WLANs Power Positioning

      So Meru Networks is going public? Yeah, I got the tweet last night. Good idea? Bad idea? IMO, I think Meru has studied its books, has thoroughly investigated the competition and has made this call based on survival. When I had just started my wi-fi studies and teaching, the number of vendors out there was minimal. Through those years I've witnessed complete disappearances, I've seen acquisitions and I am today still seeing a cornucopia of startups. Aruba Networks went the same route and initially priced its shares at $11. Though they have stuggled, I expect that 2010 will be a successful year for Aruba. Meru, from what I've read has had some inner issues like keeping their brain power inhouse. It is also stated that they have not had the requirement of three quarters of consistent profit.
    The ruckusroom.net has gone through Meru like LeBron going through the Nets. I read their take on this decision and shivered. Talk about power positioning. I love it! John W. Holt stated "If you're not making mistakes, you're not taking risks, and that means you're not going anywhere. The key is to make the mistakes faster than the competition, so you have more chances to learn and win".

    I do not claim to be an accountant or mathematician, but from what I'm getting from Ruckus' blog, Meru is in some trouble. I do believe that Meru will be fine providing they address some of the issues with their "big Mac/virtual cell" technology. I had questioned this theory and voiced my concerns at a CWNT workshop in Atlanta. Meru networks is going to benefit from the changes in WLAN (802.11n). Let's face it, the company reports $31.8 million in revenue for the first nine months of 2009. They also reported a net loss of $9.43 million, that in a year that basically sucked, financially. Though I am a strong advocate of Aerohive, I believe there is great potential in Meru products. We are in the time of cut throat competition, mergers and acquisitions. Meru networks should be Okay. I sure do hope they don't go the Novell route. Remember, Novell's OS is superb but they couldn't sell water in a rave party.
                                                                                                     Keith Charles
                                                                                                     Emerging Technology Consultant
                                                                                                      Futurenets Consulting Inc.