Microsoft Dumps Cisco for WiFi

A reader writes: "While Cisco is still runs the world of routers, apparently they have ended up on the short end of the stick when it comes to WiFi. Aruba Wireless Networks announced today that Microsoft has selected them over Cisco and would be "integrating Windows wireless clients" software with the Aruba gear. This could impact everyone that uses wireless with Windows. Aruba's Access Points aren't your traditional AP since they offload most of the functionality to a back end controller thus making for very low cost APs. They have even released their AP boot code on Source Forge so that anyone with a controller can convert their APs to Aruba APs. It also should be noted that Cisco, after realizing their wireless equipment wasn't up to par, tried to buy the deal by first by first approaching Aruba and then after being rebuffed bought their competitor Airespace for $450M in desperation and still lost."

Comments

Cisco hates to lose

[Alcemenes]

Cisco does not like to lose and they hate being wrong even more but overall I think they're a good company. I like working with their hardware although the price tag is very steep and in a lot of cases a less expensive product serves the purpose just as well or better. I can think of one instance in particular where a custom Linux firewall was replaced with a Cisco 2621 router with the firewall feature set loaded because the Linux firewall didn't meet the organizations security standards. As it turns out those standards meant the firewall had to be a Cisco product, period. I have also seen situations where Cisco tech support blamed my Linux router as the reason for a VPN tunnel failing on a misconfigured PIX firewall. I wasn't really surprised by any of this but it also doesn't surprise me that Microsoft chose someone else over Cisco. Does anyone else find it ironic that a monolithic software company with obnoxious licensing snubs a monolithic hardware company with equally insane licensing? I implement both Cisco and Microsoft products for my customers but the hoops you have to jump through sometimes just to make sure your licenses are on the up and up are ridiculous.