Net-Ctrl

Hello all, We hope the start of term has gone smoothly, after what has been for many a rather crazy and demanding summer. I’m sure many of you will have been affected by the shortage of certain IT equipment – we work with both Ruckus (wired/wireless) and Aruba (wired) and have had to manage a lot of equipment delays and shortages that affected us and our clients. Fortunately, with a bit of foresight, we were able to plan early and complete around 95% of our summer installs and projects. We had open discussions with clients about the options available and put plans in place together to deliver. Looking ahead it seems that the stock shortage across many of our partners isn’t going to go away just yet, and there is going to be a hangover where demand has outstripped supply. New shipments are already allocated to existing projects and on some models we’re seeing delays through to next year. The advice we’re giving to all our clients, particularly those looking at wired/wireless refreshes, is to start planning early. We’re already talking to many about plans for next Feb half term and summer in order to design solutions and identify equipment in order to put a reserve on the potential requirement. For any of you that are planning networking projects, or others for that matter, I would advise you to reach out to your partner and begin those discussions as early as you can. If you don’t have a partner in mind and plan either a Ruckus wired/wireless installation, or Aruba wired solution, please send us a PM and we will try to assist. Many thanks, Josh, Net-Ctrl

Hello, This Friday, Net-Ctrl and partners, will be running an event at the British Superbikes Championship at Brands Hatch on Friday 23rd July. Join us to learn about a range of technology in the morning that includes cloud-hosted CCTV, IP-CCTV, VMS and access control solutions from leading manufacturers followed by rider interviews (Danny Buchan and Andrew Irwin) a tour of the pits and viewing of the practice session on the track. Refreshments are provided throughout the day as well as a big lunch prepared by the BMW race team Chef. Please accept our apologies for the delay in being able to promote this event, as you can appreciate we had to wait for the news around the lifting of restrictions to be confirmed, before the event organisers would allow us to confirm the day. Parking is available at the site. We currently have 10 spaces remaining. If you would like to attend - please send me a PM. Agenda:  9am - Arrival & Coffee  9.30am - 11am Product Presentations  11am - 11.15 Synetiq BMW Rider Interviews (Danny Buchan & Andrew Irwin)  11.15 - 12.30 Product Presentations  12.30 - 13.30 Lunch  13.30 - 17.00hrs: Pit Garage tours and trackside viewing of practice sessions Product Overviews include:  Cloudvue  Kantech  Exacq  Illustra

Morning, we can perform a density survey for you. We just need some scaled site plans to begin - we will also need to understand device types across your site, applications to be used, and desired density in each area. We still have some availability for summer - pricing will depend on how many days are required to complete.

To throw another name in, we have a number of edge and core projects planned for summer with the Ruckus ICX portfolio - they have an extensive portfolio comes with a great warranty and priced competitively. If you're open to that as a further consideration, please send me a PM and we can spec up a solution so you have another to compare against.

I think it is worth you considering why you would be looking to upgrade. Are you getting user complaints? If it is down to coverage then it is perhaps better reviewing your current set-up - or - getting a wireless survey conducted on your site so you can confirm your blackspots, and put a plan in place to optimise your existing network. If you're experiencing performance issues - this could also be down to your wifi design and set-up - so again worth reviewing what you currently have. With WiFi 6 there are performance gains to be had - wifi is a shared medium so all users can benefit regardless of their tech. If you have a BYOD scheme I imagine you will already have WIFI 6 devices on your network, by upgrading these devices are served quicker freeing up capacity for those that aren't. If you don't have this in place, future laptop purchase may have WiFi 6 cards. Price wise there doesn't tend to be a lot of difference between WIFI 5 and WiFI 6 - unless you're going back to the first iterations of AC a lot of which will be EOS now - and in most solutions both AP portfolios can work together seamlessly. If you need to add points you may as well go for WiFi 6, if possible, otherwise you would be investing in older technology and place these in your higher density areas where you will get more benefits. That also saves on a full replacement. Speak to your reseller about this and they can advise on your options available for compatibility. Reg. switches most WiFi 6 APs need PoE+ to work at full capacity. Some will work with standard PoE, but you wont get full functionality. With Ruckus for example, in most cases you get lower transmit power and 2nd ethernet port will be disabled. Im sure it is a similar case with other providers but worth confirming. If you don't currently have a reseller, or contact for surveys we can run surveys for you, if you have a Ruckus network we can also help there if at all needed.

Net-Ctrl has recently partnered with Boxphish, a leading provider in the Cyber Awareness market, delivering thousands of phishing simulations and cyber education journeys on a monthly basis. The Boxphish mission is simple, they want to make our clients more cyber aware. They achieve this by identifying risk areas and potential vulnerabilities within your ecosystem and providing a series of impactful training. Why consider Cyber Awareness Training • 68% increase in Phishing on Edu in last 12 months • 30% of Edu sites have been infected with Malware • 83% of all Edu have suffered an attack • Over 90% of CyberAttacks involve Staff Error The solution is designed to improve the online security knowledge of end-users and reduce their level of risk – this is achieved via email threat simulation and ongoing, diverse training on a wide range of topics. All it takes is 5 minutes of your user’s time each month. The solution then builds a profile for each user based on their assessment results and simulation interactions, altering future training material to meet the individual needs. Boxphish main differentiators from other services are their automated approach, meaning they can perform all the above with a hands-off approach, they also provide a powerful reporting tool that provides a detailed overview of user performance. This has proven useful for reporting to Heads, governors etc. Their reporting also tracks performance gains over time so you can see where improvements have been made. Pricing is based on the number of staff - you also get access to student modules that look at staying safe online, social bullying and other topics To further explain the Boxphish solution watch our 3-minute overview video. We are also running 20 minutes 1-on-1 solution demonstrations and Q+A session. If this is of interest please send me a PM with your availability and I will look to book this in for you. If you have any questions - please ask.

There is a slight enhancement to the FW you're using 10.2.1.0.192 -might be worth trying that as well. There is also 10.4 released in December time but I have not heard back from clients using this FW. I can send you a copy of the release notes for both if that would help.

Will do. Pricing is based on staff numbers, students come free. I will send you a PM now.

Hello, we work with a couple of different CCTV suppliers, MOBOTIX and Illustra being the main two we work with. Both are very powerful and flexible solutions - they do come in at a higher price point than the likes of Hik, however we can normally consolidate camera count by using certain camera models that have flexible, or multiple lens options covering larger areas so there can be some savings - you also get access to a series of analytics like people counting, alarm for people in restricted areas etc. If it's of any interest I can ask one of the CCTV engineers to go through the two solutions in more detail and see if they fit in with your plans.

Morning, we have recently partnered with a company called Boxphish who do just that - cybersecurity awareness and phishing simulation. It is all managed for you, so can be hands-off from an admin perspective, with some strong reporting that tracks progress. It requires 5mins of users time PCM and has free student modules. We've been really impressed with it - we're due to start a launch later this week, but we could send some information over to you before. We're also running some 20 min 1 on 1 demos. Alternatively, we have put this short (3 min) overview video together.

Cambium have a good solution - worth testing out in your environment. I'm sure you're aware, but there is a mismatch in AP models you're looking at. The R650 is a WiFi 6 (AX) 3x3:3 AP, whereas the Cambium is a 2x2 WiFi 5 (AC) model. So worth considering lifetime of the products - you would expect 5-8 years on the R650 - less on the Cambium. The nearest equivalent Cambium would be the XV2-2 for reference - less spatial streams, but their other offering is an 8x8 so would be overkill. You could also look at the R550 from Ruckus - still, WiFi 6 but will come in at a cheaper price point. There are rumours of a new low-end Ruckus WiFi 6 AP on the horizon as well so if you're looking at going into primaries, or small secondaries, unless you need this now, might be worth waiting.

Hi Sippo - which Ruckus AP model are you comparing it with? Looking at the E410 it has a concurrency of 256 users - now that would be in an Open WLAN with no encryption etc. Typically, in a real-world deployment, you will get around half that amount and that will be split over both radios. In high media requirements, that figures will approximately half again - so hopefully that approximate model helps a little. It looks pretty comparable to a Ruckus R320 for reference. Whether you need one per room will very much depend on your density, and also your built environment. Different wall materials will affect the signal - best bet is to try and get your hands on a demo unit of both models you're looking at and test it in your environment if at all possible. Ruckus is good at handling signal management down to BeamFlex, and some of their other build in tech. From what we have seen Cambium have a good solution, it fits in that middle ground arena between the likes of Ubiquiti and the enterprise manufacturers. If you're looking to support your trust - the Ruckus SmartZone will offer a great solution with the ability to split deployments for each site, and also delegate management access to perhaps a single site, whereas you may have access to the full estate etc. Im not so familiar with the cnPilot management capabilities across multiple sites. Hopefully the above helps a little though.

If you're open to other options the Ruckus ICX could be worth a look at, even if just something to compare Aruba to. Their range is based on Brocade/Foundry tech - they have a solid warranty (NBD replacement etc) - the ability for central management of the full switch, and if you have it Ruckus wireless portfolio - and prices competitively against the Aruba equivalent models. Your reseller of choice can build and spec your deployment based on what you're looking to achieve as well, or just build a comparison to your Aruba build. If you don't have anyone you can speak to - we can help.

As a general rule of thumb, you want your APs where your users are - so in the classroom rather than corridors. If in corridors, you're wasting your strongest signal in a place of low density. Another consideration is density - whereas you may have signal - you now need to plan for density especially with a new 1:1 scheme. Typically Ubiq installs go with an AP per room which should cover you nicely. You then may need to review your power settings etc to ensure you're not creating too much noise. Good opportunity over the next few weeks to hear where your complaints are coming from and then concentrate in those areas first. I'm sure your users will be let you know of any issues

Hi @maxrebo, whilst we won't be able to give you a guide price on Aruba, are you also open to looking at Ruckus, if you haven't done so already? If so, we can do the relevant surveys and project discussion to determine the best AP model, locations/count and management system and provide the relevant costings. Please send me a PM if it could be of interest.

At this time of year, the Net-Ctrl team are normally mentally and physically preparing ourselves for four days at BETT. We are packing comfy shoes, sources of energy and planning the evening festivities. Today should be the first day on the stand at BETT 2021 with fresh minds and bodies, as it has been for the past eleven years ever since Net-Ctrl rented a corner of the EduGeek stand at our first BETT show in 2010 (perhaps even 2009?). BETT has always been a great opportunity for Net-Ctrl to showcase solutions from our technology partners, to catch-up with existing clients and to meet new ones. These face-to-face opportunities provide a wonderful platform to discuss ideas and concepts, to talk through advances in technology and to answer any questions that arise from the discussion. It also provides you, our client, with an opportunity to meet the person behind the phone, EduGeek handle and email signature. Relationships will always be a key driving force behind commercial engagements and events like BETT provide that opportunity for us to begin to build trust with you. In the current climate, where face-to-face events are a no-go, we are always looking at other ways to engage and to stimulate conversation. With this in mind, we hope, over the coming weeks to be able to announce what is on the agenda from Net-Ctrl and our partners over the coming months. However, as always if you have suggestions on topics you would like covered, please do let me know and I will try to get the best people involved. In the meantime, please know that all of us at Net-Ctrl remain ready and eager to assist you with any projects you may have.

If you would like a Ruckus perspective on it - please let me know. They have the ability of cloud management of switches. They come with NBD replacement on their warranty. They have a wide-ranging portfolio to suit different needs. We are also able to propose an Allied Telesis deployment for an alternative consideration. Both designs would be put forward following a discussion and review of your network and what you're looking at achieving. Both are competitively priced but wouldn't be as cheap as NetGear/Ubiq.

Ive just done a quick check on those AP models you mentioned and both look pretty old - the latest looking like they support up to 11n. So rather than look down the route of controller, upgrade and some APs etc it seems you're going to need to go down the full replacement route. Juniper has since purchased MIST which is their lead wireless portfolio now - and I would expect that wouldn't work with old Trapeze network as well if you were looking down the part replacement route. Ubiquiti is cheap enough that you could consider buying a small deployment playing with it and testing it in your environment to see how it goes before making a decision for a full swap out. If you wanted to look at a Ruckus proposal then we can assist with that if it's of interest. We can run a free predictive model of your site to look at predicted AP count/locations and build a quote based on that. It will be more expensive. You do gain working with a partner that will plan your deployment for you around your requirements and also environment for now and the future. We provide the support/maintenance of the solution as well so from your perspective if you have any issues you have someone to go to.

For anyone that would like to watch the recording you can do so here: https://www.net-ctrl.com/the-changing-threat-landscape-in-education-a-look-beyond-the-immediate-need/

Hello all, I know online events are taking over right now - but this could be a great one! On the 18-19th November Palo Alto will be running their Ignite conference virtually. This is usually an in-person event with a fairly large fee for a ticket. Due to the current events this is being taken online and made FOC for all clients and those that work with Palo Alto Networks. Palo describes the event as: “We believe you should never have to choose between being secure today, or being ready for what comes next. Join visionary leaders, industry experts and global cybersecurity innovators to advance your digital transformation and connect with like-minded individuals around the world at this year’s premier event.” and as an overview will include: • Dig deep on Palo Alto Networks portfolio of best-in-breed products. • Hear from keynote and guest speakers on what’s coming next for our digital world. • Get best practices to accelerate digital transformation with integrated, automated and simple cybersecurity solutions. It's free to register This is a great event for existing and potential Palo clients or just those interested in the security landscape – they always have some great speakers and lots of thought leadership content. They have just announced their special guests, which include: • James Corden - Actor, Writer, and Television Host • Malala Yousefzai - Co-Founder of Malala Fund and Nobel Laureate • Marquez Brownlee - YouTuber and Tech Enthusiast • Dr. Condoleezza Rice - Secretary of State (2005-2009) There's more info on the link above - including full agenda, speakers etc etc. Please note the link above was provided to us by Palo Alto Networks - so does include us as a reference - this doesn't mean anything more than using our referral link - we don't benefit in any way - just in case anyone was curious.

Thank you to everyone for attending the session yesterday - I hope you found it worthwhile. I will post a link to the recording as soon as it's available. For those that attended if you do have any follow-up questions please send me a PM, or email [email protected]. If there are any other topics you would like covered, please do let me know and I will look into running a few more.

We're looking forward to running this session with Fortinet - please note if this time and date is not suitable you can register and you will be sent a recording of the session.

Hi @leegcvcc if you want the lifetime warranty and to review another options the Ruckus ICX switches might be worth considering as a cost exercise. They all come with lifetime warranty and competitively priced against the like of HP. If you would like, send me a PM and we can review the ICX equivalent and a price

Thank you @Dave_O we will be in touch to discuss further shortly.

Thanks @Jawloms - appreciate the mention. @Dave_O we're a top tier Ruckus partner so get access to best discounts, and work UK wide. If you would like to discuss your requirements in more details, please let us know.