User's Guide

Wireless Array
Introduction 19
from multiple types of threats. The result delivers uncompromised overall
network security with superior flexibility and performance.
Wireless networks face a number of potential security threats in the form of rogue
access points, ad-hoc clients, unauthorized clients, wireless-based attacks,
eavesdropping, etc. As 802.11n is increasingly adopted in enterprise networks,
defending against these threats becomes more critical. With the Array’s dedicated
threat sensor radio scanning all channels in the 2.4GHz and 5GHz spectrums,
RSM searches for security threats and automatically mitigates them.
High performance encryption/decryption in the enterprise wireless network is a
must. The wireless network needs to support each client using the highest level of
encryption (WPA2 Enterprise/128 bit AES) and without degrading the overall
performance of the network. Xirrus incorporates hardware-based encryption/
decryption into each Array, delivering line-rate encryption at the edge of the
network instead of at a choke point within a centralized controller.
The complete feature set of the RSM package includes:
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Wireless IDS/IPS (Intrusion Detection/Prevention System)
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Wireless stateful firewall
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User group policies
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Authenticated guest access gateway
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NAC integration
Xirrus Advanced RF Analysis Manager (RAM)
The RF Advanced Analysis Manager (RAM) tests and troubleshoots 802.11n
wireless networks. The deployment of 802.11n presents a set of unique challenges
based on technology differences with legacy 802.11a/b/g networks, both on the
wireless infrastructure and client side. Xirrus' RAM equips each Wireless Array
with a powerful set of tools and features to optimally tune and verify an 802.11n
installation, as well as give IT administrators the ability to troubleshoot issues
that may occur within the wireless environment.
The 802.11n standard will continue to evolve over the next several years with
additional performance and optional functions, along with ongoing stream of
IEEE 802.11 amendments. This changing wireless landscape mandates that