Ekahau Upgrades Site Survey 4.0 to Simplify Wi-Fi Network Planning and Administration

Ekahau Upgrades Site Survey 4.0 to Simplify Wi-Fi Network Planning and Administration

November 08, 2007

ESS 4.0 Offers Powerful Troubleshooting and 3-D Network
Planning Tools and Integration with Ekahau RTLS


    SARATOGA, Calif., Nov. 8 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Ekahau
Inc., a leading provider of Wi-Fi based Real Time Location
Systems (RTLS) and site survey tools, today introduced the
Ekahau Site Survey (ESS) 4.0, which provides IT
professionals a robust, yet simple to use, tool for Wi-Fi
network planning and administration. The latest version of
Ekahau's Wi-Fi site survey tool enables users to quickly
and easily create, improve or troubleshoot enterprise grade
Wi-Fi networks.

    ESS 4.0 incorporates several new powerful features for
network integrators and IT managers. These features include
optimization for light-weight access points - such as Cisco
LWAP, Aruba Mobile Edge, the Nortel Networks WLAN Portfolio
and Siemens HiPath - and automatic location determination of
all nearby access points. ESS 4.0 also addresses the problem
of Wi-Fi signal leakage between floors with advanced
three-dimensional (3-D) prediction algorithms. 

    Wi-Fi network installations must take into account a
number of factors, including minimum signal strength, data
rate and signal overlap. This is true especially for Voice
over Wi-Fi networks, which have an added level of
complexity. Historically network integrators or IT managers
would have to look at each of these factors independently.
Now with ESS 4.0, they can view a network map that gives a
visual summary of whether a network is sufficient for their
specific needs, such as voice over Internet protocol (VoIP),
video, data and location tracking. This feature - called
Network Health - offers a new level of simplicity for
planning and verifying any Wi-Fi network. 

    ESS 4.0 also features On-Spot Check, which takes Wi-Fi
troubleshooting to the next level. Users can take an ESS
4.0-equipped laptop to a location where connectivity issues
have been detected and quickly receive real-time information
about the problem, as well as possible solutions. 

    ESS 4.0 now fully integrates with Ekahau RTLS, the
industry's leading Wi-Fi-based location tracking system for
assets and people. This integration eliminates the need for
a separate "location survey" procedure, instantly
allowing accurate tracking of people and assets over any
Wi-Fi network after a standard Wi-Fi site survey has been
performed. 

    The new features enhance the already broad
functionalities of Ekahau Site Survey, which includes
easy-to-read coverage maps based on floor plans and
in-depth network analysis through visualization of data
rates, signal-to-noise ratio, overlap, roaming, and other
factors.
 
    "Our goal with ESS 4.0 was to simplify the
challenges IT professionals face when deploying and
managing Wi-Fi networks. We feel we have achieved that with
improved site survey and network planning functionality that
takes away the guesswork and complexity," said Arttu
Huhtiniemi, product management director at Ekahau.
"Ekahau has been the undisputed innovator in Wi-Fi,
both in terms of location tracking as well as planning/site
survey tools. With the addition of 3-D multi-floor network
planning and troubleshooting features, Ekahau is extending
its leadership in the Wi-Fi site survey/planning market.
And by having ESS integrated with Ekahau RTLS, we can
ensure location tracking performance and accuracy, with
minimal system set-up efforts." 

    Siemens, a global reseller for ESS and Ekahau RTLS, has
standardized their field operations on ESS. "We have
been very happy with the tool, especially the ease and
speed of use, and 4.0 is a major improvement over the
previous version," said Marcus Birkl, vice president
of Sales at Siemens. "ESS has helped us a lot in both
deploying Siemens HiPath network more quickly, and meeting
the high Siemens standards in terms of network performance
especially for VoWLAN installations. Working with great
partners such as Ekahau further validates Siemens
commitment to Open Communications and Fixed Mobile
Convenience."

    ESS 4.0 will be commercially available in January 2008.


    About Ekahau Inc.

    Ekahau Inc. is the industry leader in providing Wi-Fi
based RTLS solutions. Ekahau's customers, including several
Fortune 500 companies worldwide, are realizing the benefits
of Wi-Fi based location services and innovative Wi-Fi
network planning and optimization tools. Ekahau partners
include wireless software developers, leading system
integrators, and international OEM partners, who develop
and market wireless enterprise applications. Ekahau is a
U.S. based corporation, with offices in Saratoga, CA;
Reston, VA; Helsinki, Finland; and Hong Kong, China. For
more information about Ekahau, please visit at
http://www.ekahau.com .

    (C) 2000-2007 Ekahau, Inc.  All rights reserved. 
Ekahau(TM), Ekahau Positioning Engine(TM), Ekahau Site
Survey(TM), Ekahau T201 (TM), Ekahau T301 (TM)and the
Ekahau logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of
Ekahau.  Other product and company names may be trademarks
or trade names of their respective owners.






    For more information, please contact:

     U.S. Media:
     Gail Norris
     Rocket Science PR
     Tel:   [phone]
     Email: [e-mail]

     Mirja Katainen
     Marketing Planner
     Ekahau Inc.
     Tel:   [phone]
     Email: [e-mail]

     Arttu Huhtiniemi
     Director of Product Management
     Ekahau Inc.
     Tel:   [phone]
     Email: [e-mail]