Motorola continues to expand its footprint in the enterprise mobility space with the acquisition of wireless intrusion detection/prevention firm AirDefense. Motorola is already an AirDefense technology partner, so the acquisition is apparently the next step in that relationship. The acquisition comes on the heels of a major reorganization in Motorola that was reported in the Wall Street Journal yesterday.

While Motorola is more often recognized for their cellular, WiMAX, and cable TV products, they are a major player in the wireless LAN market. With their acquisition of Symbol Technologies in September 2006, they added a full line of wireless LAN products along with Symbol’s mobile computer products. Motorola had previously grabbed wireless design firm Wireless Valley, so with AirDefense they now have most of their WLAN bases covered.

Enterprise organizations have come to realize that wireless intrusion detection/prevention systems are essential for detecting wireless attacks and for ensuring that their policies regarding wireless networks are being followed. Initially, these systems involved installing a set of wireless monitors linked to a controller that could sense unauthorized WLANs in a facility. As time went on, those capabilities were incorporated in WLAN switching systems. The business model for WIDS/WIPS suppliers has changed, and increasingly the WIDS/WIPS suppliers have partnered with WLAN switch manufacturers who have integrated that technology in their WLAN switches.

Motorola’s acquisition will likely have an impact on some of those alliances. WLAN switch vendor Trapeze Networks (recently acquired by Belden) is listed as a technology partner for both AirDefense and their competitor AirWave. Given businesses’ general aversion to “aiding and abetting the enemy”, we can expect that Trapeze will move closer to AirWave as a result. Cisco announced an enhancement to their WIDS/WIPS capability as part of their Cisco Motion announcement in May of this year. 

Conclusion- The Missing Piece

As it continues the planned spin-off of its troubled handset division, Motorola is solidifying its presence in the WLAN space. With a wireless LAN switch, an intrusion detection/prevention solution, wireless design tools, mobile computers and VoWLAN and dual mode WLAN/cellular handsets, the major piece Motorola is missing is wireless location. There are only a few players in that market, primarily AeroScout, Ekahau, and Newbury Networks. AeroScout is now tightly linked to Cisco, so that narrows the choices to Ekahau and Newbury. Ekahau has the bigger presence in the location market, but their site survey tool overlaps with Motorola’s own. It will be interesting to see how this plays out.

Clearly consolidation in the WLAN infrastructure market is continuing. There are still lots of small players in the WLAN market, and we’ll have to wait and see what the next move will be.