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Aruba Networks to connect Saphila 2012

Joanne Carew
By Joanne Carew, ITWeb Cape-based contributor.
Johannesburg, 19 Oct 2012

For Matthew Barker, country manager for Aruba Networks in sub-Saharan Africa, wireless is here to stay, and as a sponsor at SAP's Saphila conference, Aruba will showcase the capabilities of its wireless technology at the event.

SAP and Aruba have worked together since 2005, with the software company relying on Aruba to provide mobile access to the SAP workforce. SAP approached Aruba ahead of this year's Saphila event and asked it to get involved, says Barker. "There will be in excess of 1 200 people attending the Saphila conference and we will be providing wireless guest access to all these delegates," he adds.

Aruba will also provide secure wireless access to all SAP staff and will support any stands that require any form of connectivity. Aruba will "own the air at Saphila", says Barker, and in doing so, will ensure that all access is secure for conference delegates.

Through the Aruba network, all attendees at the conference will be able to connect one device, something Barker terms "airtime fairness". "We want to ensure all delegates have equal access and thus we will be carefully monitoring the data flow to each device," he adds.

Aruba has only been active in the South African marketplace for the past two years, and according to Barker, Saphila is an opportunity for the network access solutions company to demonstrate what it can do. Aruba currently provides secure connectivity to everyone from NASA and the military, to local primary schools.

According to Barker, wireless uptake in SA has been massive as more and more businesses move towards a mobile workforce. "Aruba is about mobility. We believe that people move and networks need to follow," says Barker.

"As the second-largest wireless LAN provider in the world, our presence at Saphila is about allowing the SAP team and conference delegates to seamlessly exist outside the office," Barker says, adding that it aims to help customers realise that wireless is the way to go.

As part of its sponsorship of Saphila, Aruba is also giving away a prize of a R100 000 network to one attendee. For more information on Saphila, click here.

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