Cisco 521 Wireless Express Access Point:
The Cisco®
521 Wireless Express Access Point is a single-band
802.11g access point that features business-class
management, security, and scalability. This access
point offers high-performance wireless connectivity
in offices and similar environments.
The Cisco Mobility Express Solution brings together
the Cisco 521 access point and the Cisco 500 Series Wireless
Express Mobility Controller to provide a flexible, cost-effective
wireless solution specifically designed to meet the needs of small
and medium-sized businesses (SMBs). The Mobility Express Solution
is part of the Cisco Smart Business Communications System (SBCS) -
a unified communications solution for SMBs that provides voice, data,
video, security, and wireless capabilities while integrating with existing
desktop applications like calendar, e-mail, and customer relationship
management (CRM) to provide a complete solution.
As part of this solution, the Cisco 521 access point uniquely addresses
the diverse requirements of SMBs by offering the versatility of operating
either in standalone mode, or in controller-based mode with the Cisco 500
Series Wireless Express Controller.
- Standalone mode: Access points are directly connected to the wired infrastructure
through an Ethernet switch and provide reliable high-speed wireless connectivity
to users in the area they cover. Configuration and management are performed locally
at the individual access point level.
- Controller-based mode: Access points are directly connected to the wired infrastructure
through an Ethernet switch and associated with a Cisco 500 Series Wireless Express Mobility
Controller. The controller streamlines and manages the configuration of all connected access
points through a single interface, and provides a platform for mobility services such as
secure guest access and voice over Wi-Fi.
The Cisco 521 access point delivers optimal value for offices, classrooms, small warehouses,
and similar environments. Built-in antennas provide omni-directional coverage specifically
designed for today's open workspaces. A multipurpose mounting bracket easily secures Cisco 521
access points to ceilings and walls. With an unobtrusive design, the access points are aesthetically
appealing and blend into their surrounding environment. For maximum concealment, the access point's
UL 2043 rating allows it to be placed above ceilings in plenum areas regulated by municipal fire codes.
Managed by the Cisco Configuration Assistant, and optimized for easy installation and operation, the
Cisco 521 access point helps organizations attain a lower total cost of ownership.
Cisco Configuration Assistant:
A simplified management tool used to configure the SBCS portfolio
including
Cisco Wireless Express Access Points and Mobility Controllers
Applications
In offices and similarly open environments, Cisco 521 Wireless Express Access Points may be installed on the
ceiling to provide users with continuous coverage as they roam throughout a facility. In school buildings and
similar facilities, the access points may be installed on the ceiling of each room and hallway to provide users
with full coverage and high network availability. In areas where a ceiling installation may not be practical,
such as retail hotspots or similar small facilities, the access points can be mounted simply and securely on walls
for complete coverage with minimal installation cost.
Cisco Mobility Express Solution:
A business-grade, affordable
mobility solution for small and medium-sized businesses
with up to 250 employees.
Executive Summary
This document presents the Cisco® Mobility Express Solution, including its
components and how it integrates with the Cisco Smart Business Communications
System. A description of the solution's features and associated benefits will help
readers choose a mobility solution that fits their needs.
Challenge
With the business pace accelerating, small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs)
should now more than ever take advantage of advances in technology to stay competitive
and rapidly navigate market changes. Deploying a wireless network increases customer
responsiveness, as well as collaboration within the company and with business partners;
in other words, it improves a company's business agility.
Figure 1. Mobility for SMBs
The Cisco Mobility Express Solution delivers best-in-class wireless capabilities that
until recently had been reserved for enterprises. The solution is sold at a premium accessible
to SMB customers seeking to gain a competitive edge without having to compromise between price
and sophistication. SMBs now have an alternative to consumer-grade products and can benefit from
the latest enterprise-class services available over Wi-Fi.
The Cisco Mobility Express Solution smoothly integrates with a wired infrastructure. Its Radio
Resource Management feature delivers self-configuration, self-optimization, and self- healing,
minimizing manual management. Businesses can offer wireless guest access and use voice over Wi-Fi
without the need for RF expertise or additional IT resources.
Using Smart Business Communications System management tools, the Cisco Mobility Express Solution
offers a friendly user interface for configuration. As customers upgrade or evolve their networks,
the introduction of new routing, switching, security or unified communications solutions will be
greatly simplified.
Why should you deploy wireless?
Business tools and usage patterns have dramatically changed over the past two decades. Multitask
devices are now common, and offer more memory and processing power to run real-time applications such
as e-mail or instant messaging. Employees, business partners, and customers expect instant answers.
While businesses need to provide services 24/7, they are also expected to offer more flexibility to
their employees when it comes to working hours. In addition, the complexity of tasks requires a broader
set of skills than in the past. Working in teams, sometimes virtual ones, is increasingly necessary.
Mobility solutions help companies to better navigate this complex and fast-moving environment by
empowering users with the right device or application at the right time and at the right place, and by
facilitating collaboration and business interactions. Companies are now considering deploying wireless
technologies as part of their business strategy. Today, more than 50 percent of companies use mobility-enabling
technologies such as WLANs, and the sales of laptops outpaced desktop sales in 2005.
Figure 2 shows the evolution in business tools and usage patterns over the past decades.
Figure 2. Evolution in Business Tools and Usage Patterns
Responsiveness and agility
Unlike large global companies, the competitive advantage of an SMB is often
being local. SMBs can offer unmatched service to their customers or deliver
unique customized products, while collaborating with business partners to better
share each others' competitive advantage.
Delivering such quality is time-consuming and has a high cost. A shift in market
demand or a misalignment with business partners can quickly have significant financial
consequences and can affect customer loyalty. Deploying a wireless network in a business
environment enables the workforce to have real-time access to business-critical information,
such as inventory or e-mail. Access to timely information empowers employees, allowing them
to make faster and better decisions. It also means being more responsive to customers and
turning over more deals in a shorter period of time.
A wireless network also increases business advantages; for example, reducing the cost of
a company's cell phone bills by supporting voice over Wi-Fi, or increasing the satisfaction
and efficiency of business partners or customers visiting your facilities by providing Internet
access without compromising network integrity or requiring IT support.
Retain and attract talent
Studies show that in skilled and semi-skilled jobs, the full cost of replacing a worker is typically
1.5 to 2.5 times the worker's annual salary. Because of company size, SMBs must use their resources-especially
their human resources-in the most efficient way; their employees are the foundation of the company's success.
The new workforce generation is more tech-savvy than the previous generations. They are highly
familiar with wireless access and expect it from their employers. Loyalty from these workers is also
more difficult to gain; offering them the flexibility to work when and where they want is key to their
satisfaction.
Set the stage for new opportunities
Deploying a mobility solution gives SMBs the opportunity to be more proactive developing innovative ways
to serve their customers and create value. For instance, the way of taking or placing orders can be streamlined
to reduce cost, but also to allow employees to spend more time developing new revenues streams, increasing the
customer market base, or recruiting new business partners.
Benefits of the Cisco Mobility Express Solution
Ease of use
The Cisco Mobility Express Solution is easy to deploy, use, and maintain. The friendly interface
offered by the Cisco Configuration Assistant and the automated Radio Resources Management tool
makes it comparable to having an "RF-expert-in-a-box". No additional IT staff or RF expertise is
required. The network configures the access points automatically to avoid interferences or coverage
gaps while maximizing the bandwidth available. If it detects an access point failure or a point of
interference, it will immediately take action tuning the radio power or frequency of surrounding access
points to compensate and maintain business continuity without impacting the devices connected to the
wireless network.
Cost-effectiveness and investment protection
The Cisco Mobility Express Solution is ideal for SMBs that do not want to compromise between sophistication
and price. It offers affordable, business-class features such as security, scalability, and reliability. The
solution also offers the assurance that, unlike consumer-grade products, your wireless network will evolve with
your needs over time, by being capable of adding more mobile applications and benefiting from the latest innovations.
Figure 3 shows the staged approach that the Cisco Mobility Express Solution offers to evolve with the company needs
Figure 3. Staged Approach of the Cisco Mobility Express Solution
Security
Protecting customer information is crucial for SMBs, where reputation and customer retention is
directly associated with future revenues and stable growth. But aligning increasingly stringent
regulations is costly, and noncompliance can sometimes result in the closure of a business. The
Cisco Mobility Express Solution helps SMBs proactively avoid these risks. It supports a wide range
of security architectures by including all the latest Wi-Fi standards and many identity-based
authentication options. The security infrastructure allows for advanced secure guest access, providing
business partners such as customers, contractors, or suppliers with wireless access to the Internet
while safely segregating their traffic from the corporate intranet.
Scalability
Unlike most consumer-grade products, the centralized management of the Cisco Mobility Express Solution
and its self-configuration, self-optimization, and self-healing features allow you to expand your network
in total simplicity and with minimum business disruption. Instead of manually configuring access points one
by one, a simple change in the Cisco Configuration Assistant will update your network policies; adding another
access point is "plug and play".
Reliability
The Cisco Mobility Express Solution delivers reliability through multiple means. Radio Resource Management
optimizes the radio settings of each access point in real time to present maximum bandwidth and coverage of the
entire WLAN. If an access point goes down, a source of interference comes up, or traffic density shifts over the
course of the day, the Cisco Mobility Express Solution re-works the radio plan in real time to compensate. Mobility
Management enables a voice over Wi-Fi call or a wireless connection to be maintained while roaming from one access
point to another, without the need to re-authenticate or re-launch the applications. The network can be designed to
allow a high level of redundancy when needed. Finally, the advanced Cisco testing and validation that the solution has
to comply with is a proven label of quality.
Integration with the Smart Business Communications System
The Cisco Smart Business Communications System is a suite of Cisco products designed for SMBs and managed by a common
user-friendly tool.
Customers that have non-wireless Smart Business Communications System solutions, such as switching, or unified communications,
can quickly and easily add the Cisco Mobility Express Solution to help ensure a complete integration between the wired and
wireless networks.
For customers that start with the Cisco Mobility Express Solution, other elements can be added over time as needed. Using the
same interface reduces the need for IT staff training and helps avoid the time-consuming maintenance of separate wired and
wireless networks.
Solution
Figure 4. The Cisco Mobility Express Solution
The Cisco Mobility Express solution comprises access points, mobility controllers, and a configuration assistant:
- The Cisco Wireless Express Access Point: The access points can be deployed in two modes: standalone or controller-based.
- Standalone mode: Up to 3 access points can be deployed to provide wireless connectivity between the devices and the rest of the network. In this configuration, the access points have to be managed individually through the Cisco Configuration Assistant.
- Controller-based mode: Up to 12 access points (6 per wireless LAN controller) can be deployed and become multifunctional. In addition to offering connectivity, the access points now monitor all wireless activities and report them to the controllers. In this configuration, they can all be managed simultaneously through the Cisco Configuration Assistant.
- The Cisco Wireless Express Mobility Controller: The mobility controller is the "RF expert" of the system. It has a complete view of the wireless network. Based on the information received from the access points, the mobility controller can automatically and dynamically manage the access points to reduce interferences, avoid coverage gaps, and more.
- The Cisco Configuration Assistant: To simplify management, the Cisco Configuration Assistant is used to configure the entire Smart Business Communications System portfolio, including Cisco Wireless Express Mobility Controllers and Access Points.
The Cisco Mobility Express Solution is designed to evolve with customer needs over time. For a cost-effective first
solution, customers can start by deploying access points in standalone mode, and reap the benefits of wireless connectivity.
As their business grows and the need for a larger coverage arises, or as they want simpler management for an optimized radio
network, the controller-based architecture can be deployed. Finally, as wireless becomes an integral part of the business
strategy with mobility services such as voice over Wi-Fi or guest access, an application-based architecture can be implemented
to run more sophisticated mobile applications.
Figure 5 shows the Cisco Mobility Express Solution architectures associated with the different needs of businesses.
Figure 5. Cisco Mobility Express Solution Architectures
Why Cisco?
Cisco is the worldwide leader in networking technologies, with a 20-year track record supporting customers of all
sizes, around the globe. By working with the established industry leader, municipalities and businesses can benefit from:
- More than two decades of experience building large-scale routing and RF networks
- Proven performance, reliability, and security with more than 3 million access points deployed and more than 128,000 customers worldwide
- A broad range of technical experts and engineers who understand the unique requirements of business customers
- Award-winning customer support services that help companies get the most out of their investments and extend the life of their network assets
- Ongoing investments in R&D initiatives
- Sustained value with upgradeable, standards-based solutions
- A phased approach to support the integration of new technologies or respond to new government mandates or regulations
- A global partnership with 200,000 worldwide partners, 4000 specialization badges, and best practices sharing
Cisco 521 Wireless Express Access Point
