Heh cisco never allowed me to pull one open cuz that violates the "warranty". I have seen the innards of a cracked AP125 though. The cisco aps are solidly constructed from what can be told on the outside. And they do seem a lot less likely to suffer from physical damage. The point I was trying to make was that internal chipset temperature cannot be determined by external enclosure (hot to the touch) temperature.
Yes, I agree that all things should be considered when making selections, but caution has to be exercised when extrapolating hardware performance from surface examination. Lots of devices rely on convection cooling in harsh environments. And in most cases a hot enclosure means the device is properly wicking heat away from the chipset. If both the enclosure and chipset run consistantly hot the there should be concern. I just don't like the "this one feels hefty so it must be more reliable" line of reasoning. I would rather see test numbers and chipset operating temperature/etc. I make no claims that one AP is definitively better than the other in that regard as I don't have any of that test info. --- Justin Hao j...@austin.utexas.edu University of Texas ITS - Networking On Apr 12, 2010, at 4:04 PM, "Jeffrey Sessler" <j...@scrippscollege.edu> wrote: > Justin, > > No heat-related rumors started at all. The point here was that the > construction of APs differ from vendor to vendor. We pulled apart > every > AP we got, and when it came to which would likely be more durable over > the long haul, the Cisco devices won. Others may come to a different > decision, and that's why careful evaluation is important. Have you > pulled apart a Cisco 1142 and a Aruba AP? If not, I highly recommend > it. > > > Since I've had the AP's apart, it's my opinion that the Cisco is > better > built. If I deployed one of each (Aruba and Cisco) in a demanding > location, say a moist/lint filled laundry area in a residential area, > I'd bet on the Cisco's ventless design every time. > > Jeff > >>>> "Hao, Justin C" <j...@austin.utexas.edu> 4/11/2010 8:14 PM >>> > Uhm, last I checked we have a box of broken 1142s. Everyone's APs > fail. But rumors of heat related failure versus actual failure rate > are just that. Rumors. I could easily start rumors regarding the > "auto" radio reset and failure rate of some 1142 APs. > > --- > Justin Hao > j...@austin.utexas.edu > University of Texas > ITS - Networking > > On Apr 11, 2010, at 8:24 PM, "Jeffrey Sessler" > <j...@scrippscollege.edu> wrote: > >> Lifetime warranty is great, but it still costs time/money to have an > >> IT >> staff member mount/dismount the AP and send it back for replacement. > >> All >> things being equal, I'd rather mount the AP once, and the next time > I >> visit it will be when it is life-cycled and replaced with the latest >> standard. >> >> Jeff >> >>>>> Todd Lane <t...@email.unc.edu> 4/11/2010 5:46 PM >>> >> We don't worry about our Aruba APs. They're covered by a lifetime >> warranty unlike the Cisco APs we were buying. >> >> Aruba Lifetime Warranty* >> The following Aruba indoor enterprise-grade wireless access points > are >> >> covered by Aruba’s Lifetime Warranty if purchased after May 21, >> 2009: >> ● AP-60 >> ● AP-61 >> ● AP-65 >> ● AP-65WB >> ● AP-70 >> ● AP-105 >> ● AP-120 >> ● AP-120abg >> ● AP-121 >> ● AP-121abg >> ● AP-124 >> ● AP-124abg >> ● AP-125 >> ● AP-125abg >> ● RAP-5 >> ● RAP-5WN >> * Aruba Lifetime Warranty coverage remains in place for as long as > you >> >> own the product, up to five years following Aruba announcement of >> end-of-sale of that product. >> >> >> Todd Lane >> University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill >> >> >> On 4/11/2010 6:31 PM, Jeffrey Sessler wrote: >>> Ethan, >>> >>> Where I would suggest spending some evaluation time is on the AP >>> construction. Having had time to evaluate both the Aruba and Cisco >> AP's, >>> there were doubts as to the Aruba's life-span when placed in our >>> residential halls. The design (this was their 802.11n product), >> relied >>> on venting and convection cooling, and it was unknown what would >> happen >>> as dust-bunnies and other obstructions settled on those vents. Even >> in >>> our "lab" the Aruba AP got hot, so much so that the metal shield on >> the >>> ethernet connector was uncomfortable to the touch. The Cisco AP's > on >> the >>> other hand were 100% sealed, stayed cool, and the large aluminum >> casing >>> is the heat sink. Between the two, it was felt the Cisco would be >>> maintenance free while the Aruba might require attention (dusting >> off) >>> from time to time. Point being, as you look at Aruba, HP, Meru, > etc. >>> make sure to keep the AP's design and planned deployment locations >> in >>> mind. >>> >>> Jeff >>> >>> >>>>>> Ethan Sommer<somm...@gac.edu> 4/2/2010 6:25 PM>>> >>>>>> >>> As I said in another post we selected our "finalists" based on what >>> others colleges seem happy with (which by a wide margin seems to be >>> mostly cisco, aruba, and meru) and HP because we already have a HP >>> infrastructure. >>> >>> My assumption is that all of you are smart and there is a reason > you >>> all >>> chose to go with those products. >>> >>> We are on a tight budget, so based on initial pricing we eliminated >>> Cisco and Meru who seemed to be the most expensive (plus we don't >> like >>> >>> cisco for a number of other reasons). >>> >>> (As an aside, after posting here meru contacted me _and my boss_, >> which >>> >>> I believe is not allowed under this list's rules. In any case, I >> told >>> them if they could provide a quote for a 200 dual radio complete >> system >>> >>> in the same ballpark as the other systems we're looking at, then >> we'll >>> >>> talk.) >>> >>> Our next steps are >>> * To get quotes >>> * And bring in the systems to do test runs in real life conditions. >>> (We're going to try each out in one of the dorms and the library, >> each >>> >>> of which currently have 10 APs.) >>> >>> If we aren't in love with any of those systems, we'll widen our >>> search. >>> >>> We have very limited resources, so if one comes in much cheaper > than >>> the >>> others the question will be "is that system good enough for us." >>> Otherwise we'll pick the system that we think will work best for > us. >>> >>> Based on talking with schools running Aruba and Meraki, I think >> either >>> >>> would be a great move forward for us. I've yet to hear of a school >> who >>> >>> chose either and regretted it. >>> >>> Ethan >>> >>> >>> >>> Mike Hydra wrote: >>> >>>> What I personally find interesting is the wide choice not from a >>>> manufacturing point of view but more from a Wi-Fi technology point >> of >>>> >>> >>>> view. >>>> >>>> Aruba – Controller based (aka controller based) >>>> All data goes through the controller, centralized architecture. >>>> >>>> HP – decentralized (Controller in not directly essential) >>>> Data path is separated from the management path. >>>> >>>> Meraki – Cloud computing >>>> Centralized Cloud, not having to own controller hardware inside >> your >>>> >>> >>>> own network. >>>> >>>> All three very different solutions. >>>> >>>> I’m looking forward to follow this email threat with the >> comments, >>>> >>> >>>> thanks for sharing. >>>> I would recommend writing down a proof of concept and invite the >>>> vendors of your choice. >>>> In this way you’ve tested your requirement (out of your proof on >>>> concept) therefore convinced around the solution you buy is the >> right >>>> >>> one. >>> >>>> Good luck... >>>> >>>> >>>> Mike Hydra >>>> >>>> Cell: +31 6 29 07 18 96 >>>> Tel: +31 252 62 61 20 >>>> Fax: +31 252 68 88 37 >>>> E-mail: mhy...@2fast4wireless.com >>>> Skype: Flying-Wireless-Dutchman >>>> Web: www.2fast4wireless.com >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>> >> --- >> > --------------------------------------------------------------------- >>> >>>> *From: *Peter P Morrissey<ppmor...@syr.edu> >>>> *Reply-To: *The EDUCAUSE Wireless Issues Constituent Group > Listserv >>>> <WIRELESS-LAN@LISTSERV.EDUCAUSE.EDU> >>>> *Date: *Fri, 2 Apr 2010 22:47:26 +0200 >>>> *To: *<WIRELESS-LAN@LISTSERV.EDUCAUSE.EDU> >>>> *Subject: *Re: Aruba vs HP vs Meraki >>>> >>>> OK, so I'll ask. Why did you eliminate Cisco already? >>>> Pete M. >>>> >>>> -----Original Message----- >>>> From: The EDUCAUSE Wireless Issues Constituent Group Listserv >>>> [mailto:wireless-...@listserv.educause.edu] On Behalf Of Ethan >>>> >>> Sommer >>> >>>> Sent: Friday, April 02, 2010 2:21 PM >>>> To: WIRELESS-LAN@LISTSERV.EDUCAUSE.EDU >>>> Subject: [WIRELESS-LAN] Aruba vs HP vs Meraki >>>> >>>> We are considering replacing our 200+ AP wireless infrastructure >> with >>>> >>> a >>> >>>> controller based 802.11n system. >>>> >>>> I believe we have narrowed it down to Aruba, HP Procurve (we use > HP >>>> switch gear), and Meraki. >>>> >>>> I have two questions: >>>> >>>> 1. Are there any hidden costs we should watch out for with any of >>>> >>> these >>> >>>> (particularly Aruba.) Will we hit major costs other than the up >>>> >>> front >>> >>>> cost for the APs and the controllers? >>>> >>>> 2. I know a lot of schools are very happily using Aruba, but I >>>> >>> haven't >>> >>>> heard of any schools using HP and very few using Meraki. >>>> >>>> Are there any schools who have gone with Aruba and regretted it? > If >>>> so, why? >>>> >>>> Are there any schools out there using HP Procurve (formerly >>>> >>> Colubrius) >>> >>>> or Merkai? What do you think of them? Did you have any surprises >>>> >>> after >>> >>>> you deployed? >>>> >>>> >>>> Ethan >>>> >>>> -- >>>> Ethan Sommer >>>> Associate Director of Core Services >>>> 507-933-7042 >>>> somm...@gustavus.edu >>>> >>>> ********** >>>> Participation and subscription information for this EDUCAUSE >>>> Constituent Group discussion list can be found at >>>> http://www.educause.edu/groups/. >>>> >>>> ********** >>>> Participation and subscription information for this EDUCAUSE >>>> Constituent Group discussion list can be found at >>>> http://www.educause.edu/groups/. >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>> >> --- >> > --------------------------------------------------------------------- >>> >>>> The information in this e-mail is confidential and may be legally >>>> privileged. If you have received this e-mail in error, please > reply >>>> >>> to >>> >>>> its sender indicating "received in error" in the subject line, > then >>>> delete the e-mail and destroy any copies of it. If you are not its >>>> intended recipient, any disclosure, copying, distribution or any >>>> action taken or omitted to be taken in reliance on this e-mail, is >>>> prohibited and may be unlawful. Internet communications are not >>>> considered secure. Information might be intercepted, amended, > lost, >>>> destroyed, arrive late or incomplete, or might contain viruses. 2 >>>> >>> Fast >>> >>>> 4 Wireless and/or 2 Fast 4 Wireless Corporation (USA) will not >> accept >>>> >>> >>>> any liability with respect to the contents of this email and its >>>> attachments. >>>> ********** Participation and subscription information for this >>>> EDUCAUSE Constituent Group discussion list can be found at >>>> http://www.educause.edu/groups/. >>>> >>>> >>> >>> >> >> ********** >> Participation and subscription information for this EDUCAUSE >> Constituent Group discussion list can be found at >> http://www.educause.edu/groups/. >> >> ********** >> Participation and subscription information for this EDUCAUSE >> Constituent Group discussion list can be found at > http://www.educause.edu/groups/ >> . > > ********** > Participation and subscription information for this EDUCAUSE > Constituent Group discussion list can be found at > http://www.educause.edu/groups/ > .
