Trapeze Invents Location-Based Security

Another (and very interesting) approach to WLAN authentication

Trapeze Networks yesterday announced an interesting innovation in authentication, called RF Firewall, which enhances a feature they've been shipping that does location-based authentication. The new capability allows enterprises to draw a virtual perimeter around a building (or arbitrary portion of a building), locking out those on the outside, and adds support for 802.11n. This is not the same idea that Meru Networks uses in their RF Barrier product, which operates at the physical layer, although Meru does have a similar capability (based on an older version of the same technology Trapeze uses) in their Location Firewall product. Rather, the basic technology is in the RTLS capabilities that Trapeze obtained via their acquisition of RTLS pioneer and leader Newbury Networks in December of 2008.

Trapeze's location-based authentication is implemented via the also-announced-yesterday LA-200E Location Appliance. If you read this post earlier, you may recall that I noted that this solution was not integrated with RADIUS. However, I misunderstood in my conversation with a Trapeze spokesperson that full integration with RADIUS is indeed provided in the current product, with severals levels of integration possible. So - the current offering is in fact a complete location-based authentication solution. And I say invented above because Trapeze in fact has a newly-minted patent on their technique.

Regardless, you gotta love this idea. As I've said for some time, location and tracking as embodied in an RTLS is going to become a standard feature in WLANs going forward, albeit in many cases via an optional appliance as the processing requirements may demand a dedicated engine. There will continue to be arguments over the "right" approach to RTLS, particularly with respect to the underlying technology applied in a given case. I am knee-deep in RTLS for an unrelated project at present, and this question has come up more than once - which approach is the "best"? Wi-Fi? Another radio technology? Signal strength? TDOA? RF fingerprinting? I don't think it's possible to answer this question today, but, as Trapeze's announcement shows, the innovations around horizontal applications of RTLS in the enterprise are arriving, and we're certain to see many more of them over the next few years.

• Wireless / Mobile
• Meru Networks
• RTLS
• Trapeze Networks
• WLAN authentication