The Forrester Wave™: WLAN Infrastructure, Q2 2007

Forrester evaluated leading wireless local area network (WLAN) infrastructure vendors across 54 criteria and found that Cisco Systems maintained WLAN leadership due to its broad range of hardware and solution features as well as its solid wired network integration. Aruba Networks and Trapeze Networks, both pure-play WLAN vendors, offer a rich feature set, solid security capabilities, and support for advanced features, but lack wired network integration. ProCurve Networking by HP emerges as a Leader due to its expanded enterprise-class product line and unparalleled support offerings. Nortel Networks and Siemens service the enterprise market with WLAN infrastructure solutions based on vertical and feature unique focus areas, with Nortel offering the added benefit of a complex suite of voice hardware and software options and Siemens tackling the complexities of fixed mobile convergence. Meru Networks, 3Com, and Colubris Networks, based on their deployments to date and market focus, are not currently contenders for a large portion of the enterprise WLAN market. Colubris, in its first Wave appearance, still bears the market-specific trappings of its past as a travel and hospitality niche player, but has taken the right steps to begin to seriously approach the enterprise.