6/26/2006 -- Cisco Systems Inc. last week refreshed its fledgling Unified Wireless Network (UWN) software stack with a new Release 4.0 update. Cisco officials say the revamped UWN 4.0 supports improved security, management frame protection, IPS integration, FIPS 140-2 Level 2 certification, and secure guest access. Also last week, Cisco also launched its Catalyst 3750 Integrated Wireless LAN Controller, a new product that features 24 PoE Ethernet ports, two Gigabit Ethernet uplinks and StackWise connectors.

Cisco says UWN is designed to provide an interoperable foundation for voice-ready wireless as well as enable end-to-end quality of service and fast, secure roaming capabilities, officials say. To the extent that the new enhancements help ratchet up interoperability across Cisco's existing product line, UWN is well on its way to delivering on both of these promises, analysts say.

"The latest wireless enhancements from Cisco drive deeper levels of integration between Cisco's Unified Wireless [Airespace] solution and other technologies within the Cisco portfolio, including integration with switching, routing and security," says Joel Conover, a principal analyst for enterprise infrastructure with consultancy Current Analysis Inc. "These enhancements give Cisco additional cross-selling opportunities and enable customers to leverage their existing investment in Cisco technology to enhance the security, reliability and scalability of their wireless network, giving Cisco a strong advantage when competing against pure-play wireless LAN competitors."

Conover thinks the UWN refresh could help give Cisco a bonafide leg up against competitors, too. "[W]ith Cisco's latest round of integration efforts, it gains a significant solution-selling advantage over competitors. Cisco's continued rapid investment in the WLAN market is paying off in terms of growing market share, and these improvements will contribute significantly to its ability to penetrate its own customer base further and face off against competitors."

Drilling down into the nuts and bolts, says Conover, the new software enhancements bring significant new capabilities to UWN -- including integration with CS-Mars and the Cisco 4200 IDS platform -- which should enable Cisco to sell and promote multi-layer security at both the wireless and IP layers of the network. Conover is also encouraged by Cisco's support for management frame protection; it's proprietary, he says, but it's a good start. Though currently a proprietary implementation, MFP creates a security model for all-Cisco networks in which unrecognized rogues and masquerading clients are instantly recognized and, furthermore, shut down, he comments. "MFP creates a 'solid' WLAN security model, but the benefits are only fully realized in an environment where CCX v4 clients and MFP-enabled APs are present throughout the network. In the traditional Cisco fashion, this provides a customer advantage in environments where Cisco is the end-to-end provider."

There's a pending 802.11 MFP standard, Conover says, but it's at least 18 months off. "Competitors are generally looking to 802.11 standards to deliver MFP functionality, but a final standard is not expected until late 2007," he says. He also likes Cisco's new WLAN controller: "Cisco's latest hardware further expands the range and type of environments in which Cisco can compete. The new 3750-24WS delivers 25- or 50-port WLAN controller functionality that is useful for smaller offices, branch locations and distributed installations. Like all of Cisco's WLAN controllers, it is managed and provisioned, and it offers centralized reporting via Cisco's WCS management appliance.

All isn't sweetness and light in Cisco's UWN refresh, of course. For example, Cisco exploits proprietary CCX mechanisms to achieve many of its advanced capabilities, Conover notes, a fact that competitors will be certain to amplify in their competitive marketing. "Competitors will be quick to attack Cisco's use of proprietary CCX mechanisms to achieve many of its advanced functions, and customers should be aware that, while CCX is a broadly accepted standard, specific support for a certain CCX version varies immensely from silicon vendor to silicon vendor," he notes. "Nevertheless, Cisco is in a very strong position with the release of its latest Integrated WLAN solutions, and competitors need to focus on their own integration and partnership advances, rather than trying to challenge Cisco on weaknesses in its architecture. Competitors would be wise to sell around Cisco, rather than trying to take it on head-to-head. Devout Cisco customers are unlikely to abandon the vendor for wireless LANs, given the tight integration Cisco can deliver between voice, mobility, location and security." -Stephen Swoyer