This morning, my friends at Cognio announced an integrated solution with Cisco for WLAN spectrum management. Cognio’s Spectrum Expert 3.1 is now integrated into Cisco’s Wireless Control System (WCS). WCS is leveraging the advanced interference detection capabilities of Spectrum Expert to deliver a complete WLAN interference management solution. The integration takes place at trap level—Spectrum Expert can be used to set up SNMP traps, which will detect both WiFi and non-WiFi interference. Spectrum Expert will automatically send its findings to the WCS panel, where users can access a centralized, comprehensive view of their network.

Cisco will be demonstrating the integrated solution at Interop, in booth 1225.

Cognio and Cisco expand rf interference detection capabilities for wireless
Cisco’s Wireless Control System now integrates Cognio Spectrum Expert data, creating a single, comprehensive enterprise WLAN spectrum management solution

InTEROP, LAS VEGAS, NV, AND Germantown, MD, MAY 22, 2007— Cognio, the market leader in spectrum analysis and management for WiFi, today announced that Cisco, the worldwide leader in networking, has integrated Cognio’s Spectrum Expert 3.1 spectrum analysis into its Wireless Control System (WCS). The new software, called Cisco Unified Wireless Network Software 4.1, is an enabling technology to Cisco’s “Mobility Solutions” launch. Cisco is demonstrating the advanced capabilities of this comprehensive solution in their booth, #1225, at Interop.

The Cisco Unified Wireless Network Software 4.1 signifies the next phase of Cisco and Cognio’s quest to address and mitigate WLAN interference issues. Now, Cisco and Cognio customers can leverage the combined solution to monitor air quality in enterprise wireless environments. Cisco WCS is a large-scale enterprise WLAN management solution that provides visibility and management of the entire business wireless network from a single management interface. WCS is leveraging the advanced interference detection capabilities of Spectrum Expert to deliver a complete WLAN interference management solution.

Cisco WCS acts as a central monitoring device, incorporating all the information provided by Spectrum Expert to give the IT manager a comprehensive view of RF interference. IT managers can now access and record all their enterprise wireless spectrum information from a single, central console. Users can set up SNMP traps using Cognio’s Spectrum Expert, which will detect both WiFi and non-WiFi interference, and will automatically send its findings to the WCS panel. The traps contain information on the type of device causing interference, when the interference occurred and which access point it affected. IT managers can configure the SNMP manager to alert them via email or page when a problem occurs and can access the log files at any time through the WCS to see what’s happening in their network.

“Spectrum Expert 3.1 provides critical information to Cisco’s WCS, creating a comprehensive solution that leverages the unique technologies Cisco and Cognio have to offer,” explained Neil Diener, CTO for Cognio. “Armed with this information, RF and IT managers can manage their networks more effectively and efficiently.”

“Spectrum analysis is the x-ray vision of wireless management,” said Bob Friday, director, engineering at Cisco. “With it, problems that used to take hours to address can now be identified and solved within minutes. It serves as a foundation that helps secure the wireless environment more effectively.”

About Cognio
Cognio is the leading provider of tools to fix RF interference. Cognio, a Cisco Solutions Plus partner, is certified through Cisco’s Technology Partner program to be compatible with Cisco wireless access technologies and equipment. More information is available on the web at http://www.cognio.com.