Cisco Cisco 5520 Wireless Controller Libro blanco
Cisco vs Aruba Wireless Controllers
3
DR150602D
Copyright © Miercom 2015
18 June 2015
1 - Executive Summary
Miercom was engaged to perform independent, hands-on, comparative testing of performance and
features of mid-range and high-end Wireless Controllers from Cisco Systems and Aruba Networks.
This report summarizes the results of the Wireless Controller testing in these areas:
features of mid-range and high-end Wireless Controllers from Cisco Systems and Aruba Networks.
This report summarizes the results of the Wireless Controller testing in these areas:
Data plane: The Wireless Controller’s comparative throughput for varying packet sizes
Control plane: The Wireless Controller’s capacity and rate for client authentication
RF (radio frequency) spectrum management: The effect on throughput of channel-bandwidth
selection, and the extent that Cisco's Dynamic Bandwidth Selection (DBS) makes a difference.
selection, and the extent that Cisco's Dynamic Bandwidth Selection (DBS) makes a difference.
Key Findings:
Significantly higher
throughput than Aruba
throughput than Aruba
The Cisco 8540 delivers more than twice as much throughput than the
high-end Aruba 7240 Wireless Controller with small and medium packet
sizes, and with an IMIX real-world mixture of traffic packet sizes.
high-end Aruba 7240 Wireless Controller with small and medium packet
sizes, and with an IMIX real-world mixture of traffic packet sizes.
Cisco uses most of 40
Gbps bandwidth at all
packet sizes
Gbps bandwidth at all
packet sizes
Both the Cisco 8540 and the Aruba 7240 Wireless Controllers support 40
Gbps of network-connectivity bandwidth. However, with small-packet and
IMIX test traffic Aruba effectively uses only about 30 percent, while the
Cisco 8540 can fill most of this bandwidth at all packet sizes.
Gbps of network-connectivity bandwidth. However, with small-packet and
IMIX test traffic Aruba effectively uses only about 30 percent, while the
Cisco 8540 can fill most of this bandwidth at all packet sizes.
Cisco uses most of 20
Gbps bandwidth,
compared to Aruba
Gbps bandwidth,
compared to Aruba
The Cisco 5520 and the Aruba 7210 both support 20 Gbps of network
bandwidth. Cisco can fill 85 to 95 percent of the 20-Gbps bandwidth, while
Aruba achieves less than 25 percent at most packet sizes.
bandwidth. Cisco can fill 85 to 95 percent of the 20-Gbps bandwidth, while
Aruba achieves less than 25 percent at most packet sizes.
Latest Cisco 5520
delivers much faster
client authentication rate
delivers much faster
client authentication rate
Testing found that the latest Cisco 5520 controller can handle 764 WiFi
client authentications (IEEE 802.1X) per second – more than three times the
rate supported by the predecessor Cisco 5508 controller.
client authentications (IEEE 802.1X) per second – more than three times the
rate supported by the predecessor Cisco 5508 controller.
Better TCP throughput
over all channel
bandwidths
over all channel
bandwidths
TCP throughput performance is notably better with Cisco than Aruba for all
channel bandwidths – 50 percent better for 20-MHz channels and 116
percent better for 40-MHz channels. The highest throughput was achieved
with Cisco's Dynamic Bandwidth Selection, which Aruba doesn't support.
channel bandwidths – 50 percent better for 20-MHz channels and 116
percent better for 40-MHz channels. The highest throughput was achieved
with Cisco's Dynamic Bandwidth Selection, which Aruba doesn't support.
Miercom independently verified key performance and feature differences between the Cisco
5520 and 8540 Wireless Controllers, and comparable Wireless Controller models from Aruba
Networks. With better throughput, faster authentication and improved Radio Resource
Management (RRM), we present the Miercom Performance Verified certification to the Cisco
5520 and 8540 Wireless Controllers.
5520 and 8540 Wireless Controllers, and comparable Wireless Controller models from Aruba
Networks. With better throughput, faster authentication and improved Radio Resource
Management (RRM), we present the Miercom Performance Verified certification to the Cisco
5520 and 8540 Wireless Controllers.
Robert Smithers
CEO
CEO
Miercom