SUNNYVALE, Calif., Nov. 20 /PRNewswire/ -- Aruba Networks, the Mobile Edge Company, today announced that San Dieguito Union High School District (SDUHSD) has chosen Aruba as the district standard for wireless networking. To date, the district office and three campuses have been deployed, and plans are in place to install Aruba mobility controllers and access points (APs) throughout the six remaining K-12 campuses.

The schools currently deployed are Canyon Crest Academy -- a 224,000 square-foot campus with an estimated 1,300 students, La Costa Canyon High School -- a 232,000 square-foot campus with 2,500 students, and Torrey Pines High School -- a 265,000 square-foot campus with approximately 3,000 students.

Frank Schlueter, SDUHSD's technology supervisor, said during pre- deployment testing of various wireless networking solutions, Aruba proved to be the secure and feature-rich system the district thought it was.

"Aruba had strong features compared to Cisco. The Mobile Edge solution offered more security, better management, ubiquitous service and more features at a significantly lower cost of deployment," he added. "Aruba knew what we needed and was able to cater directly to these needs, which is why we now use Aruba as the standard throughout the district."

Aruba's mobility solution offers SDUHSD several advantages and eliminates configuration and management issues that arose from having different vendors' APs on computer carts. Aruba's solution also provides more flexible mobility for temporary or permanent classroom reconfigurations in various education environments, such as a short-term lab setup. The district also sees the Mobile Edge deployment as a means for attracting new students to the school system, as SDUHSD is one of only two districts within San Diego County to deploy wireless networking.

Schlueter claimed that with the Aruba solution, SDUHSD's wireless network access is now more secure than typical wired access -- a feat due primarily to identity-based access -- which allows the district to assign different access levels based on roles such as guests, students and staff. The Aruba controller's firewall and intrusion detection and protection (IDS/IPS) features are also instrumental in protecting against hackers, who are often registered students within the district.

According to Schlueter, security is just one of the reasons the Aruba solution is a differentiator for schools. "The Aruba mobility controller has many benefits, largely due to its built-in intelligence and its ability to determine where APs are located and dynamically adjust power levels and channel settings. For example, if one AP fails, the surrounding area can then be handled by other APs so teachers and students don't lose connectivity at any time. Essentially, the Aruba controller offers seamless mobility for staff and students alike."

Schlueter said there is excitement around the District over the future applications the Aruba deployment will enable. "Ultimately the Mobile Edge system will cover the entire district, and will facilitate and ease instruction with new capabilities such as teachers taking roll call with PDAs. We are currently piloting a program where a teacher is able to move about the class, marking papers and recording grades wirelessly. This is just one of several new applications which will be enabled after the pilot program. Ultimately these applications will create a superior learning environment."

About Aruba Networks

Aruba Networks is a fast-growing enterprise infrastructure company enabling the Mobile Edge, an evolutionary network architecture that represents a new approach to transitioning enterprise networks from a fixed, port-based architecture to an architecture centered on secure, user-based mobility. The Mobile Edge simultaneously delivers mobile data and VoIP services, as well as a common user experience to mobile workers in the office, at home and on the road, by creating a secure mobility overlay that spans the LAN, the WAN and the Internet. To deliver the Mobile Edge, Aruba manufactures and markets a complete line of fixed and modular mobility controllers, wired and wireless access points, an advanced mobility software suite, and a mobility management system. Privately held and based in Sunnyvale, California, Aruba has operations in the United States, Europe, the Middle East and Asia Pacific, and employs staff around the world. To learn more, visit Aruba at http://www.arubanetworks.com/ .

About San Dieguito Union High School District

One of the finest school districts in California, the San Dieguito Union High School District, or SDUHSD, educates students in the cities of Encinitas, Solana Beach and Del Mar. The district also serves unincorporated neighboring areas such as La Costa, Olivenhain, Rancho Santa Fe, Fairbanks Ranch, and Carmel Valley, all in what is commonly known as San Diego's North County. The district's mission is to develop a community of life-long learners, creative thinkers, and responsible individuals, by providing innovative, quality educational programs in a safe, supportive environment. SDUHSD includes four comprehensive middle schools for grades seven through eight, and four comprehensive high schools for grades nine through twelve. Canyon Crest Academy is one of two schools of choice with a special focus on technology and the visual and performing arts and technology. The district also offers alternative education programs and a strong adult education program.

NOTE: Aruba Networks and Aruba The Mobile Edge Company are trademarks of Aruba Wireless Networks, Inc. All other trademarks or registered trademarks are the property of their respective holders. Portions (C) 2006 Aruba Wireless Networks, Inc. All rights reserved. Specifications are subject to change without notice

CONTACT: Don Reckles of Aruba Networks, Inc., +1-408-329-5108, or
dreckles@arubanetworks.com; or Frank Schlueter of San Dieguito Union High
School District, +1-760-753-6491, or frank.schlueter@sduhsd.net; or
Jay Nichols of Sterling Communications, +1-415-392-2300, or
jnichols@sterlingpr.com, for Aruba

Web site: http://www.arubanetworks.com/