Retailers with multiple locations used to go crazy cabling up each shop and then hooking these networks up the WAN.
Wi-Fi makes much of this go away. And making Wi-Fi even easier are providers like AirTight Networks, which bring wireless to retail. And all the management takes place in the cloud.
This week Airtight boosted its offering with its new C-55 dual-band access point.
Now AirTight clients can choose between the C-50, C-60 and new C-55. “The C-55 AP joins the existing AirTight C-50 and C-60 AP product line that provides customers with their choice of AP and WIPS sensor configurations including dual band/non-concurrent, dual band/concurrent, dual AP with background WIPS, overlay WIPS, or AP/sensor combo with dedicated dual-band WIPS sensor,” AirTight said.
Talking AirTight
Beside wireless retail systems, AirTight is more generally concerned with WLANs that are secure, flexible and based on intelligent edge devices.
“AirTight's purpose-built, plug-and-play Wi-Fi AP/Sensor devices and its controller-less architecture enable a fully functional and fault-tolerant WLAN operation at the edge, and eliminate the cost, complexity and inefficiencies of legacy-thin APs managed with controllers,” the company said.
Much of AirTight’s approach is based on flexibility. “With AirTight, you have complete flexibility to deploy Wi-Fi access and security anyway you want it and at a price point that fits your budget. AirTight AP/Sensor devices are fully software-configurable and can be run in virtually any mode of operation, including high-speed 3x3:3 Wi-Fi access with concurrent 24/7 wireless intrusion prevention system (WIPS),” the company explained. “AirTight Wi-Fi and WIPS can be managed from AirTight's multi-tenant public cloud, private cloud, VMware or appliance, and can be purchased as a full CAPEX investment, as a full OPEX subscription-based service, or a combination.”
AirTight promotes a controller-free WLAN architecture. “In addition to eliminating the need for WLAN controllers, AirTight Wi-Fi solutions also provide the company's top-rated wireless intrusion prevention system (WIPS) coupled with its carrier-class HTML5 management console for centrally managing thousands of locations from a single interface,” AirTight said. “This has made the solution popular for large distributed environments such as retail stores and remote offices. Retail chains that have recently adopted the AirTight cloud-managed Wi-Fi solution include Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, Pinkberry, Garden Fresh Restaurant Corporation, Noodles & Company, the Vitamin Shoppe, and Modell's Sporting Goods.”
One retailer is already networking based on AirTight. “This was one of the easiest technology projects I've ever managed. There have been no issues and nothing but positive feedback,” said Phil Mix, IT network manager at frozen yogurt chain Pinkberry, Inc.
Edited by
Rory J. Thompson
