User's Manual Part 1

Access / One

Network

Welcome to Access/One Network 9

Mesh Topology

“mesh: The space or interstice between the threads of a net.”

New English Dictionary, March 1932

In the current WLAN market, the trend is to strip the intelligence from the access

point and put the workload on the switch. Although this approach may reduce the

initial cost of the AP, it introduces serious problems, like single-point-of-failure,

bottlenecks, and an obvious lack of scalability and flexibility. For example,

whenever you add just a few APs and exceed the port limitation of the existing

WLAN switch, the only solution is to add a new switch. This is not only expensive,

but does nothing to solve the root cause of the problem.

Strix Systems believes that the power of computing and networks can only be fully

harnessed when the intelligence of the system is distributed between its component

parts and used locally. But to function effectively and reliably, this type of

“distributed intelligence” must be governed by a centrally managed source.

Access/One Network’s structured mesh topology enables nodes within the network

to communicate with each other and perform intelligent tasks and analysis, ensuring

that the network’s performance is always at its peak. But if problems do arise, the

system has the remarkable ability to tune and heal itself instead of failing. Quite

simply, there is no single point of failure or any loss in the network’s performance

and its ability to deliver the services its customers demand.

Each network node is fully aware of its neighbor and, in the event of an adjacent

node’s failure or overload, will redirect the affected user traffic. Although the

intelligence of the network is distributed, network security parameters, monitoring

rules, and system upgrades can be conveniently controlled from one central

location via our Manager/One graphical management interface.

Mesh is inherently reliable and can be extended easily to include thousands of

nodes. As a result, Access/One Network can be installed in hours instead of days or

weeks, meaning a successful wireless mesh network deployment doesn't require

elaborate planning and site mapping to achieve its goal. When installed, the

network is self-governing—simply moving a network node, or dropping another

node into place, can fix a weak signal or dead zone.