User's Manual

Wireless Array
455
 Configuration auditing
Do not change approved configuration settings. The optional
Xirrus Management System (XMS) offers powerful management
features for small or large Wireless Array deployments, and can
audit your configuration settings automatically. In addition,
using the XMS eliminates the need for an FTP server.
Q. Which wireless data encryption method should I use?
A. Wireless data encryption prevents eavesdropping on data being
transmitted or received over the airwaves. The Wireless Array allows you
to establish the following data encryption configuration options:
 Open
This option offers no data encryption and is not recommended,
though you might choose this option if clients are required to use
a VPN connection through a secure SSH utility, like PuTTy.
 WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy)
This option provides minimal protection (though much better
than using an open network). An early standard for wireless data
encryption and supported by all Wi-Fi certified equipment, WEP
is vulnerable to hacking and is therefore not recommended for
use by Enterprise networks.
 WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access)
This is a much stronger encryption model than WEP and uses
TKIP (Temporal Key Integrity Protocol) with AES (Advanced
Encryption Standard) to prevent WEP cracks.
TKIP solves security issues with WEP. It also allows you to
establish encryption keys on a per-user-basis, with key rotation
for added security. In addition, TKIP provides Message Integrity
Check (MIC) functionality and prevents active attacks on the
wireless network.
AES is the strongest encryption standard and is used by
government agencies; however, old legacy hardware may not be
capable of supporting the AES mode (it probably won’t work on