Freescale demos industry’s first 802.11ac WLAN platform running application-aware software

USA: At Interop this week, Freescale Semiconductor is re-inforcing its enterprise access point market leadership by demonstrating the first QorIQ P1020 reference platform for 802.11ac that simultaneously delivers “gigabit Wi-Fi” while running application identification software required for security and core network offload in next-generation wireless local area network (WLAN) products.

The turnkey reference platform underscores Freescale’s continued leadership in the wireless access space, which Infonetics projects to grow at 12 percent CAGR through 2017. QorIQ communications processors from Freescale have been selected to power solutions for eight of the top 10 manufacturers of enterprise wireless access point equipment.

A key WLAN growth driver is the bring your own device (BYOD) phenomenon, which requires enterprise and service provider networks to manage known users, as well as network guests who may not have the same privileges to access sensitive content.

These access and quality of service (QoS) challenges, together with the demanding performance requirements of gigabit-rate 802.11ac technology and increasing access issues stemming from the introduction of myriad personal wireless devices into the network, combine to present daunting challenges to WLAN equipment OEMs and network administrators.