Server and storage virtualization work by abstracting logical resources away from the physical infrastructure so that they can be easily customized to user needs, application requirements and business goals. Meru applies the same techniques to the wireless LAN, which offers the same increase in power and versatility.
Like server and storage virtualization, Meru pools physical resources together and then partitions them in new ways tailored to match users or applications. Where legacy networks cover large areas using a patchwork of microcells, Meru offers a seamless Virtual Cell that extends enterprise-wide. Where others depend on hub-like contention for access, Meru partitions the Virtual Cell into Virtual Ports, each dedicated to an individual user or application.
Wireless LAN Virtualization makes the edge network a utility. Users gain on-demand connectivity. IT gets simpler management, increased security and greater scalability. The organization as a whole achieves greater agility at a lower cost.
Because the Virtual Cell pools radio resources into a seamless layer of coverage, Meru avoids the artificial boundaries that other wireless LAN systems impose. All access points use the same radio channels and appear as one, letting client devices move freely throughout a network without disruptive handoffs.
By partitioning the network into Virtual Ports, each client gets its own private link to the network. The Virtual Port is the wireless LAN equivalent to switched Ethernet in every way except that users are no longer tied down by wires and network administrators are freed from the constraints of cabling.
Wireless LAN virtualization isn't something that can run on top of just any 802.11 network. Just as virtualized servers required innovations in processor design, virtualized Wireless LANs depend on Meru's innovations in RF engineering.
Meru's Air Traffic Control directs every transmission on the network, upstream as well as downstream. An interference-free architecture avoids the need for the microcell channel pattern used in networks based on older technology, letting each Virtual Cell provide enterprise-wide coverage while consuming only a single channel. Both of these features have benefits that go beyond virtualization itself, making the network more predictable and easier to scale.
The technology at the heart of Meru's virtualized Wireless LAN, Air Traffic Control governs all traffic on a wireless LAN – including transmissions from ordinary 802.11 clients as well as Meru access points.
Because each Virtual Cell requires only one radio channel, other channels are left free for expansion. Additional channels are activated by adding more radios, scaling the network capacity linearly with the number of access points.
Meru ensures predictable performance by giving each client equal access to the network's airtime. Capacity is shared equally in 802.11n networks, while mixed mode networks let each client connect at its own data rate.
Meru's Air Traffic Control technology makes the wireless network predictable instead of reactive. Instead of trying to adapt to a changing radio environment, Meru controls the radio environment. This predictability is what enables virtualized Wireless LANs, giving users the reliability and quality-of-service they are accustomed to from wired Ethernet. It also makes the network more secure and easier to manage.
A predictable radio environment means that common network management tasks can be automated, reducing troubleshooting times from days to minutes. Intelligent management software can correlate event patterns to a database of common issues, diagnosing many issues without human intervention. When staff do need to get involved, a complete record of important changes in state lets them rewind the network and replay past behavior.
The security benefits of wireless LAN virtualization go beyond the virtual. Meru is the only vendor that can secure RF at the physical layer, while its control of the airspace enables real-time scanning by the same access points that serve voice and video traffic. The Virtual Port's switch-like architecture makes it easy to customize security policies for each client.
