Is the intelligent access point dead?

Who would have thought that the WLAN switch would be so popular? Motorola's investment in Trapeze Networks is just the latest in a series of deals that show the major equipment vendors are paying close attention to that curious network management box pioneered by companies like Aruba, Trapeze and Airespace a few years back. All this attention on the WLAN switch, however, may spell the end of the intelligent access point and consequently the end to the WLAN business strategies of many vendors.

Cisco is by far the biggest convert. The biggest maker of enterprise-class access points foretold of this presumed shift toward centralized intelligence when it bought Airespace earlier this year. Now the other vendors seem to be following their lead. Not only has Motorola placed its bets with Airespace, WLAN vendors like Colubris accepted the inevitable and made its intelligent multi-service controller to compete.

So with everyone getting cozy with the big vendors, where does that leave Aruba? Well, it may not have the big-brother benefactors Airespace and Trapeze have, but it certainly isn't doing shabby. In June, Aruba won what is perhaps the jackpot of all WLAN integration deals: Microsoft deployed Aruba gateway and switch technology throughout its 277 global offices, putting Aruba at the core of probably the largest corporate WLAN in the world.

We should expect the hype around the WLAN switch to build into a frenzy, just like every other new technology in this industry. And expect Aruba to be a very attractive acquisition or investment target. There's already talk underway. Alcatel has already integrated Aruba's product line into its own WLAN infrastructure business after having its agreement with Airespace annulled. Talk of a financial stake wouldn't be far-fetched.

Contact me at kfitchard@primediabusiness.com.