"Before we deployed the AMP solution we didn't know exactly how many concurrent wireless connections were active at any given time, or how much traffic load was presented to each of the wireless access points," said James Holland, Portsmouth University's Network Team manager. "AMP provided us with an evaluation system for a month, and we were impressed both with the ease of deployment and the offered reporting and visual interfaces. We're now fully deployed and I can state categorically that AMP has taken the guess work out of wireless management, and given us new insights into the operation and optimization of our Wi-Fi network."

AMP Version 6 software can manage a network of any size, and offers a rich set of features including extensive 802.11n, Help Desk, troubleshooting, and life-cycle management features. The 802.11n management feature supports 802.11n products from leading hardware providers, enabling the management of next-generation infrastructure from the same console used for the legacy wireless LAN. Dedicated Help Desk views and incident management provides the Level One and Level Two Help Desk with automated diagnostics, and integrates with leading service desk solutions for seamless incident tracking and resolution. Wired and wireless LAN monitoring facilitates more accurate diagnostics by analyzing the status of routers, switches, authentication servers, and existing management servers. Finally, intelligent capacity planning helps determine where the wireless network is approaching capacity so expansion can be managed intelligently and cost-effectively.

"AMP opens a window into the inner working of a wireless network, and shows exactly what is happening without regard to the manufacturer of the wireless equipment," said Bryan Wargo, general manager of Aruba's network management division. "Almost immediately upon commissioning the AMP platform Portsmouth University noticed that some access points were over-subscribed and others were unused. For example, one access point was routinely seeing 42 simultaneous connections, indicating the need for additional coverage in that area. AMP helped visualize the data so that IT could make timely, informed choices about network modifications. Should the university expand its network in the future, AMP's multi-vendor support will ensure that they retain a single integrated view of the overall network -- they won't have to run separate management systems."