Hi Rechly... great question. I will provide my thoughts below. Please let me know if this helps:
Extreme Networks realizes that every network, today, requires mobility for end-users (employees, customers, guests, ect). Mobility, often in the form of Wi-Fi, has three distinct stages while a given user is on your network. In all three stages, security is required - and application analytics can be leveraged to provide greater visibility and insight.
For this very reason we are offering a solution package that incorporates everything a customer requires for a secure, modern and intelligent network. Anything less would be a compromise.
Digging into those three stages:
#1 - Initiated Connection - in this stage the user is connecting their device to the network. We implement security measures to onboard their device, assure the device posture and authorize their user identity. Extreme offers security for this stage through our Mobile IAM solution included in the solution bundle.
#2 - Connected - in this stage, once a user/device associates to a network, we implement and enforce a security policy for their given session. This permits the user to connect to certain services and denies others. The policy is enforced directly at the access point, or switch port (if connected on the wired network) and is based on the context of each individual user (who they are, where they are, what device they have, and what application they are using). Extreme offers security for this stage through our IdentiFi mobility appliance, and our Netsight management suite.
#3 - Continuous Monitoring - In this stage we recommend continuous monitoring of the network for threats. One aspect of security monitoring is included with our Radar Wireless IPS solution that monitors and protects the 802.11wireless (RF) medium - Radar features are equipped in IdentiFi Access Points. In addition, we utilize our Purview application analytics engine to monitor and detect malicious applications and reveal shadow IT as traffic traverses the wired and wireless network.
As you can see, our solution bundle is a complete offering giving customers everything they require without compromise - Secure mobility, and analytics for their private cloud.
Of course, Purview's application analytics can be leveraged for more than just security monitoring. It is often leveraged for better network management and troubleshooting as you can easily answer the question - is it the network or is it the application? when a user reports problems. Finally, the insights that Purview provides gives customers unprecedented ability to deliver intelligence back to their business - in this sense, Purview helps turn the network into a strategic business asset offering real return on investment leading to better business outcomes.
Hopefully you can see why Extreme Networks has packaged all of these technologies into a single, easy to buy bundle for our customers. We believe all the technology is required, and want to make it an easy decision for every customer to choose Extreme Networks!