802.11ac: Technologies and Deployment Strategies with FarPoint Group

802.11ac: Technologies and
Deployment Strategies

Copyright 2013 – All rights reserved

© WildPackets, Inc.

www.wildpackets.com

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• There will be Q&A
‒ Feel free to type a question at any time

• Slides and recording will be available
‒ Notification within 48 hours via a follow-up email

#wp_wireless

802.11ac: Technologies and Deployment Strategies


2

Our Speakers
• Jay Botelho

• Craig J. Mathias
Principal, Farpoint Group

• Founder (1991) and Principal
with Farpoint Group

• Advisory services for wireless
and mobile

• Member, IEEE and Society of
Sigma Xi

• Columns for CIO.com and sites
at TechTarget

• Product reviews and testing for
Network World

Director of Product Management
WildPackets, Inc.
• 8+ years working with AiroPeek
and OmniPeek

• Experience with wireless
networking since the early
days of spread spectrum
radios

• Weekly contributor to
WildPackets’ blog

• Numerous articles in
networking and IT outlets

• Blog at Network World
nww.com/community/mathias
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Agenda
• What are the key features and benefits of 802.11ac?
• Should 802.11ac be deployed now, or later?
‒ Wait for Wave 2?

• How should 802.11ac deployments be staged?
‒ A checklist for getting started

• How can potential threats like rogue 802.11ac APs be
addressed in advance of a production 802.11ac
rollout?

• WLAN analysis – then and now
• WildPackets Corporate Overview
• WildPackets Product Line Overview
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4

802.11ac – Breaking the Gigabit Barrier
7-28? Gbps
802.11ad
538% (vs. 1300)
433/866/1300+ Mbps
802.11ac
288% (vs. 450)
(to 6.93 Gbps)
Gratuitous clipart - Please ignore

11 Mbps
1-2 Mbps 802.11b
<1 Mbps 802.11 1997 550%
100%
Proprietary
1989

#wp_wireless

1991

1999

300/450/600 Mbps
802.11n
54 Mbps
833%
802.11g/a
490%

2003

2009

2013

Source: Farpoint Group


2013

Core WLAN Challenges
More Users
• Wireless as primary/default
• Everywhere
More Devices
• BYOD
• Multiple simultaneous
devices per user
More Applications
• Everything
• Including time-bounded
traffic – video and VoFi


#wp_wireless

Security and Integrity
• Assurance functionality
• Spectral analysis
• Rogue devices
• IDS/IPS

It’s Not Really About Throughput – It’s About Capacity
Dense Deployments
• Driven by BYOD
• Time-bounded traffic (streaming video; voice)
• Maximize channel efficiency
• Maximize throughput/reliability by minimizing range
• Improved per-client performance

RF Management Techniques and WLAN System
Architecture
• Beamforming
• Bandsteering
• Auto channel/power selection
• Spectral analysis
Traffic prioritization/airtime fairness
Load balancing
#wp_wireless



802.11ac – Key Technologies

…………….
…………….
…………….
…………….
…………….
…………….
…………….
…………….
…………….
…………….
…………….
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…………….
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…………….
…………….

Modulation + Coding Rate +
Spatial Streams +
Channel Width + Guard interval

256-QAM Modulation
20, 40 MHz.

New Modulation and
Coding Schemes (MCSes)
(from 6.5 to 866.7 Mbps/Stream)

AP
80-, 80x2-, and 160-MHz. Channels
(5-GHz. bands only)

Multi-User MIMO (Wave 2)

Beamforming
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802.11ac Timeline
Critical mass – clients

First 802.11ac
products

Critical mass –
Enterprise infrastructure

First enterprise-class
products

2012

2013

2014

2015

2018

Initial Wave 2
Products
First embedded
products

Standard
ratified

Replacement of
802.11n

Wi-Fi Alliance
interim certification
#wp_wireless



System Architecture:
The Planes Model of a WLAN System
Increasing data rate/
duty cycle

• Distributed
• Centralized
• “OS” – traffic flow
• Resource management
• Policy Implementation

Data

• Centralized
• Planning
• Configuration
• Deployment
• Administration
• Security
• Integrity
• Monitoring
• Logging, Reporting, Compliance
• Troubleshooting
• Alerts, Alarms, Exceptions
• Assurance

Control
Management

#wp_wireless

• Distributed
• Direct Forwarding
• Centralized



WLAN Assurance Tools: Key Functions

Intrusion
Detection and
Prevention

Rogue Detection
and Mitigation
#wp_wireless

Traffic Analysis,
Statistics, and
Reporting

Network and
Device Inventory

Spectral
Assurance

Policy and Regulatory
Monitoring
and Compliance

Integrity, Reliability,
and Troubleshooting

Configuration
Verification



802.11ac Deployment Options
Deploy Now – Overlay
• Initial augmentation
• Power user “hot spots”
• High density/demand areas
• Gradual dominance
Deploy Now – Rip and Replace
• Not as common
• Important to optimize 5 GHz.
• Still need .11g/n at 2.4 GHz.
Assurance Only
• Possible future cutover to access
• Assurance is always required
• Prevent unauthorized activity
• Integrated or Overlay
#wp_wireless



802.11ac Barriers to Adoption
Standard Not Finished
• Historically the case…
• Wi-Fi Alliance specification
Few 802.11ac Clients Today
• Will improve over time
• Improved .11n client performance
regardless
802.11n Deployments Not Complete
• Depreciation/financial impacts
• Can substitute 802.11ac APs in .11n mode
Wave 2
• Does not obsolete Wave 1
• Continual improvements
expected regardless
• Consequence of waiting
is more .11n
#wp_wireless



Getting Ready for 802.11ac
Wired Network Audit
• Interconnect/backhaul
• 802.3at PoE may not be required
• Multiple Gig-E links per AP
Dense Deployments
• Capacity
• Rates vs. range
Management
• Console upgrades
• Procedures
• Assurance
Continue to Deploy 802.11n if Desired
• Long payback period
• Non-disruptive, gradual
upgrade strategy
• But not the optimal strategy…
#wp_wireless



Conclusions
• 802.11ac is a huge leap forward in WLAN
performance – but there’s no magic here
‒ Evolution, not revolution

• A variety of options with respect to deployment exist
‒ Near-term deployment for (at a minimum) assurance purposes is
essential

• 802.11n is not obsolete, but it will be largely replaced
by 802.11ac over the next five years

• It’s important to stage deployment with an eye
towards maintaining the reliability, availability, and
integrity of current operations
‒ Talk with your vendor(s) – coexistence and migration
‒ And remember – success in WLANs is not just about
radios!
#wp_wireless



Thank You!

Ashland Massachusetts USA
www.farpointgroup.com

#wp_wireless



WildPackets and WLAN Analysis



www.wildpackets.com

Why WildPackets Is A Leader
•
•
•
•

Protocol analysis since 1990
WLAN analysis since 2001
Many “firsts”
Used by
‒
‒
‒
‒

802.11 chipset vendors
Device manufacturers/OEMs
Technical Assistance Centers (TACs)
Wi-Fi Alliance and Certified Test Labs (CTLs)

• UI/Workflow
• Expert analysis
#wp_wireless



1st in Wireless
• 2002
1st to develop a wireless network analyzer

• 2003
‒ 1st to develop a wireless distributed analyzer
‒ WildPackets was endorsed by Wireless Forum

• 2005
‒ 1st to develop wireless VoIP analyzer

• 2007
‒ WildPackets developed the 1st 802.11n analyzer
‒ Chosen by WFA for 802.11n certification test bed

• 2011
‒ First to ship 802.11n 3-stream WLAN analyzer

• 2013
‒ 1st to support 802.11ac
#wp_wireless



What Do You Need?
• Packet-based WLAN
network analysis software

• Supported WLAN
adapter(s)

• Special driver for WLAN
adapters

#wp_wireless



20

802.11ac Status – We’re Ready!
• Cisco AE6000/Ralink driver
• AE6000: 1-stream 802.11ac device
compatible with OmniPeek

• OmniPeek v7.8 and above
• Beta Ralink driver available via WildPackets
Support

#wp_wireless



21

OmniWiFi USB WLAN Capture Adapter
• A single device for all WLAN packet capture needs
• Driver included with OmniPeek
• Tested and supported with OmniPeek and OmniEngine
• Product features:
•
•
•
•
•
•

USB device with extension cable
Dual band operation – 2.4GHz and 5GHz
Supports all standard international 802.11 channels (a/b/g/n)
Supports 802.11n - 3 transmit/receive streams (450Mbps)
Supports 802.11n 20MHz and 40MHz channel operation
Supports multi-channel aggregation and roaming

• Technical Details:
‒ Size (LWH): 6 inches, 1.5 inches, 5.5 inches
‒ Weight: 5.6 ounces

NOTE:
• Capture ONLY – no network services
• Does not capture 802.11ac

• Available via Amazon - $99/each
#wp_wireless



WLAN Analysis – Then and Now



www.wildpackets.com

Then …
• Locally connected
devices

• Commercially available
USB devices

• Multiple devices for
channel aggregation

#wp_wireless



24

The Problem with “Then”
• I’m most probably NOT near the problem
• I still need supported devices
• I need supported devices that equal or exceed the
most capable devices on my network – now 802.11ac

• And, most importantly …
• USB is simply NOT up to the task!

#wp_wireless



25

USB
• USB 1.1 (Full Speed)
‒ September 1998
‒ 12 Mbps
‒ If you still have equipment with v1.1, get
something new!

• USB 2.0 (High Speed)
‒ April 2000
‒ 480 Mbps theoretical; 280 Mbps effective
‒ Extremely common for laptops in use

• USB 3.0 (Super Speed)
‒ November 2008
‒ 5 Gbps theoretical; 3.2 Gbps effective
#wp_wireless



26

Now Let’s Review

#wp_wireless



27

So, What “Now”?
• As wireless approaches wired speeds, it’s time to
start relying on the wire

• Distributed analysis using deployed assets – APs –
is the only effective solution as wireless speeds
grow

• The choices:
‒ Remote PCap
‒ Custom Remote Adapters

#wp_wireless



28

Remote Pcap
• A WinPcap feature that allows interaction with a remote
machine to capture packets

• The remote device must be running the remote Pcap daemon
(rpcapd)

• Remote Capture Protocol (RPCAP) modes:
‒ Passive Mode (default): analyzer connects to the remote daemon,
sends the appropriate commands, starts the capture
‒ Active Mode: remote daemon tries to establish a connection to the
analyzer, the analyzer sends the appropriate commands to the daemon,
starts the capture

• Simply start a capture on the analyzer and point it to the
available RPCAP interfaces

• Vendor support: Aerohive, Ruckus, …
#wp_wireless



29

Remote Pcap (cont.)

#wp_wireless



30

Custom Remote Adapters
• Allow an AP that can be put into promiscuous mode
to act like a direct-connected sniffing device

• Allow the full capabilities of the AP to be leveraged
• APs are “reconfigured” via the AP controller
software

• Depending on the manufacturer and the model, APs
may or may not be able to continue sending traffic

• Vendor support: Cisco, Aruba, Meru

#wp_wireless



31

Custom Remote Adapters

#wp_wireless



32

WildPackets Value
• The first to support data capture and analysis of 802.11ac traffic
• The only to support 11n 3-stream (450Mbps) portable analysis
• The most comprehensive for voice-over-wireless (VoFi)
analysis

• The only to support remote data capture from commercial
enterprise APs

• The best for distributed networks with remote 24x7 real-time
analysis

• The only to support packet capture from non-technical users
• The most cost-effective by supporting both wireless and wired
network analysis in the same solution

• The most comprehensive with an industry-leading UI that
makes troubleshooting effortless
#wp_wireless



Q&A
Show us your tweets!
Use today’s webinar hashtag:

Follow us on SlideShare!

#wp_wireless

Check out today’s slides on SlideShare
www.slideshare.net/wildpackets

with any questions, comments, or feedback.
Follow us @wildpackets



www.wildpackets.com

WildPackets Corporate Overview
Optimizing Network and Application Performance



www.wildpackets.com

Corporate Background
• Experts in network monitoring, analysis, and troubleshooting
‒ Founded: 1990 / Headquarters: Walnut Creek, CA
‒ Offices throughout the US, EMEA, and APAC

• Customers spanning leading edge organizations
‒ Mid-market and enterprise lines of business
‒ Financial, manufacturing, ISPs, major federal agencies,
state and local governments, universities
‒ Over 7,000 customers / 60+ countries / 80% of Fortune 1,000

• Award-winning solutions that improve network performance
‒ Internet Telephony, Network Magazine, Network Computing awards
‒ United States Patent 5,787,253 issued July 28, 1998
• “Apparatus and Method of Analyzing Internet Activity”
#wp_wireless



Why Our Customers Need Us
• VoIP, video, cloud, virtualization, and key business
applications are saturating critical network services

• Evolving network technologies create discontinuities
‒ 1 Gig  10 Gig  40 Gig  100 Gig networks
‒ Wireless, BYOD initiatives

• Users and business can not tolerate network
problems for mission critical services
Increasing demand for better real-time network visibility,
network analytics, network forensics, and DPI
#wp_wireless



How We Create Value
We provide innovative, industry-leading, real-time
network performance management solutions
‒ Easy-to-use, easy-to-learn user interface
‒ Uniquely extensible solutions
‒ Wireless network leadership
‒ Detailed analytics related to network applications
‒ Fastest network traffic capture appliance in its class
‒ Technical superiority at competitive price point
WildPackets has continually advanced its solution to meet the needs of its
customers

#wp_wireless



Unprecedented Network Visibility
NETWORK HEALTH

GLOBAL

WatchPoint can manage and report on key
device performance and availability across
the entire network, from anywhere on the network.

UNDERSTAND END-USER PERFORMANCE

DISTRIBUTED

Omnipliance network analysis and recorder appliances monitor
and analyze performance across critical network
segments, virtual environments, and remote sites.

PINPOINT NETWORK ISSUES ANYWHERE

PORTABLE

Omnipliance Portable can rapidly identify and troubleshoot
issues before they become major problems—wired or
wireless—down the hall or across the globe.

ROOT-CAUSE ANALYSIS

DPI
#wp_wireless

OmniPeek network analyzer performs deep packet inspection
and can reconstruct all network activity, including e-mail and
IM, as well as analyze VoIP and video traffic quality.



A History of Innovation
2001

2005

2009

2011

• First 802.11
wireless analyzer
• First network
analyzer with
automated expert
analysis

Combined
distributed
network and
VoIP
network
analysis

Innovative
dashboard
with drill-down for
VoIP
and video

• Total visibility with
zero packet loss
• First wireless
network analyzer to
support capture and
analysis of 802.11n
3-stream wireless

2008

2010

2012

2013

Distributed real-time
Enterprise-wide
troubleshooting Monitoring and Reporting

First to achieve 11
Gbps sustained
capture-to-disk

• Capture, record, and
analyze from 40G
network segments
• First wireless network
analyzer to support
801.11ac, k, r, u, v, w

Industry
leading
network
analysis and
recorder
appliances

2003

#wp_wireless



Product Line Overview



www.wildpackets.com

Omni Distributed Analysis Platform
OmniPeek
Enterprise Packet Capture, Decode and Analysis
• Ethernet,1/10 Gigabit, 802.11, and voice and video over IP
• Portable capture and OmniEngine console
• Aggregate analysis data across multiple capture points

Omnipliance
Network Analysis and Recorder Appliances
• High-performance packet capture and real-time analysis
• Stream-to-disk for forensics analysis
• Integrated OmniAdapter network analysis cards up to 40G

WatchPoint
Centralized Enterprise Network Monitoring Appliance
• Aggregation and graphical display of network data
• WildPackets OmniEngines
• NetFlow and sFlow
#wp_wireless



Omni Distributed Analysis Platform
Software and Turnkey Solutions
• Enterprise monitoring and reporting
‒ WatchPoint Server
‒ OmniFlow, NetFlow, and sFlow Collectors

• Network Analysis and Recorder Appliances
‒ Omnipliance CX, MX, TL
‒ Optional OmniStorage
‒ OmniAdapter analysis cards

• Distributed analysis software
‒ OmniPeek – Enterprise, Professional, Basic, Connect
‒ OmniPeek Remote Assistant
‒ OmniEngine Enterprise

• Portable solutions
‒ OmniPeek network analyzer
‒ Omnipliance Portable

#wp_wireless



OmniPeek Network Analyzer
• Distributed analysis manager
– Connect to and configure distributed OmniEngines and Omnipliances,

• Comprehensive dashboards present network traffic in real-time
– Vital statistics and graphs display trends on network and application
performance
– Visual peer-map shows conversations and protocols
– Intuitive drill-down for root-cause analysis of performance bottlenecks

• Visual Expert diagnosis speeds problem resolution
– Packet and payload visualizers provide business-centric views

• Automated analytics and problem detection 24/7
– Easily create filters, triggers, scripting, advanced alarms, and alerts

#wp_wireless



OmniPeek Remote Assistant
Distributed, End-user Packet Capture Made Simple
• Simple to deploy, simple to use
‒ Remote push, download from server, or even
email
‒ Simple user interface - eliminates confusion for
end user
‒ Full fidelity capture - see exactly what the PC
sees
‒ Wired or wireless

Trouble call from remote site network response is slow.

• Encrypted file
‒ Only the analyst can open it
‒ Different encryption keys for different locations
or customers

User downloads and installs
OmniPeek Remote. Encrypted capture
data sent back for analysis.

• Detailed client-side/end-user experience
analysis

• Perfect for Tech Support or IT Desktop
support
#wp_wireless

Network analyst uses OmniPeek
Enterprise to quickly troubleshoot
problem without leaving the office.



OmniWiFi USB WLAN Capture Adapter
• A single device for all WLAN packet capture needs
• Driver included with Omni v7.9 CDs
• Tested and supported with OmniPeek and OmniEngine
• Product features:
•
•
•
•
•
•

USB device with extension cable
Dual band operation – 2.4GHz and 5GHz
Supports all standard international 802.11 channels (a/b/g/n)
Supports 802.11n - 3 transmit/receive streams (450Mbps)
Supports 802.11n 20MHz and 40MHz channel operation
Supports multi-channel aggregation and roaming

• Technical Details:
‒ Size (LWH): 6 inches, 1.5 inches, 5.5 inches
‒ Weight: 5.6 ounces

NOTE:
• Capture ONLY – no network services
• Does not capture 802.11ac

• Available via Amazon - $99/each
#wp_wireless



New Network Analysis and Recorder Appliances

Powerful
Precise
Affordable
The new family of WildPackets Network Analysis and Recorder
appliances gives IT organizations powerful and precise analysis of
high-speed networks in an affordable solution with half the
hardware footprint of rival offerings.

#wp_wireless



Powerful
‒ Fastest network recorder in its class! Captures traffic up to 20Gbps of realworld traffic (all size packet distribution)
‒ Scales up to 128 TB of storage
‒ Provides simultaneous real-time analysis and a comprehensive Forensic
Search that rapidly searches through terabytes of captured traffic for the
details relevant to an investigation

Precise
‒ Captures complete network traffic, so you can analyze everything, not just
samples or high-level statistics
‒ Doesn’t drop packets or sacrifice accuracy for speed
‒ Supports rich, detailed analysis, including VoIP and video-over-IP traffic

Affordable
‒ Delivers outstanding price/performance (lower price; half the rack space)
‒ Allows mix of 1G/10G/40G interfaces without buying extra appliances
‒ Solutions start at $16,995

Your network is bigger and faster. Now your analysis solution is, too.
#wp_wireless



Omnipliance TL
Industry Leading Network Analysis and Recorder Appliance

• Sets a new standard in capture-to-disk speeds
‒ 20Gbps sustained capture to disk rate with zero packet drop

• Best price/performance Network Analysis Appliance
in the market
‒ 20Gbps with only one Omnipliance TL + OmniStorage
‒ Consuming less rack space, less cooling, less electrical power

• Most flexible network interface offering
‒ 1G/10G/40G interfaces supported in a single unit eliminates
additional unit requirement

• Most accurate real-time analytics
‒ Packet-based processing and analysis vs. inaccurate samplebased calculation
#wp_wireless



WildPackets Network Analysis Recorder Appliances
Price/Performance Solutions for Every Application

Portable

Omnipliance CX

Omnipliance MX

Omnipliance TL

Ruggedized
Troubleshooting

Less Demanding Networks
Remote Offices

Datacenter Workhorse
Easily Expandable

Enterprise, HighlyUtilized Networks

Aluminum chassis / 17” LCD

1U rack mountable chassis



24GB RAM

16GB RAM

32GB RAM

64GB RAM

2 PCI-E Slots

2 PCI-E Slots

4 PCI-E Slots

4 PCI-E Slots

2 Built-in Ethernet Ports




6TB Storage

4/8/16TB Storage

16/32TB Storage

32/48/64TB Storage
Optional OmniStorage:
32/48/64TB
Up to 128TB total Storage

OmniAdapter 1G and 10G

OmniAdapter 1G/10G MX

OmniAdapter 1G/10G MX

OmniAdapter 1G/10G/40G

6.5Gbps CTD

3.8Gbps CTD

8.8Gbps CTD

20Gbps CTD with
OmniStorage

#wp_wireless



WatchPoint
Centralized Monitoring for Distributed Enterprise Networks
•

High-level, aggregated
view of all network
segments
– Monitor per campus, per
region, per country

•

Wide range of network
data
– NetFlow, sFlow, OmniFlow

•
•
•

#wp_wireless

Web-based, customizable
network dashboards
Flexible detailed reports
Direct link to detailed,
packet-based analysis



Comprehensive Support and Services
Standard Support

Premier Support



Maintenance and upgrades
 Telephone and email contacts
 Knowledgebase
 MyPeek Portal



24 x 7 x 365
 Dedicated escalation manager
 2 customer contacts per site
 Plug-in reconfiguration assistance

WildPackets Training Academy


Public, web-based, and on-site classes
 Complete curriculum: technology and product focused
 Practical applications and labs covering network analysis,
wireless, VoIP monitoring and advanced troubleshooting

Consulting and Custom Development Services


Deployment, configuration, and assessment engagement
 Systems integration and testing
 Application integration, driver, decode, interface development
#wp_wireless



WildPackets Key Differentiators
• Visual Expert intelligence with intuitive drill-down
– Let computer do the hard work, and return results, real-time
– Packet /payload visualization is faster than packet-per-packet diagnostics
– Experts and analytics can be memorized and automated

• Automated capture analytics
– Filters, triggers, scripting, and advanced alarming system combine to provide
automated network problem detection 24x7

• Multiple issue network forensics
– Can be tracked by one or more people simultaneously
– Real-time or post capture

• User-extensible platform
– Plug-in architecture and SDK

• Aggregated network views and reporting
– NetFlow, sFlow, and OmniFlow

#wp_wireless



24x7 Network Monitoring,
Analysis, and Troubleshooting

#wp_wireless



Thank You!
WildPackets, Inc.
1340 Treat Boulevard, Suite 500
Walnut Creek, CA 94597
(925) 937-3200


www.wildpackets.com

802.11ac: Technologies and Deployment Strategies with FarPoint Group

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