CASE STUDY
Connection density is another area where
exhibition centres are among the most
demanding environments. “In some
instances, we have up to 5,000 people, each
with an average of three devices, in a single
hall or conference centre. And the first thing
they do on arrival is to connect these devices
to the network,” stated Al Marzooqi.
Deploying World-Class Infrastructure
To deliver seamless coverage across the
73,000 sqm facility, ADNEC deployed 436
indoor and 14 outdoor 801.11ac Access
points (APs) in a specially designed small cell
configuration for high-density support.
The APs were connected to 7200-series
Aruba Mobility Controllers and ADNEC
implemented Aruba AirWaveto to proactively
monitor wireless health and performance
and gain granular visibility and reporting
capabilities across its network.
Aruba’s local team also delivered dedicated
design, planning and logistics support.
“Before a single AP was ever installed,
Aruba delivered a comprehensive design
based on heatmaps, and presented
a clear plan for product delivery and
implementation. This meticulous planning
was essential, given the mere three weeks
we had to complete the entire installation,”
explained Chaudhuri.
Aruba’s rollout plan, combined with the plug-
and-play nature of its APs, made it possible
for all 450 APs to be installed in just 15 days,
leaving sufficient time for the systems to be
thoroughly tested in preparation for its first
real-world trial.
Success from the get-go
Just weeks after the Wi-Fi overhaul, ADNEC
hosted the World Future Energy Summit,
featuring 850 exhibitors from 40 countries
and hosting high-profile dignitaries including
leaders of the UAE.
“It was a data-intensive event that presented
a rigorous real-world test, and Aruba came
through with flying colours. We didn’t have
a single instance of AP failure and even with
over 8,500 simultaneous connections, no
complaints about performance or coverage
were raised,” said Chaudhuri.
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POST-EVENT FEEDBACK WAS
VALIDATION OF THE SUCCESS OF THE
WIRELESS PROJECT.
A message from the CEO
Shortly after this massive success, Al
Marzooqi received a personal letter of
appreciation and a call from his Group CEO.
“He had personally attended the event and
noted the remarkable change over previous
years. His appreciation was a validation of
the outstanding achievement ADNEC and
Aruba accomplished together in such a short
period,” said Al Marzooqi.
Post-event feedback was validation of the
success of the wireless project. It showed
an increase in Wi-Fi satisfaction among all
stakeholders to 95% – a vast improvement
over the exhibition centre’s previous 70-
80% average.
Performance and
innovation unleashed
The company has raised Wi-Fi speeds from
5Mbps to 150Mbps for its free service and
can finally meet and exceed the SLAs set for
the premium service offered to exhibitors.
Aruba also gives ADNEC confidence that
when it sees expected spikes of up to 15,000
simultaneous connections, users will face no
degradation in performance.
Everything under control
He has also seen his team’s workload reduce
significantly as Aruba’s Mobility Controllers
centralise management and enable auto-
configuration and update of all APs across
the entire expanse of the venue via a single
user-friendly dashboard.
Unexpected areas for innovation
“We can now extend the performance of our
1Gbps leased line right down to the end-user. While Wi-Fi performance and reliability had
prompted the undertaking, ADNEC now runs
its communications, security systems, CCTV,
digital signage, and payment terminals on
the Aruba Wi-Fi platform.
“This unlocks the true potential of our
connectivity investment and opens up a
host of new possibilities for improving and
introducing services,” said Chaudhuri. AirWave’s granular monitoring capabilities
allows the team to streamline operations
as Chaudhuri explained: “When visitors
congregate in a single location, it can
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