Two makers of mobile management applications recently announced upgrades to their flagship products. Aruba Networks Inc. and Wavelink Corp. plan to expand their wireless infrastructure and mobile device management suites to include multiple network management and location-based services, respectively.
Aruba Networks announced AirWave 7, a management application that now works with wired and wireless networks, including multiple client devices.
IT organizations that have struggled with the proliferation of vendor-specific, single-purpose management tools needed to support multiple networks can use AirWave 7 as a single point of visibility and control for the entire network edge. Aruba said AirWave 7 reduces the cost and complexity of network management, while improving service quality for users.
The AirWave 7 wireless management suite includes a new mobile device manager (MDM) module that provides over-the-air management of devices ranging from handhelds, to self-service kiosks, to wireless printers; wired infrastructure management capabilities that can manage Cisco and Hewlett-Packard edge switches and integrate wired and wireless network management; XML APIs to ease integration with the rest of the IT operations infrastructure; and customizable user interfaces and dashboards.
AirWave 7, which is scheduled to ship in March, can be delivered as software, on an appliance, or using the recently announced AirWave OnDemand (AoD) software as a service (SaaS) model.
Meanwhile, Wavelink announced a new version of Avalanche, its mobile device management and infrastructure management software.
Avalanche 5.0, due for general availability this spring, provides a comprehensive, vendor-agnostic management solution for the wireless enterprise with new capabilities, such as device location mapping, additional wireless WAN enhancements, security compliance tools, and a new web-based console.
Avalanche provides centralized configuration, deployment, and management of mobile devices and a wireless infrastructure that works seamlessly across local and wide area networks. With newly added location-based services, organizations can view detailed information about the current and past location of devices being managed, and how they are being used. According to the company, the client gathers GPS information, including latitude, longitude, heading, and speed, to provide device locations in a worldwide, web-based map with street-level views. When GPS is unavailable, Avalanche provides location information based on cell tower associations.
In addition to device location mapping, Avalanche 5.0 includes two-way messaging between the management console and the device, security and PCI compliance enhancements via additional encryption capabilities, and a redesigned user interface in a web-based management console accessible via a standard browser. In addition, wireless coverage and device locations can be displayed on a floor plan diagram, the company said.