By Naomi Graychase

January 09, 2008

In response to customer demand for multi-vendor management solutions, Aruba announced today that it will acquire AirWave Wireless.

Aruba Networks announced today that it will acquire AirWave Wireless.

San Mateo, California-based AirWave, is best known for its specialized tools for managing large, multi-vendor wireless LAN, mesh, and WiMAX networks. Its existing client base of more than 400 companies, schools, and organizations, includes Wendy’s, MIT, Yale University, Denver International Airport, and Loyola Marymount University.

AirWave will operate as a business unit of Aruba.According to Dominic Orr, President and CEO of Aruba Networks, the move came as the result of customer demand for better multi-vendor managment solutions.

“We are very excited today to announce that we have entered into an agreement to acquire Airwave Wireless, a clear leader in the management of multi-vendor wired and wireless LAN,” said Orr. “I—and most of our customers—believe that Airwave is simply the best solution for managing multi-vendor networks. Aruba’s Mobility Management System (MMS) was designed to manage Aruba’s wireless system. What customers and prospects are requesting is true multi-vendor support…It is in the context of addressing market demand that Aruba is choosing to acquire Airwave…Airwave’s solution…supports more than a dozen suppliers.”

According to Orr, Aruba will continue to sell its own solution, but will also offer customers Airwave’s solutions as well.

“Aruba will continue selling and supporting MMS for customers interested in an Aruba-only management system, while offering the full range of Airwave products for all other applications,” said Orr. “Later this year, we anticipate releasing a new product that merges the features of MMS and Airwave’s solution, at which point MMS customers will no longer need to choose between a single vendor versus a multi-vendor management tool.”

Under the terms of the agreement, Aruba will acquire AirWave in exchange for total consideration of $37 million in stock and cash. The acquisition is expected to close in the third quarter of Aruba’s 2008 fiscal year and is subject to standard closing conditions. 

For more on AirWave and Aruba, read these Wi-FiPlanet stories:

Big WLAN on Campus

Aruba: Successful IPO So Far

Safety Net: Aruba Promotes Video Surveillance over Wi-Fi

Motorola Takes On Aruba

Wendy’s Goes Wi-Fi

Naomi Graychase is Managing Editor of Wi-FiPlanet.