SUNNYVALE, Calif., November 19th, 2008 – AirMagnet Inc., the leader in security, performance and compliance solutions for wireless LANs, is proud to announce that its award-winning software tools were used by Cisco Systems, Inc. (CSCO) to optimize and secure the wireless network for the 2008 U.S. Presidential Debate, held at the University of Mississippi.

AirMagnet WiFi Analyzer and AirMagnet Survey PRO were used by the team at Cisco to tune the performance and reliability of an 802.11n wireless network that was designed to serve 3,000 people, with 43 access points (APs) covering more than 25,000 square feet. When the network went live, AirMagnet was also used to defend against wireless intruders and a variety of other threats. 

“Anytime you deal with the U.S. Government, there are extremely high standards around security and reliability. This event was no exception. It was vital that the network serve as the communication and application backbone for all involved, including the large media contingent,” said Dave Hunt, TITLE at Cisco Systems, Inc. “Once we set up the basic 11n network, AirMagnet tools allowed us to quickly fine-tune the deployment and configure the APs for performance. When the debate began, AirMagnet helped us defend the network, and troubleshooted performance and reliability issues immediately.”

With the majority of the wireless network residing in an open tent designed to host the media, performance issues were a key concern for organizers. The number of camera feeds, spectrum traffic, unauthorized third-party devices and equipment were staggering. All of these elements can impact the performance of a network. Fortunately, AirMagnet provided Cisco with the tools needed to perform continual WiFi interference analysis, packet and frame analysis, and live interactive network tests.

“There were a ton of performance and access issues that AirMagnet helped us address in real-time during the debates. For example, a lot of the foreign press – despite strict guidelines against – still attempted to use their own equipment with the network without authorization. This obviously caused major interference issues as random devices and antennas began broadcasting around us. Once these devices started to impact the network, AirMagnet immediately identified them and allowed us to appropriately resolve the issue,” continued Hunt.

As one might expect, an event of this magnitude always presents a great opportunity for wireless attacks and hackers. During the debate, there was an attempted wireless attack. AirMagnet WiFi Analyzer immediately alerted the Cisco team and they escalated the issue to the United States Secret Service. The problem was quickly and appropriately resolved. AirMagnet WiFi Analyzer is designed to automatically detect dozens of wireless intrusions and hacking strategies, including Rogue devices, Denial-of-Service attacks, Dictionary Attacks, Faked APs, RF Jamming, "Stumbler" tools, and many more. It also allows an administrator to set detailed security policies for all devices on the network.

“Cisco ‘owned’ the wired and wireless networks for WiFi access around this Presidential Debate. We are very excited that our tools allowed them to meet the heightened security and reliability standards required for the event. We’re also happy to say that during the event there was not one dropped client and absolutely no security penetrations via the wireless network,” said Chia Chee Kuan, CTO at AirMagnet.

About AirMagnet Inc.
AirMagnet Inc. is the leader in security, performance and compliance solutions for wireless LANs. The company's innovative products include AirMagnet Enterprise, the leading 24x7 WLAN security and performance management solution, and AirMagnet WiFi Analyzer – which is known as the “de facto tool for wireless LAN troubleshooting and analysis.” Other products provide WLAN site survey and design, RF interference detection, remote diagnostics, and the world’s first voice over WiFi analysis solution. AirMagnet has more than 7,500 customers worldwide, including 75 of the Fortune 100. The company, based in Sunnyvale, Calif., has offices worldwide. For more information, visit www.AirMagnet.com.

©2008 AirMagnet Inc. All rights reserved. AirMagnet® and AirWISE® are registered trademarks, and the AirMagnet logo is a trademark, of AirMagnet Inc. All other product names mentioned herein may be trademarks of their respective companies.

Editorial Contact:
Michael Wolf
Avon Business Communications Ltd for AirMagnet
Tel +44 (0) 1491 824345
[email protected]