Cancer Research Facility in Cambridge Deploys Ruckus Smart Wi-Fi

Ruckus ZoneFlex 802.11n Wireless LAN Covers Hutchinson/MRC Research Centre

LONDON, ENGLAND, November 17, 2008 – Ruckus Wireless™, a Wi-Fi technology pioneer in the wireless LAN (WLAN) market, today announced that the Hutchison/MRC Research Centre in Cambridge, a state of the art cancer research facility, has standardized on the Ruckus ZoneFlex™ 802.11n Smart Wireless LAN system which is capable of delivering three to four times the performance and reliability over conventional Wi-Fi technology – at a fraction of the cost.

The new wireless LAN (WLAN) provides complete coverage throughout the organization’s four-storey building. The deployment was carried out by Ruckus partner, internet connectivity and wireless security reseller, Net-Ctrl.

Hutchison/MRC Research Centre is based in a purpose-built building located on the same site as Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge. The building already had wired Ethernet but this was limited in its reach, and staff and visitors to the facility had also begun to request and expect Wi-Fi access. As a result, Hutchison’s IT department consulted with Net-Ctrl.

Following an initial site survey, Net-Ctrl advised Hutchison/MRC that it would actually be quite simple to install a WLAN that would cover the whole building, including all labs, computer rooms and meeting rooms. However, the main challenge was that the building is entirely made up of structural walls – so as to eliminate any vibrations which could have a detrimental effect on microscope work in the labs.

Given these considerations, Net-Ctrl recommended the Ruckus Wireless ZoneFlex system. Taking advantage of Ruckus’ Smart Wi-Fi and meshing technology, it represents the next generation of 802.11 innovation that combines technical advances in RF signal routing and adaptive antenna arrays with centralized WLAN management. The combination of these technologies provides Hutchison/MRC with a centrally-controlled Wi-Fi environment that delivers more reliable Wi-Fi signals that can automatically adapt to environmental changes and structural obstructions to support even the most delay-sensitive applications, all the while delivering consistent performance throughout the entire building.

In addition, the Ruckus ZoneFlex solution is able to provide reliable Wi-Fi coverage in Hutchison’s research cold rooms (where research samples are stored and analyzed) – areas that are traditionally difficult to reach with Wi-Fi signals and which had previously not been connected to the centre’s network due to the impossibility of running an Ethernet cabling connection to them.

“The Ruckus system really has exceeded our expectations,” said Neil McKnight, IT technician at Hutchison/MRC Research Centre. “We were initially after a wireless network that would provide our users with general day-to-day internet and server access – but, with the ZoneFlex system, researchers in our labs and cold rooms now have wireless access to the network and as a result can log their findings directly onto the central server. This greatly simplifies their tasks and increases productivity. Since we rolled out the solution in mid-September, we’ve had only the most positive feedback from our staff.”

Hutchison/MRC Research Centre purchased Ruckus 802.11n ZoneFlex access points (APs) and a ZoneDirector Smart WLAN controller. The decision to go with 802.11n rather than b/g will enable the research facility to easily support voice over Wi-Fi should they decide to deploy this in the future. The organization has been using VoIP wired phones since July.

“We come across many organizations like Hutchison/MRC Research Centre that just want a very basic level of Wi-Fi access, and it’s great business for us to be able to offer them a far superior package without exceeding their budgets,” said Mark Power, wireless security specialist at Net-Ctrl. “The Ruckus solution really does fill a market gap, as we’re now able to meet the needs of organizations like Hutchison and to provide reliable and robust coverage and a solution that is simple to install and use.”

“The deployment at Hutchison/MRC really underlines our key strength – being able to send Wi-Fi signals anywhere they’re needed,” said Jim Calderbank, director of enterprise sales EMEA at Ruckus Wireless. “Getting through structural walls and cold rooms is quite a feat, and the overwhelmingly positive staff response to the new system speaks volumes.”

http://www.ruckuswireless.com/press/releases/20081117-hutchison