Aruba Networks recently announced the public launch of Aruba Labs, which is administered by the Office of Aruba’s Chief Technology Officer (CTO) to promote research on Wi-Fi networks and the all-wireless workplace.

 

The promotion, according to the officials, is done through three separate initiatives: a Developers Program, an Advanced Directed Research Program, and The Green Island Project.

 

Through the Developers Program, Aruba is distributing the open-source software development kits and application programming interfaces created by Aruba Labs. These Windows and Linux-based tools help partners to rapidly prototype new wireless applications and enable developers to add new functionality to Wi-Fi networks. Aruba Labs' Developer's Program is open to all qualifying interested parties.

 

Available by invitation only, the Advanced Directed Research Program invites the direct collaboration of partners with Aruba Labs’ engineers on sponsored research, joint development work, and grant-funded programs related to wireless networking.

 

Aruba Labs’ third initiative is the multi-disciplinary Green Island Project through which the company sponsors research on the economic, environmental, and social ramifications of the all-wireless workplace. This Project is open to all K-12 and higher education institutions that are Aruba customers, and to commercial institutions on a case-by-case basis.

 

"Aruba Labs follows the open source community model with regard to investigating the boundaries of Wi-Fi technology,” said Keerti Melkote (News - Alert), Aruba’s co-founder and CTO who also explained that they are accelerating the pace of research on wireless networks and applications by offering ready-to-use toolkits and a forum for discussing findings.

 

The company cites Gartner Research VP Simon Mingay who believes IT organizations can improve the environmental footprints of their IT infrastructures, and help the enterprise contribute to tackling climate change.

 

Melkote noted that by collaborating with educational institutions and companies, Aruba Labs aims to get a clearer picture of technological and societal consequences resulting from all-wireless workplaces. Their Green Island Projects will find out how energy utilization, public policy, urban planning, and network design will be affected by this change.