* Results of resiliency tests on Xirrus WLAN array
The Tolly Group recently tested the Xirrus XS-3900-16 Wi-Fi array for its resiliency and verified that the array does provide for failover in a range of failure situations.
As usual with Tolly, the vendor – in this case, Xirrus – commissioned the tests, because it wanted to prove that its equipment can be trusted to maintain uninterrupted operations. Xirrus’ arrays combine the functionality of a wireless LAN switch with integrated access points, Tolly says.
Tolly evaluated the Wireless Distribution System feature of the arrays, to see how they would perform when links broke. If you have two or more arrays, they can establish a wireless link – and if that link breaks, the arrays are able to use IEEE 802.1D, Spanning Tree Protocol, to re-establish a data path through other means. If a wired connection fails, the devices can use Spanning Tree Protocol to route traffic through the link between the wireless arrays. Tolly says the devices were able to do that within 30 seconds, resuming a file transfer within the time limits of the standard.
Tolly also verified the radio-failover capabilities. The XS-3900 has 15 integrated access points, so the radios are able to fail over to another integrated access point and migrate wireless users to the new access point.
As an added bonus, Tolly verified that the devices will fail over their wired Gigabit Ethernet ports. So if a link fails on one port, traffic can automatically re-route to other port.
Details of the report, including network diagrams, can be found here.
