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Wi-Fi Location Rolling Review: Ekahau Bets On Active Tags: Page 3 of 4

Finally, tags operating in associated mode need IP addresses. Dynamic addresses can be assigned via DHCP, but that will add even more traffic to the network. Assigning a fixed IP address to each tag eliminates that load but introduces another attribute to maintain. Ekahau's tags support multiple access profiles for internetwork mobility.

To Ekahau's advantage, because its tags associate with the wireless network, they don't require the enterprise WLAN system to understand proprietary beacons or chirps. For companies whose WLAN vendors have yet to integrate beaconing support, Ekahau may be the only viable locationing choice.


Rolling Reviews present a comprehensive look at a hot technology category, beginning with market analysis and wrapping up with a synopsis of our findings. See our kickoff and other reviews in this Wi-Fi location series at Rolling Reviews.

Tag, You're It

NUTS AND BOLTS
FEATURED PRODUCT:
Ekahau. Tags start at $50, with discounts for volume; location endpoint client software is an open model.
ABOUT THIS ROLLING REVIEW:
We issued an RFI to vendors that provide Wi-Fi-based location appliances or software modules. We want to see who has the technology and partnerships to enable Wi-Fi location with a minimum of integration headaches. We'll ask vendors to describe their architectures, what pieces of the puzzle they solve, and where their partners fit. We'll also analyze security.
ALREADY TESTED:

Aeroscout
NEXT UP:
InnerWireless.
OTHER VENDORS INVITED:
Cisco Systems, Meru Networks, Newbury Networks, Motorola (Symbol Technologies), Trapeze Networks, and WhereNet

Ekahau's tags are available in two form factors: a thin model about the height and width of a playing card, and a smaller key-chain-size edition. Ekahau says the new T301 comes with a 60% to 65% improvement in battery life. Tag selection, while more limited than AeroScout's lineup, is likely sufficient to meet most needs. To secure traffic between the tag and the AP, Ekahau's tags all support industry-standard WPA2-PSK; 802.1X is being worked on.

Ekahau has excelled at getting its client software integrated with application-specific devices such as Polycom's Wi-Fi phones and Symbol's bar code scanners. It doesn't hurt that the company has an open licensing program that essentially delivers the software free.

Ekahau's Positioning Engine plays the customary role of managing tags, storing maps, calculating coordinates, configuring business and event rules, and communicating with other applications via XML-based APIs.