Ruckus ZoneDirector 1100

Ruckus ZoneDirector™ 1100 Overview:

“IT Lite” Full-featured Smart Wireless LAN Controller

The Ruckus Wireless ZoneDirector 1100 is Ruckus’ centrally managed Smart Wireless LAN (WLAN) system developed specifically for small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs) and hot zone operators.

With simplicity and ease of use in mind, the Ruckus ZoneDirector 1100 is purpose-built to address the gap between standalone, feature-deficient access points (APs) that must be individually managed and the costly, complex high-end enterprise systems that are overkill for most small business environments.

The Ruckus ZoneDirector is ideal for small businesses that require a robust and secure WLAN that can be easily deployed, centrally managed and automatically tuned. The ZoneDirector 1100 is also perfect for operators who want to offer business class hot spot services such as voice over Wi-Fi, IP-based video, secure enterprise access and tiered Wi-Fi services in venues such as hotels, airports, schools and public buildings.

The ZoneDirector 1100 integrates the Ruckus Smart/OS application engine that delivers advanced features such as smart wireless meshing, high availability, hot spot authentication, elegant guest networking and dynamic Wi-Fi security. The Ruckus ZoneDirector 1100 can be deployed and operated by non-wireless experts and installed quickly and easily. Any organization with limited IT staff and budget can create a robust and secure multimedia WLAN in a matter of minutes.

The Ruckus ZoneDirector easily integrates with network, security and authentication infrastructure already in place and is easily configured through a point-and-click web-based wizard. Ruckus ZoneFlex APs automatically discover and are configured by the ZoneDirector.

Redundant and secure, the Ruckus ZoneDirector provides WLAN-wide network, security, RF and location management within a single, easy-to-use and affordable WLAN system.

Benefits:

Simple to use, simple to manage

Centralized management, quick setup, IT-Lite and automatic, real-time optimization of entire WLAN

IT Lite deployment in 5 minutes or less

A web-based configuration wizard lets any computer user configure an entire WLAN in minutes. Ruckus ZoneFlex APs auto-discover the ZoneDirector. Centralized management and automatic, real-time optimization of entire WLAN.

Advanced WLAN features and functions

Advanced wireless networking features include rogue AP detection, interference detection, band steering, airtime fairness, role-based user policies, rate-limiting, hotspot and guest networking services

Smart Mesh Networking streamlines costly and complex deployment

Integrated Smart Mesh Networking technology automates deployment, eliminates the need to run Ethernet cable to every Smart Wi-Fi access point. Adaptable architecture with Hybrid Mesh extends the wireless network through Ethernet-connected APs, increasing system performance through better spatial reuse.

Automatic user security

Dynamic PSK eliminates the requirement to configure and update individual PC client devices with unique encryption keys. Dynamic VLAN assignment seamlessly extends existing security policies to the WLAN

Easy monitoring and troubleshooting

Customizable dashboard provides comprehensive at-a-glance network snapshot and allows drill down to troubleshoot wireless problems

Distributed forwarding architecture

Maximizes data throughput by sending all data traffi c directly from the access points to the wired network

Flexible deployment options

The ZoneDirector interacts with existing network and security infrastructure and provides dynamic RF management across APs to eliminate AP placement issues

Complete integration

Combines network management, dynamic RF management, location management and AP control within a low-cost solution

Features:

Hardware Features

• Thin 1U rackmountable footprint
• Easy discovery from PC using UPnP
• Manage multiple locations and ZoneDirectors with FlexMaster
• Two 1000 Mbps ports for full redundancy
• Lifetime warranty coverage

Software Features

• Central control and configuration of up to 50 ZoneFlex APs
• Support for 32 WLANs
• Integrated DHCP server
• Easy-to-use setup wizard
• Ultra-intuitive GUI
• 1+1 redundancy with auto synchronization
• Smart Mesh Networking control and monitoring
• Real-time client admission control
• Load balancing
• Customizable dashboard
• Dynamic RF channel and power management
• Quality of service with WLAN prioritization, band steering* and airtime fairness
• Integrated captive portal
• Native ActiveDirectory/RADIUS/LDAP support
• Local authentication database
• Dynamic VLAN assignment
• Guest networking
• Dynamic generation of unique Pre-Shared Keys
• Rogue AP detection and graphical map view
• Aeroscout location services support
• Hot spot authentication using WISPr
• Performance monitoring and statistics
• SNMP v3

Simple to Deploy

The Ruckus ZoneDirector integrates seamlessly with existing switches, firewalls, authentication servers and other network infrastructure. The ZoneDirector can be placed within any Layer 2/3 network. Ruckus ZoneFlex APs (whether wired or mesh APs using Smart Mesh Networking) automatically discover the Ruckus ZoneDirector, self configure and become instantly manageable. Ruckus Smart Redundancy ensures high network availability and is easy to use with automatic synchronization of configuration and authorized users between ZoneDirectors.

Simple to Manage

Once up and running, the ZoneDirector automatically manages the ZoneFlex network of APs — automatically adjusting transmit power levels and RF channel assignments as needed to avoid interference, prevent adjacent APs from interfering and enable redundant coverage in the event of an AP failure. Configuration changes can easily be applied to multiple APs or the entire system simultaneously. A customizable dashboard provides instant access to a variety of client and network information and events, and a real time heat map displays AP locations and signal coverage, as well as your Ruckus Smart Mesh Networking topology.

ZoneDirector Smart WLAN systems integrate a unique performance utility from Ruckus called SpeedFlex™. Ruckus SpeedFlex allows administrators to locally or remotely determine client Wi-Fi performance over the wireless LAN. With SpeedFlex, administrators can now better plan, troubleshoot, monitor and measure WLAN performance, eliminating the need to use Internet-based speed tools that often provide inaccurate results of the local Wi-Fi environment.

The ZoneDirector 1100 provides a detail map view that lets administrators quickly see the Wi-Fi network topology for all ZoneFlex Smart Wi-Fi access points.

Simple to Secure

The ZoneDirector 1100 provides innovative new techniques that simplify and automate Wi-Fi security. In addition to enterprise-class 802.1x support and dynamic VLAN assignment capabilities, the ZoneDirector 1100 supports a patent-pending Dynamic Pre- Shared Key (PSK) capability that streamlines WLAN security.

First-time users plug their computers into the LAN and specify a URL that directs them to a captive web portal for a one-time authentication. After successful authentication, the ZoneDirector automatically configures the client system with the designated SSID and a dynamically-generated encryption key. The key is bound to the client, and can be removed upon expiration when the user or the user’s device is no longer trusted.

The Ruckus ZoneDirector centralizes authentication and authorization decisions for all APs, providing secure admission control across the WLAN. It works with any backend authentication database such as RADIUS and ActiveDirectory/LDAP and also comes with an internal authentication database. Additionally, clients can be dynamically assigned to a VLAN based on their RADIUS attributes.

Avoid Interference, Maximize Performance and Extend Reach with BeamFlex

Ruckus BeamFlex™, a patented Wi-Fi beam-steering technology, ensures predictable performance for multimedia traffic applications and extends range to eliminate Wi-Fi deadspots. With the ZoneDirector, the value of BeamFlex is extended beyond a single access point to the system-wide WLAN and smart wireless meshing.

The ZoneDirector automatically controls the channels assignments and transmit power levels of all ZoneFlex Smart Wi-Fi APs. And with BeamFlex, the ZoneFlex system continuously picks the best path for every packet, to both clients outside the network and mesh APs inside the network, automatically avoiding interference to guarantee the highest quality of service.

Smart Mesh Networking Increases Flexibility, Reduces Costs

Ruckus Smart Mesh Networking enables self-organizing and selfhealing WLAN deployment. It eliminates the need to run Ethernet cables to every AP, allowing administrators to simply plug in ZoneFlex APs to any power source and walk away. All configuration and management is delivered through the ZoneDirector Smart WLAN controller. APs can also be daisy-chained to mesh APs to extend the mesh and take advantage of spatial reuse. Smart meshing uses patented Smart Wi-Fi technology to extend range and control Wi-Fi signals to minimize inter-nodal hops that degrade performance and automatically adapt Wi-Fi connections between nodes to maintain ultra high reliability.

SpeedFlex™ is a unique wireless performance test tool integrated within the ZoneFlex™ family of centralized controllers that measures the Wi-Fi throughput of associated wireless LAN clients.

Deployment:

The ZoneDirector 1100 can be deployed anywhere within a Layer 2/3 network. All ZoneFlex APs automatically discover the ZoneDirector and are automatically provisioned.

Specifications:

Product Comparision:

Model:	ZD 1100	ZD 3000
Enterprise WLAN and Hot Zones
Number of APs supported	6,12,25,50	25,50,100,250,500
Physical size	25cm(L), 15.93cm(W), 3.86cm(H)	35.52cm(L), 43.18cm(W), 4.39cm(H) 1U rack
Ethernet ports	2 ports, auto MDX, auto-sensing, 10/100/1000 Mbps, RJ-45	2 ports, auto MDX, auto-sensing, 10/100/1000 Mbps, RJ-45
Authentication support	802.1X, Local database ActiveDirectory, RADIUS, LDAP	802.1X, Local database ActiveDirectory, RADIUS, LDAP
Guest networking/Captive portal
DHCP
AP Discovery and control	L2/L3	L2/L3
SSID/WLAN support	32	32
Remote management	Web GUI, FlexMaster	Web GUI, FlexMaster
Management protocol(s)	SNMP	SNMP
VLAN support	802.1Q (per BSSID)	802.1Q (per BSSID)
Deployment	Out of datapath	Out of datapath

Documentation:

Download the Ruckus ZoneDirector 1100 Datasheet (PDF).