Airespace Introduces Industry's First WLAN System With Advanced Wireless Location Services for Better Asset Tracking and Tighter WLAN Security.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

NetWorld+Interop 2004 Las Vegas 

Booth #1023

SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 10, 2004

New Product Suite Includes Active RFID Tags, Location Appliance,

APIs and Integrated High-Resolution Location Software

Airespace, Inc. announced today its new Wireless Location Services (AWLS) product suite, a new integrated solution that enhances visibility into enterprise wireless networks through better tracking of 802.11 devices. The AWLS system combines location services with active 802.11 Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tagging to enable IT staff to track mobile devices for comprehensive asset management and resource accounting. In addition, the AWLS package enhances Wireless LAN (WLAN) security by allowing IT managers to take physical location into account when giving access control.

The Network is the Application

With Airespace Wireless Location Services, WLANs are transformed from an enabler of existing business applications to part of the application itself. Now enterprises can extend the value of their WLAN infrastructure while capitalizing on the unique benefits that mobility brings to the enterprise.

The key elements of the new AWLS solution include:

-- High-Resolution Location Software that is integrated into the

company's award-winning Enterprise WLAN platform. Airespace

location software uses advanced RF fingerprinting technology

that is accurate to within a few meters.

-- A Location Appliance that enables thousands of clients to be

tracked simultaneously in real-time.

-- New Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) that enable the

Airespace system to be tied in with external software

applications. Airespace APIs can be used to tie the AWLS

solution to other software that can benefit from location

tracking, such as Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) tools,

scheduling and workflow software, and emergency 911 (e911)

systems.

-- An active 802.11 RFID Transceiver with a 3-year battery. These

matchbox-sized "tags" are easily attached to devices and

people for seamless tracking capabilities. Active beacons

ensure anytime/anywhere tracking of devices throughout an

Airespace wireless network.

"Mobility has turned asset management into a much harder problem than it was in the static computing days," said David Passmore, research director at Burton Group. "Airespace has addressed the asset management problem with an attractive approach that is a logical addition to their WLAN system."

"For nearly two decades, RFID technology has played a major role in the transformation of several industries, including manufacturing, retail and healthcare," said Alan Cohen, vice president of marketing and product management for Airespace. "However, traditional RFID technologies require dedicated networks and scanners to track the small tags. The new 802.11-based tags provided by Airespace allow the greater WLAN network to effectively be the scanner for the innovative devices as well as regular 802.11 clients, allowing enterprises to gain additional productivity and value from their Airespace WLAN networks."

Benefits for the Enterprise: Location, Location, Location 

The combination of location tracking and active RFID tagging increase the utilization of equipment and other assets across the enterprise. Principal applications for Airespace Wireless Location Services include physical asset management and operations, security, and e911 for enterprise telephony applications. This can be applied to numerous markets, including healthcare, manufacturing, retail, finance, and government. In healthcare, for example, AWLS enables doctors, nurses, and support staff to spend less time searching for equipment and more time providing patient care.

On the security front, the AWLS package allows IT staff to establish access control policies that are based upon physical geography. In addition, automatic alarms can help IT staff avoid theft of expensive property.

A Complete WLAN Solution

AWLS is an integrated part of Airespace's award-winning enterprise WLAN System, including the company's 4000 WLAN Switch, 4100 WLAN Appliance, 1200 Access Point, Intelligent RF Access Point (IRAP), and Airespace Control System (ACS) software, the industry's best platform for WLAN systems management.

Product Availability

The Airespace Wireless Location Services (AWLS) package will be available in Q3, 2004. The active RFID tags and location applications will be shown at Airespace's booth at N+I (Booth #1023).

About Airespace, Inc.

Airespace designs and develops intelligent wireless networking platforms that support business-critical applications. The company has set the standard for enterprise Wireless LANs, having earned Network Computing's "Editor's Choice Award," Network World's "World Class Award" and "Best of the Tests Award," eWEEK's "Excellence Award," Internet Telephony's "Product of the Year," and nomination as one of the "Best Wireless Products of 2003" in InfoWorld's Reader's Choice Awards. With dynamic RF management, air-tight security, seamless mobility, and support for real-time applications such as voice, Airespace helps enterprises implement secure Wireless LAN networks worldwide.

For more information on Airespace and its products, visit www.airespace.com or call 408-635-2000.