HONG KONG, December 20, 2005 - Cisco Systems© announces that St. Francis Xavier's College, a subsidized secondary school in Hong Kong, is employing a Cisco solution for its campus wireless network. Due to the superior WLAN performance, availability, upgradeability and security, the school is enjoying a high level of security and flexibility in managing various wireless devices, enabling an enrichment of teaching and learning experiences with the deployment of the Cisco wireless solution.
The campus wireless network of St. Francis Xavier's College now covers all classrooms, special rooms and teacher rooms, as well as the outdoor and covered playgrounds and the assembly hall of the school. Teaching and learning activities can take place virtually anywhere on the school campus.
The Cisco solution includes the CiscoWorks Wireless LAN Solution Engine Express (WLSE Express), the Cisco Catalyst 2950 series of switches and 26 Cisco Aironet 1100 Series access points. WLSE Express, designed for smaller organizations, provides complete enterprise-class security and control in an integrated solution package. It includes services to localize user authentication and WAN survivability for remote, branch-office types of WLAN deployments.
The Cisco Catalyst 2950 Series Switch is a fixed-configuration, stackable standalone switch that provides wire-speed Fast Ethernet and Gigabit Ethernet connectivity. This switch offers two distinct sets of software features and a range of configurations to allow small, midsize and enterprise branch offices and industrial environments to select the right combination for the network edge.
The Cisco Aironet 1100 Series offers customers an easy-to-install, single-band autonomous access point that features enterprise-class management and high levels of security and scalability. Cisco Aironet 1100 Series access points have an 802.11b radio that may be field-upgraded to 802.11g.
WLSE Express allows all-in-one Aironet wireless LAN management and security, and reduces deployment and operating expenses. In addition, it simplifies the daily operation and management of Cisco Aironet WLANs.
With the capability to detect, locate and mitigate rogue access points and unauthorized ad hoc networks, WLSE Express provides St. Francis Xavier's College with top-level protection against unauthorized access and hacking. St. Francis Xavier's College has been employing Cisco solutions for its campus wireless network since 2003, and is the first local secondary school in Hong Kong to deploy Cisco's WLSE Express solution.
WLSE Express also helps the school to improve WLAN performance and availability in a simple manner. "WLSE Express enables us to detect WLAN interference in the neighborhood, optimize radio coverage and settings, and monitor performance and faults via a user-friendly interface," said Mr. Angus Chan Hin Wah, a teacher and the IT co-ordinator leading the school's wireless project. "It not only provides an increased level of security, but also saves us considerable time in site surveys, access point deployment and system maintenance. We fully expect that the rich features of this Cisco solution will continue to meet our needs over the long run as well."
"A global networking technology leader, Cisco Systems is committed to serving different organizations including educational institutions with the best available solutions," said Mr. Fredy Cheung, Managing Director, Cisco Systems (HK) Limited. "We are delighted to have such an opportunity to work with St. Francis Xavier's College, bringing our robust wireless technology to their staff and students and enriching their experiences in both teaching and learning."
