Software & Configuration Management

Software distribution and revision control

Avalanche saves you time and money by making it easy to manage devices. Preloaded on devices from a growing list of manufacturers, the Avalanche Enabler can automatically find the Avalanche system, eliminating the need for administrators to carry out extensive device discovery efforts. Avalanche also makes extensive use of Profiles and Groups, which allows administrators to predefine configuration details that can be automatically applied to new devices meeting specified criteria, rather than provisioning each device individually as it is added.

Device set-up out of the box

Avalanche streamlines batch provisioning with the Scan-to-Configure feature that allows configuration parameters to be set using scanned, secure barcodes. Whether it’s a new device that needs configuring or an existing device that needs new settings, the Scan-to-Configure feature drastically reduces the time associated with device set-up and staging.

Profile-based management

Easily create global templates that define network and configuration settings and apply them to groups of devices based on specified criteria.

Management inside and outside the four walls

Avalanche provides management support regardless of the network type, be it Wi-Fi or WWAN, including cellular networks such as GPRS, and can manage hybrid devices that transition between these different networks. To help manage devices outside the four walls, Avalanche provides a variety of features. For example, mobile device profiles allow for the configuration of device-specific settings such as time zone, custom device properties, registry settings and carrier settings like APN. SMS-capable devices in sleep mode can be forced to check in to receive necessary updates. Avalanche also provides administrators with the option to allow a persistent device-to-server connection for situations where that type of connectivity is required.

Advanced task scheduler

Avalanche automates configuration and software package deployment, firmware distribution and other tasks to manage a large, distributed wireless LAN.

Security

Advanced security features

Avalanche has always delivered a high level of security to customers and still remains the complete solution for 802.11 provisioning via extensive support for industry standard encryption and authentication protocols. Avalanche supports a full range of wireless encryption and authentication protocols, including WEP (Key Rotation), WPA with TKIP, WPA2 with AES-CCMP, and 802.1X based EAP types such as LEAP, PEAPv0, PEAPv1, EAP-TTLS and EAP-TLS. With Avalanche, organizations have additional tools available to manage and monitor security settings across the entire wireless ecosystem. With improved rogue AP detection and reporting with various IDS-oriented enhancements to assist with identification, alerting, monitoring, and reporting of potential threats, Avalanche gives administrators a full view into the state of the enterprise’s security. System security is ensured through the encryption of communication channels and database encryption on sensitive fields such as passwords and keys.

PCI and Sarbanes-Oxley compliance tools

Avalanche helps address corporate and regulatory requirements such as PCI and Sarbanes-Oxley through enhanced tools such as alerts, reports, and audit logs. For example, if an AP comes online with the manufacturer default password, Avalanche can not only alert the administrator, but offer a facility to immediately change the password. Avalanche lets you set, and continually enforce wireless network and security configurations using powerful profiles that apply policies based on defined criteria. Administrators also gain support for client-side certificates and device lockdown rules. To prevent unwanted intrusions, Avalanche detects foreign and rogue access points and client devices, while offering centralized access to control lists for infrastructure and role-based user access to the console.

Automated mobile device and data protection & encryption

With Avalanche, enhance device and data protection even when away from the network. Employ encryption or destruction policies for files and directories when a device is vulnerable. With Avalanche, administrators can restrict access to the device, its applications and data. Combined with client-side intelligence, Avalanche guards against the compromise of sensitive data when a device is lost or stolen.

Policies

Avalanche now supports secure client enrollment system to allow end-users to receive Wi-Fi Personal and Wi-Fi Enterprise policies, peripheral control (camera, Bluetooth™, etc.), VPN configuration, application restrictions (YouTube, iTunes, etc.), email policies together with support for Microsoft Exchange and PIN / Lock policies.

Remote Wipe

Avalanche improves security by providing the ability to remotely wipe a device, or a remote wipe of a device utilizing Exchange, as well as remote device lock and directory encryption.

Mobile Help Desk

Advanced mobile help desk tools

With Avalanche, administrators can remotely diagnose and remedy both applications and device settings, or simply provide assisted guidance for an end-user. Avalanche allows administrators to control the device as if they were physically holding it. A mobile help desk solution such as Avalanche reduces your mobile device downtime and increases end-user productivity.

Two-way messaging

Avalanche offers powerful two-way messaging capabilities that allow a console operator to send a text message to one or more devices, view the acknowledgements and message history, and have the ability to resend messages where appropriate. Device users can reply and carry on a chat session with the console operator, allowing them to provide important feedback or instructions.

Flexible Architecture

Flexible, hybrid architecture

The architecture of Avalanche minimizes LAN, WAN, Wireless WAN overhead and optimizes network resources. Services may be centralized, or located at the managed remote locations to suit the network topology. Client devices adjust automatically to the available bandwidth.

User management

With Avalanche, specific user profiles can be created which lets users across the enterprise see only what they need to see. Administrators can establish certain rights and privileges to certain users or groups, and define what level of access and usage they can perform in the console.

Location Based Services

Location based services

Avalanche provides an accurate view of both where and how assets are being used. This feature provides detailed information regarding the location of mobile devices under management using GPS and bolsters wireless WAN management capabilities. Avalanche allows administrators to physically locate where the device was and when it was last operational. If a device is ever lost or stolen, Avalanche can help track that device down to the street level, regardless of its location across the globe.

Asset tracking

Using a Web-based map, Avalanche can zoom into the exact street level of a device, providing a pin-point location as well as other important information like the current latitude, longitude, heading and speed of the device, and even a location history (breadcrumbs). If the device is GPRS/EDGE/3G enabled, Avalanche can even track an approximate location based on cell tower association for those instances where a GPS signal is not available. Geofencing capabilities allow administrators to define geographic areas where devices are expected to be located. These boundaries can then be used to trigger alerts whenever a device crosses into or out of the geofenced area.

Wireless heat map coverage

Avalanche offers powerful visualization tools that provide administrators with a graphical representation of the wireless ecosystem through floor plan diagrams. Administrators can import multiple diagrams as needed and plot the locations of infrastructure devices. Avalanche can then display heat maps representing predicted wireless coverage and even display information about associated mobile devices.

Ease of Use

Device set-up out of the box

Avalanche streamlines batch provisioning with the Scan-to-Configure feature that allows configuration parameters to be set using scanned, secure barcodes. Whether it’s a new device that needs configuring or an existing device that needs new settings, the Scan-to-Configure feature drastically reduces the time associated with device set-up and staging.

Web-based management console

With the available Web console, there is no client-side installation; users simply access the console through a standard Web browser. Some of the key benefits of the Web console include a completely redesigned user experience for ease of use, device location tracking, an integrated reporting module, and wireless infrastructure heat maps that can be displayed on a floor plan diagram. Additionally, multi-tenancy enhancements enable customers to segment their business units and users to only see allowed parts of the system.

Advanced task scheduler

Avalanche automates configuration and software package deployment, firmware distribution and other tasks to manage a large, distributed wireless LAN.

Performance & Statistics

Statistics & Custom Reporting

Access a full range of predefined and customizable reports to help optimize network performance and respond to audit requirements. Included reports cover network and mobile device activity, as well as installed software, asset/inventory information and current configuration of individual devices.

Performance monitoring

Avalanche 5 allows administrators to monitor the performance of the wireless ecosystem by providing insight into the capacity, traffic, retry errors and more. This gives administrators a detailed look at the health of the wireless environment.

Bandwidth management

With such an in-depth view of the network, administrators can manage bandwidth performance throughout the enterprise. Administrators can assign bandwidth availability during certain portions of the day and control when packages are deployed to devices in order to prevent large transfer rates at inopportune times. Administrators can also perform peer-to-peer updates.

Alerts & Reports

Alert notification

Instantly be alerted to critical events by setting alert profiles to notify you about network resource failures, security threats or other important events. Notifications can be routed via e-mail or pager and forwarded to other enterprise network management systems such as Tivoli, HP OpenView or CA Unicenter.

Statistics & Custom Reporting

Access a full range of predefined and customizable reports to help optimize network performance and respond to audit requirements. Included reports cover network and mobile device activity, as well as installed software, asset/inventory information and current configuration of individual devices.

Rich Reporting

Avalanche provides rich reporting on ownership information such as battery level, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth™ information, serial number data together with IP information and other platform specific data.

Extend industry leading mobile device management to smart and rugged devices via the cloud.

With the SaaS-based model of Avalanche, companies utilize industry-leading mobile device management through the convenience of the Cloud. This ensures a streamlined and effortless implementation and eliminates the need to install new servers. With Avalanche, powerful, secure, and robust mobile device management is just a mouse click away.

Avalanche also helps companies address growing market trends such as BYOD. As more and more smartphones and tablet PCs are added to the wireless environment, companies are tasked with finding ways to manage this ever-growing list of mobile assets, and ensure they pose no threat to the enterprise. Now, companies can leverage the power and flexibility of Avalanche and extend management to Windows, iOS, and Android devices via the Cloud. Avalanche ensures your mobile device management solution is up to the task of not only managing today’s rugged and smart devices but also keeping them secure.

Contact us for more information today.