This relationship enables Cisco to raise the bar by combining the industry's leading wireless network equipment with Cognio's Spectrum Expert, described in company statements as "the definitive Wi-Fi spectrum analysis and monitoring platform."
"Interference from both Wi-Fi and Non-Wi-Fi sources is a challenge that all enterprise network managers need to address," said Craig J. Mathias, a principal with the wireless and mobile advisory firm Farpoint Group in Ashland, Mass. "It's a matter of both integrity and reliability, and it's essential that interference be managed as Wi-Fi becomes the center of mission-critical and advanced-application service delivery. Fortunately, we now have the tools to do so."
As part of Cisco's SolutionsPlus Reseller Program, Cisco will market, sell and distribute Cognio's Spectrum Expert in all markets world wide. In addition, Cisco and Cognio will work together to educate the market on the impacts of interference and drive industry adoption for interference detection and mitigation.
"Enterprises are reliant on Wi-Fi networking solutions as they move to a mobile work environment. Their spectrum is a valuable and scarce resource, and we want to ensure that each network maximizes it to perform to its fullest potential," said Brett Galloway, vice president and general manager, Wireless Networking Business Unit, Cisco Systems. "With Cognio's Spectrum Expert as part of our overall Wi-Fi toolkit, Cisco customers and partners now have the ability to prevent and rapidly troubleshoot interference issues before they impact the integrity of the Wi-Fi network."
Historically, troubleshooting the physical layer of Wi-Fi networks has been challenging, and in many cases the process was "hit and miss." Identifying that a problem exists can be apparent by the performance of the network. What is much more difficult is identifying what is causing the problem, the scope and impact of the interference as well as the specific location of the interfering device.
Spectrum Expert sits side-by-side with Cisco Wireless Control System (WCS) and fills in the remaining gap to make troubleshooting Wi-Fi physical layer simple. With Spectrum Expert, IT managers get a list of the specific devices, by name, that are using capacity, can quickly tell which ones are causing problems, and can lock onto and eliminate these devices.
According company statements, Cognio pioneered the Wi-Fi spectrum analysis market, transforming it into a critical component of an enterprise IT manager's Wi-Fi kit. With over 175 patents submitted worldwide, Cognio maintains the industry's highest level of intellectual property as it relates to real-time spectrum detection and analysis. In addition, Cognio's Spectrum Expert has received numerous accolades, including Network Computing's 2006 "Well Connected" award and Internet Telephony's 2005 Products of the Year.
