HP adds wireless module to edge switch

Hewlett-Packard's ProCurve Networking group has pushed its unified wired and wireless network vision a notch up by introducing a new LAN (local area network) edge switch module and a wireless access point.

Matthew Zanner, mobility solutions manager at ProCurve, told a group of journalists here Tuesday that the new products are part of the company's Adaptive Edge strategy to provide network edge devices with built-in intelligence to handle miscellaneous functions, such as security and other "decision-making" capabilities.

This, he explained, leaves the switches sitting at the core of the network to do what they are supposed to do--support all data traffic, and be highly resilient and highly available.

Existing ProCurve 5300xl series edge switches already have such intelligence built in, but the new ProCurve Wireless Edge Services xl Module adds a wireless dimension to these systems, noted Zanner.

The module can be plugged into ProCurve 5300 series intelligent edge switches to enable wireless networking in large sites such as hotels, warehouses, hospitals, and university campuses. It comes with three choices of radio ports on various wireless standards: dual radio 802.11a and 802.11b/g with integrated antennas, single radio 802.11b/g, and dual radio a+b/g with external antennas.

It also enables secure, wireless network access control, centralized RF (radio frequency) management, Web authentication, fast wireless client roaming, quality of service (QoS) capabilities, self-network healing and rogue access point detection.

Meanwhile, ProCurve is targeting its standalone Access Point 530 product at smaller-to-medium sites such as branch offices, retail storefronts, and single-floor corporate offices. The ProCurve Access Point 530 comes with a dual-radio design, supporting wireless standards 802.11b, 802.11g and 802.11a or simultaneous dual 802.11b/g.

Both the ProCurve Wireless Edge Services xl Module and the ProCurve Access Point 530 come with ProCurve's Identity Driven Manager access control software which enables edge-enforced, per-user, identity-driven access control lists (ACL).

In addition, in the event of a WAN (wide area network) link failure, the Access Point 530 features built-in RADIUS (remote authentication dial-in user services) to keep a remote site up and running.

The ProCurve Wireless Edge Services xl Module is available immediately at a list price of S$10,479 (US$6,550), while the ProCurve Access Point 530 costs S$1,591 (US$995). The ProCurve Radio Ports are also available at prices starting at S$731 (US$460).