| Device Profile: Sputnik Server 1100 |
(Jan. 20, 2006)
 A company specializing in carrier-class WiFi network management software is shipping an appliance version of its flagship product. The Sputnik Server 1100 offers a way for wireless service providers, carriers, and businesses to buy Sputnik Control Center software pre-installed on a standard Intel-based server appliance.
The Server 1100 is a 1U appliance based on a FlexATA motherboard
 Sputnik was among the first companies to market "carrier-class" access points based on embedded Linux. It shipped its original Sputnik 120 access point (pictured at right) in October of 2003, followed by 160 and 220 models within a year.
 Sputnik later began offering free Linux firmware distributions called Sputnik Agents for popular wireless access points, including the ubiquitous Linksys WRT54G (pictured at left). The Agent firmware lets commodity access points be controlled by Sputnik's Control Center software.
Sputnik's Control Center software first became available as a Linux application, and later, as a hosted service. Now, the product is available as part of a standalone appliance product capable of managing up to 100 access points, or about 5,000 simultaneous users.
What's under the hood?
The Sputnik Server 1100 is based on a standard 1U rackmount server appliance powered by a 2.4GHz Intel Celeron processor. It comes standard with 1GB of RAM, and an 80GB hard drive. I/O ports include a pair of 10/100 Ethernet ports, and a pair of USB ports.
Software
The Server 1100 is based on a "white box enterprise Linux" implementation that Sputnik put together in-house, according to CEO David LaDuke. Long-time Linux followers may remember LaDuke as the resourceful co-leader of Linuxcare, an idealistic late 90s startup that employed many open source leaders, including PHP creator Rasmus Lehrdorf and Samba creator Andrew Tridgell. LaDuke left Linuxcare in the early part of the new millennium, and the company subsequently evolved into Levanta, which also sells Linux devices.
According to LaDuke, the Server 1100 has no display environment of its own, but rather serves as a platform for the secure web browser based interface included with the Control Center software. "WiFi service providers use [the interface] to remotely configure APs, create custom captive portal pages, track usage by AP and end-user, set network policies, and bill for usage," LaDuke said.
The Control Center software is available with a variety of "business software modules" that enable service providers to charge credit cards or PayPal accounts, utilize pre-paid cards, or plug into existing RADIUS or Microsoft Active Directory single sign-on systems, LaDuke says.
Why Linux, and where's Linux going on APs, anyway?
According to LaDuke, Sputnik chose Linux for a variety of reasons. "Linux, and other open-source software components, enable us to deliver incredible power and flexibility at an affordable price. It is part of our mission as a business to integrate best-of-breed open-source software components, making them easy to use and manageable for customers."
According to LaDuke, the biggest challenge facing Sputnik as a company is the creation of the Linux-based firmware required to allow commodity access points to work with Control Center software. "The initial challenge of getting the Sputnik Agent onto APs running embedded Linux is to get ahold of the core firmware source code, and the tools required to compile and build that firmware. When that code is available as open source software, it's a huge advantage for us. We've had to pass on integration with some good hardware, only because the license fees for the development tools were so steep," he noted.
LaDuke expects Linux to continue gaining a greater share of the access point market, however, despite Linksys's recent decision to switch the WRT54G to VxWorks. He said, "As Moore's law continues to compound, it is only a matter of time before the economic logic begins to work in Linux's favor. When you add to this the healthy ecosystem of software innovation around Linux, the argument for using embedded Linux in devices of this type becomes unassailable."
LaDuke adds, "We believe that inexpensive Linux-based wireless access points/routers will be commonly used in demanding carrier-class and enterprise-class networks. It is our goal to make this possible by providing software and services that make it easy to manage distributed networks of Linux-based Internet edge devices."
Availability
The Sputnik Server 1100 is available now, priced at $2,699, including 10 access point licenses (upgradable to 100), and one business software module for (pick one) Aria, PayPal/Credit Card, Pre-Paid, or RADIUS. Sputnik also offers remote system management services, as well as high-availability hosting of Server 1100 systems.
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