September 28, 2006

ARUBA NETWORKS DELIVERS FLEXIBLE LEARNING POSSIBILITIES FOR PUPILS AT LEADING UK INDEPENDENT SCHOOL

Bradfield College in Berkshire Deploys Secure Wireless LAN Throughout Classrooms and Boarding Houses

SUNNYVALE, Calif., September 28, 2006 - Aruba Networks, the Mobile Edge Company, today announced that Bradfield College, one of the country's leading independent schools, has implemented Aruba's wireless LAN (WLAN) technology into the school's classrooms and boarding houses. The introduction of Aruba technology provides some 650 pupils with wireless network access, no longer limiting when and where learning can take place. Many pupils can now enjoy the flexibility of wirelessly accessing the Internet from both classrooms and the comfort of their own private study bedrooms, supporting their daily research and study requirements.

In conjunction with its reseller, Online Network Solutions, Aruba worked with Bradfield College on an initial six-month installation trial, where the College carefully evaluated Aruba's technology as well as offerings from other WLAN vendors. After the trial, Bradfield considered Aruba the only suitable option, chiefly because of its robust security and centralized management system.

"Aruba was the clear choice for us in that it offered the secure and user-friendly centralized mobility network that we needed," said James Nalty, director of ICT at Bradfield College. "As some access points are located up to 20 minutes away from the ICT network data centre, individual management of each AP would be severely time consuming. Thankfully, Aruba's solution is completely centralized and the access points do not require individual management - thus saving us considerable time and effort."

Aruba's mobility system gives pupils secure access to all networked educational material. "The increased efficiency for pupils has been very well received, and for those pupils with full access, they are extremely happy and excited to now have the ability to study in their own private rooms," Nalty continued.

The College has deployed an Aruba 6000 mobility controller together with 50 Aruba controlled access points (APs) to create its secure WLAN. With impending plans to expand the network by increasing the number of APs, the College hopes to provide many more pupils with bedroom Internet access. "We hope to complete our expansion in the next 12 months, increasing the number of access points to 128," Nalty concluded. "That way, many more pupils can get online in many more places and enjoy the benefits of a completely wireless environment."

"We are very pleased to design and integrate the campus-wide wireless network for Bradfield College," said Andrew Deas, managing director of Online Network Solutions. "Our technical team worked closely with ICT staff at Bradfield College to ensure the network provided the required coverage and capacity, as well as the highest security attainable by using a combination of 802.1x and RADIUS authentication to migrate existing students and staff to laptop PCs and PDAs.

"Aruba's world-class solutions ensured the network was delivered in time, on budget and with zero network downtime," continued Deas. "We look forward to continuing to support Bradfield College with the expansion of the wireless network."

"Bradfield College is obviously an innovative institution, at the forefront of new technology implementations within the education sector," said Bob Vickers, UK general manager for Aruba. "Not only will Aruba's centrally managed wireless network increase the efficiency of information access, but it also has the potential to completely transform the way lessons and educational materials are delivered in the future."

About Bradfield College

Set within 200 acres of picturesque Berkshire countryside in Southern England and boasting a commitment to achieving excellence in academic, cultural and sporting pursuits, Bradfield College has grown to be one of the country's leading independent schools. Since becoming a fully coeducational school in 2005, the College now has approximately 500 boys, 120 girls in the Sixth Form and 40 girls in the junior year groups. The College accepts pupils from Britain and overseas and offers places to both boarders and day pupils.

About Online Network Solutions

Online is an independent, privately owned company specialising in the supply, installation, support and maintenance of Communications and Networking Systems. Based in Newbury, Berkshire, Online was formed in 1993 and offers Telecom Solutions, Deployment Services, System Integration and Maintenance. Our portfolio includes; data networks, structured cabling, Wi-Fi, VoIP, LOS links, Broadband DSLAM/MSAN, WiMax, copper & optical installations. We have a "right first time" philosophy, using trained and certified engineers and world class products to achieve performance objectives for our customer's - not only for the immediate requirement but also to protect the investment for the future in the ever changing world of communications.

About Aruba Networks, Inc.

People move. Networks must follow. Aruba securely delivers networks to users, wherever they work or roam. Our mobility solutions enable the Follow-Me Enterprise that moves in lock-step with users:

  • Adaptive 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi networks optimize themselves to ensure that users are always within reach of mission-critical information;
  • Identity-based security assigns access policies to users, enforcing those policies whenever and wherever a network is accessed;
  • Remote networking solutions and fixed mobile convergence ensure uninterrupted access to applications as users move;
  • Multi-vendor network management provides a single point of control while managing both legacy and new wireless networks from Aruba and its competitors.

The cost, convenience, and security benefits of our secure mobility solutions are fundamentally changing how and where we work. Listed on the NASDAQ and Russell 2000® Index, Aruba is based in Sunnyvale, California, and has operations throughout the Americas, Europe, Middle East, and Asia Pacific regions. To learn more, visit Aruba at http://www.arubanetworks.com.

© 2008 Aruba Networks, Inc. AirWave®, Aruba Networks®, Aruba Mobility Management System®, Bluescanner, For Wireless That Works®, Mobile Edge Architecture, People Move. Networks Must Follow., RFProtect, The All Wireless Workplace Is Now Open For Business, Green Island, and The Mobile Edge Company® are trademarks of Aruba Networks, Inc. All rights reserved. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.