7signal Releases WiFi Quality Assurance System

7signal, a developer of wireless quality measurement and monitoring solutions, has launched the 7signal Sapphire Wireless Quality Assurance (WQA) system. Sapphire is the first system to continuously monitor and measure Wi-Fi network and end-user application quality.

"For companies that use Wi-Fi networks for mission-critical applications in industries such as logistics, warehousing, manufacturing and retail, a reliable WLAN is indispensable," comments Veli-Pekka Ketonen, CEO, 7signal

Being neutral to the equipment used in Wi-Fi networks and requiring no end user agents, Sapphire may be deployed to existing or new networks. Operating 24/7, the Sapphire solution alerts immediately about service degradation and interference even before they become an issue for the end user.

Sapphire operates independently from the monitored network, providing continuous, neutral information on network condition and performance. Sapphire also carries out automatic performance measurements on each monitored access point in the wireless network and enables continuous, centralized network surveillance even for large and geographically distributed networks.

Information about network quality and service level includes connectivity, QoS and QoE indicators that provide clear metrics of service availability and air interface characteristics all the way to the end-user experience. This new capability enables wider use of WLAN solutions in commercial environments, reducing the risk for wireless business critical operations.

Sapphire enables service level agreements (SLA) to be implemented in Wi-Fi networks with pre-defined Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). With Sapphire, wireless networks can be built to meet the needs of end-users and not only to comply with security and regulatory requirements. This ensures seamless integration of wireless networks into overall IT services.