Trapeze Takes WLAN Mobility To New Heights

Trapeze Mobility System Software 2.0 allows solution providers to position Trapeze Mobility Exchanges (WLAN switches) and Mobility Points (access points) anywhere in the network, said Michelle Rae McLean, director of product marketing at Trapeze, Pleasanton, Calif.

The improved support for third-party access points is bolstered by software upgrades that support any WLAN configuration model, including centralized deployments with the Mobility Exchange in the data center or distributed deployments with the switch in the wiring closet, McLean said.

Trapeze also expanded its Mobility Exchange hardware line with the MX-8 WLAN switch, which supports eight 10/100-Mbps Ethernet ports and manages configurations for up to eight access points. And for data center deployment, the MX-400 supports four Gigabit Ethernet ports and can manage configurations for up to 100 access points.

Trapeze's WLAN switch system provides a solid, redundant way to integrate with the wired network, said Sam Coyl, mobile solutions architect at Intellimark, a solution provider in Mechanicsburg, Pa. The new version bolsters features such as planning and management, allowing Intellimark to deliver solutions on a broader scale, he said.

"We can go to a hospital, for instance, deploy MX-400 and 100 access points, and the two IT guys that service the entire hospital can go to one application that configures one box that controls an entire network," Coyl said. "That's a powerful statement to be able to make to clients."

The MX-8 and Mobility System Software 2.0 are available now for $2,995. The MX-400 is set to ship next quarter for $21,995.