Meru worked with IT Group (ITR), a Meru gold partner, to replace the existing Cisco wireless network with Meru AP822 access points and Meru Network Manager, following a formal tender process involving a number of wireless vendors and trial period. As part of the trial, Meru introduced The CCD to its virtual cell technology and the concept of channel layering, a unique capability of Meru’s architecture. By deploying for coverage using only a single channel, the other channels can be layered to provide capacity for high-density areas.
“As a venue for the international business community, our technology has to be world-class and this is particularly true of the Wi-Fi,” said Robert Henderson, Head of Technology at The CCD. “What used to be a ‘nice-to-have’ a few years ago is now mission-critical with the explosion of mobile devices. Most visitors use two-and-a-half devices on average and supporting this with our previous wireless network would have been unthinkable. We upgraded to a robust .11ac solution designed to meet the growth, changes and needs of business Wi-Fi users today.”
As a purpose-built world-class convention centre in the heart of Dublin, The CCD attracts visitors from all around the world to conferences and exhibitions and has hosted more than 1,000 events since it opened in 2010. Designed by award-winning Irish-born architect Kevin Roche, it boasts a unique glass-fronted atrium running the full height of the building, and includes 22 purpose-built meeting rooms, auditorium with full theatrical stage and fly tower, and 4,500 square metres of exhibition space.
Henry Batten, Ireland Country Manager at Meru, added: “Providing reliable Wi-Fi in high profile public spaces like The CCD is critical for the success of that venue, where failure to do so can be catastrophic. Working with The CCD and our partner ITR has shown just how we can deliver ultra-high density, high-speed and above all reliable connections in challenging areas with large numbers of simultaneous users.”
