McCarran International Airport Selects Aruba and Juniper to Secure its Mobile Network
Aruba Networks, the Mobile Edge Company, has that announced it has joined the Juniper Networks, Inc. J-Partner Solutions Alliances programme, enabling joint customers to extend their investment in Juniper's security products across their mobile workforces. The joint collaboration ensures that Aruba mobility controllers are pre-tested for interoperability with Juniper's firewall/VPN devices and AAA/802.1X solutions to save enterprises the operational costs of integrating multiple systems. The two companies have already signed their first customer, McCarran International Airport (LAS) in Las Vegas.
"Given the growing complexity of today's enterprise networks, infrastructure vendors not only need to deliver functionality, but the integration that enables IT to bring together the best possible products to fulfill their unique objectives," said Dave Passmore, research director for leading industry analyst firm Burton Group. "Closed single-vendor systems can promise integration, but leave the enterprise with too much dependence on a single infrastructure vendor."
McCarran ranks as the fifth busiest airport in the United States, based on passenger traffic. In 2005, it decided to provide free, open Wi-Fi access throughout the airport, and needed to ensure its solution would provide network protection from the thousands of guest users who would be logging on every day. McCarran selected the Aruba and Juniper solution to provide a secure WLAN infrastructure for its mobile workforce and guest users.
"Network security was paramount and we're pleased to see the solutions from Aruba and Juniper interoperate seamlessly and securely out of the box," said Gerard Hughes, technical services manager for the Clark County Department of Aviation, which manages network and telecommunications at McCarran. "To have best-of-breed security and WLAN solutions that don't require complex configuration is an important contrast to the proprietary security solutions being touted by many vendors and a testament to how standards-based interoperability can be made to work well."
The key beneficiaries of the joint effort are:
- Mobile Enterprises that require secure, standards-based access to networks and resources: With 802.11i now established as the proven security standard for a wireless LAN deployment, Aruba and Juniper deliver a secure standards-based enterprise WLAN solution. Aruba mobility controllers interoperate with Juniper Steel-Belted Radius Server and with Odyssey 802.1X Access Clients to create the joint solution.
- Distributed Enterprises that have mission-critical wireless networks in branches: Wireless is quickly becoming the primary connectivity method for enterprise branch offices where multiple mission-critical applications including data, voice, barcode scanning, inventory management, active RFID and asset tracking need to be supported. The Aruba 200 series mobility controller is purpose-built for such deployments and controls up to six access points and can be deployed as the sole network services device for a retail outlet by setting up a secure IPSEC VPN tunnel to any Juniper firewall/VPN device.
- Government Organisations: The Department of Defense's directive 8100.2 requires Layer 2 encryption for wireless deployments and Aruba and Juniper can deliver a complete FIPS 140-2 validated 802.11i solution today. Additionally, xSec, a FIPS 140-2 validated security protocol provides 802.1X and AES encryption as an interim step to enable 802.11i class security for wired and legacy wireless clients.
- Healthcare and Educational Institutions that need to provide open access (i.e., no encryption) for unmanaged wireless clients: Enterprises can protect information assets and defend against malware, worms or viruses entering the open access wireless infrastructure by ensuring that all unsecured traffic passes through Juniper's deep packet inspection firewall capabilities.
Aruba's collaboration with Juniper is another example of how Aruba's Mobile Edge architecture and open standards extend the capabilities of its secure mobility systems, facilitating interoperability with open solutions throughout the enterprise network.
The joint solution from Aruba and Juniper Networks is available now.
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