.com/marketing/policies/forrester-wave-methodology.html.
Integrity Policy
All of Forrester’s research, including Forrester Waves, is conducted according to our Integrity Policy.
For more information, go to http://www.forrester.com/marketing/policies/integrity-policy.html.
Endnotes
On the flip side, business decision-makers are expanding by scouting for new revenue streams and
remaining relevant to their customer base. As a result, businesses are demanding that IT departments
respond by helping them achieve two goals: Embed themselves in their customers’ lives and offer
personalized products and services. See the June 21, 2011, “Why I&O Must Design A WLAN To Provide
The Best User Experience” report.
1
2
For more information on the direction of networking infrastructures, see the July 8, 2014, “The Enterprise
Network Enables Business Innovation” report.
For more information on companies like Home Depot, Philips, and BMW using the network as a business
competitive advantage, see the July 8, 2014, “The Enterprise Network Enables Business Innovation” report.
3
4
For every network device that is added, a redundant one needs to be included for resiliency. Every new
component has to be tested and configured against every other one. Consequently, failure calculations
are based on number of devices (n = number of devices) to the power of the number of devices (n to the
nth power).
In hospitals, more medical equipment is being connected to the network and travels with patients, doctors,
and nurses as patients get moved around.
5
A technology revolution is brewing that uses sensors, networks, and analytics software to connect physical
objects and infrastructure to computing systems, providing an unprecedented view into the status, location,
and activities of products, assets, and people. By understanding the landscape of the connected world,
business technology leaders can prepare their firms for the implications — positive and negative — of
optimizing assets, differentiating products and services, and transforming customer relationships. See the
October 31, 2013, “Mapping The Connected World” report.
6
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The Forrester Wave™: Wireless Local Area Network Solutions, Q3 2014
The mobile mind shift is the expectation that your customer can get what she wants in her immediate
context and moments of need. This shift means the battle for your customer’s attention will be waged in
mobile moments — any time she pulls out a mobile device. Because mobile devices are pervasive in life and
work, mobile moments have a pervasive impact on your company. See the January 24, 2014, “Re-Engineer
Your Business For Mobile Moments” report.
7
Yet somehow network professionals feel as though they should be virtual security guards, controlling users
on the network via network access control (NAC) — or the basic ability to detect when a device connects to
the network to enforce security controls based on knowledge of the risk status of the device and/or its user’s
role in the organization. But managing this type of locked-down environment is nearly impossible at scale;
most NAC implementations rarely accomplish their original intent.
8
In the mobile mind shift, marketers must decrease the distance between what their customers want and
what they get. See the April 19, 2013, “Marketing Strategy For The Mobile Mind Shift” report.
9
Cisco, Fortinet, and HP have solutions that integrate some wireless functions, such as the management
plane, into the edge switch.
10
The age of the customer tenets focus on supporting the mobile mind shift, getting insight from big data,
helping businesses become a digital disruptor, and transforming the customer experience. See the October
10, 2013, “Technology Management In The Age Of The Customer” report.
11
Automating systems can only be done by finding the mechanics of the system, like Reynolds Transport
Theorem for modeling fluid flows. Consequently, knowing if the system performs as a linear function;
step function; linear combination; continuous sigmoid function; or continuous tan-sigmoid function can
have dramatic effects on acquisition costs and data center operations. While the prospect of total supreme
network domination is exceptionally appealing to many, it is a function that is long overdue to be released
back to HR and business managers. See the October 15, 2013, “A Tsunami Of Empowerment Will Hit Your
Network With The Internet Of Things” report.
12
NAC is the basic ability to detect when a device connects to the network and to enforce security controls
based on knowledge of the risk status of the device and/or its user’s role in the organization. And while the
prospect of total supreme network domination is exceptionally appealing to many, it is a function that is
long overdue to be released back to HR and business managers. See the October 15, 2013, “A Tsunami Of
Empowerment Will Hit Your Network With The Internet Of Things” report.
13
For more information on Zero Trust and the architecture, see the June 5, 2014, “The Future Of Data
Security: A Zero Trust Approach” report.
14
Empowered customers are disrupting every industry — and CIOs need to understand how technology
management must adapt in this rapidly evolving world. This report outlines how the age of the customer
will place harsh and unfamiliar demands on institutions, necessitating changes in how they develop, market,
sell, and deliver products and services. CIOs and their teams will be called on to support these changes,
widening their agendas beyond IT (infrastructure) to include business technology (BT) — technology,
systems, and processes to win, serve, and retain customers. BT investments must include key capabilities
for: 1) engaging customers undergoing a mobile mind shift; 2) providing superior customer experience in
15
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The Forrester Wave™: Wireless Local Area Network Solutions, Q3 2014
all customer interactions; 3) understanding customers through big data and analytics; and 4) adapting to —
and ideally driving — digital disruption. See the October 10, 2013, “Technology Management In The Age
Of The Customer” report.
Forrester defines the connected world as one where “Technologies enable objects and infrastructure to
interact with monitoring, analytics, and control systems over Internet-style networks.” Connected world
solutions link physical assets to analytics and control systems through the Internet, allowing firms to take
action based upon comprehensive and real-time understanding of situations. See the October 31, 2013,
“Mapping The Connected World” report.
16
Though Cisco and Aruba are tied at the second decimal point (3.66), if we carry it out further, Cisco does
edge Aruba out with a score of 3.660 to Aruba’s 3.655.
17
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«
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Forrester Research (Nasdaq: FORR) is a global research and advisory firm serving professionals in 13 key roles across three distinct client
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