In February 2003, Cisco Systems announced a 'no-cost' licensing agreement designed to enable interoperability of third-party client adapters and mobile devices with Cisco Aironet WLAN infrastructure. Known as Cisco Compatible Extensions (CCX), agreements have been made with a small group of strategic silicon suppliers producing both embedded and stand-alone wireless LAN designs. Agere Systems, Atheros, Atmel, Intel, Intersil, Marvell and Texas Instruments - together representing some 90% of the WLAN silicon that is produced every year - are said to be collaborating with Cisco in the programme.

The latter companies are involved in embedded modules for notebook and desktop PCs, PDAs, cellular handsets and industrial terminals as well as stand-alone products including PC Card, PCI and Compact Flash client adapters. The lead collaborator in CCX is said to be Intel, whose Centrino Mobile Technology is to incorporate Cisco compatibility for the company's next-generation of notebook PCs.

Specifically, Cisco CCX aims to offer customers a broader range of client-adapter form factors and operating system support, feature support, and price points, with the addition of interoperability with Cisco's wireless infrastructure.

A Cisco spokesperson contacted by Optical Keyhole claimed the company is "deeply involved" with the WiFi Alliance and that it is driving security concerns very hard. By way of countering the charge that the company is devaluing the WiFi Alliance by striking out with its own interoperability initiatives, Cisco states that it is ensuring compatibility with the organization while also offering additional functionality and enhanced security.

On the further charge that the company is attempting to lock users into its own infrastructure, Cisco stresses that users are not compelled to use Cisco security features and that the overall benefits of a secure, interoperable CCX outweigh these concerns.

With this in mind, Cisco is taking its EAP (Extensible Authentication Protocol) - the former prefix, Lightweight, despite forming the more pleasing acronym LEAP was dropped, according to Cisco, due to certain negative connotations associated with the word - and packaging it into its Wireless Security Suite, which also combines added management functionality as well as support for VLANs.

Cisco recognizes that the WiFi Alliance is driving adoption of WLAN technology forward, but concerns remain that the organization is not driving enterprise adoption as fast as it could, perhaps as a result of its wide focus area that encompasses consumer, enterprise and service provider applications. Cisco is specifically focusing on driving enterprise acceptance and the CCX programme is designed to add the additional functionality the company believes is required by this enterprise segment. Cisco states that the new security capabilities will be integrated initially into client adapters and eventually into mobile devices.

Following interoperability testing with Cisco wireless LAN infrastructure, the adapter or device is granted the right to bear the Cisco Compatible brand, which signifies that it provides support for the full set of Cisco Compatible Extension features. These features encompass the following:

• Full standards compliance with Wi-Fi and IEEE 802.11

• Compliance with Cisco Wireless Security Suite

• Compatibility with Cisco's scheme for assigning wireless LAN clients to virtual LANs (VLANs)

Behind this enthusiasm is the belief that, according to Cisco's Bill Rossi, Vice President and General Manager of Cisco's Wireless Networking Business Unit, Cisco will take $1 billion of a market expected to reach $4-5 billion within two to three years.

As has been the case in other areas within which Cisco operates, this latest move is seen by many as an attempt to co-opt industry standards into the Cisco stratosphere. Much as an 'Intel Inside' sticker confers a level of brand recognition to an otherwise unknown hardware manufacturer, Cisco undoubtedly hopes to foster the same level of confidence in a new generation of wireless customers. Presumably, once this has been achieved, the company will be able to leverage the advantage to its benefit.

While Cisco is certainly aware of the charge that it is subverting the role of the WiFi Alliance by putting forward its own agenda for the development of the industry - indeed, the company must surely have expected the accusation - the open-code announcement was perhaps intended in part to counter this suggestion.

Cisco is also, perhaps wisely, leaving it to its CCX partners to develop its wireless silicon. Bill Rossi has pointed out that devices and PCs that want Cisco security in their wireless-enabled products will have more component sources to choose from as a result of the programme. In addition, the company expects that these partners will contribute to CCX specifications.