Arista Networks has announced significant advancements in campus mobility, introducing architectural updates that enable enterprises to establish large-scale wireless networks. The key feature is the Virtual Ethernet Segment with Proxy ARP (VESPA) for WLAN mobility, which allows customers to design expansive Wi-Fi roaming domains that can support over 500,000 multivendor clients and 30,000 Arista wireless access points.
VESPA is part of Arista’s Cognitive Campus/Cognitive Wi-Fi offering, which integrates cloud-based technology acquired from Mojo Networks in 2018. This development shifts management away from traditional on-premises Wi-Fi controllers to a cloud-managed system, enhancing scalability and flexibility. According to Sriram Venkiteswaran, Arista’s director of product management, this system allows for unified wired and wireless network management via the CloudVision management package.
The innovation aims to address two primary challenges in Wi-Fi networks: scale and resiliency. Venkiteswaran highlighted issues with existing architectures that fragment large campus networks into multiple mobility domains, hindering seamless roaming. By applying data center technologies traditionally used in wired networks, VESPA supports a single, expansive roaming domain with the capability for quick failover, addressing concerns about downtime for critical applications.
In a detailed white paper, Arista described VESPA’s operational mechanics, noting how Arista access points create VXLAN tunnels to gateway switches, and dynamically manage endpoint MAC address information across wireless networks. This design introduces a feature called MAC Rewrite Offload, which allows access points to handle mobile client ARP requests, significantly enhancing scalability and performance.
Additionally, Arista is enhancing its Autonomous Virtual Assistant (AVA), a generative AI-driven system designed to provide network insights and automate operations. AVA serves as an intelligent assistant, helping users troubleshoot and identify issues more efficiently. Jeff Raymond, vice president of EOS product management, emphasized the system’s ability to proactively alert users about potential problems based on technical expertise and best practices.
Furthermore, Arista has launched its first ruggedized switches targeted at industrial applications, designed to withstand harsh conditions, featuring multi-gigabit ports and high-power PoE capabilities. These new switches, along with VESPA, are anticipated to be available by early 2026.
Welcome to DediRock, your trusted partner in high-performance hosting solutions. At DediRock, we specialize in providing dedicated servers, VPS hosting, and cloud services tailored to meet the unique needs of businesses and individuals alike. Our mission is to deliver reliable, scalable, and secure hosting solutions that empower our clients to achieve their digital goals. With a commitment to exceptional customer support, cutting-edge technology, and robust infrastructure, DediRock stands out as a leader in the hosting industry. Join us and experience the difference that dedicated service and unwavering reliability can make for your online presence. Launch our website.