Liner MS Azura sets sail with 802.11n Wi-Fi

Carnival UK deploys Aruba wireless kit on latest liner and at its new headquarters

MS Azura crew have Aruba 802.11n Wi-Fi

Cruise line Carnival UK has deployed 802.11n Wi-Fi from Aruba Networks at its new headquarters in Southampton and for the crew on its P &O Cruises liner MS Azura.

Carnival UK owns P&O Cruises and Cunard, and is part of global cruise company Carnival Corporation.

Many cruise ships have limited internet access in crew areas because of the cost and difficulty of running network cabling, but Azura’s crew have 802.11n wireless access throughout the crew area.

Deploying wireless networks based on the Institute of Electronics and Electrical Engineers (IEEE) 802.11n standard gives better throughput and range. Fewer access points (APs) need to be deployed and consequently less cabling.

However even the deployment of wireless on a cruise ship presents a unique set of challenges according to IT infrastructure manager at Carnival Cruise Lines, Davd Binks: "A ship’s all steel construction makes for a hostile wireless environment," he said.

“Once a ship sails, we can’t afford to have wireless problems, so the Wi-Fi network has to automatically adapt itself to local conditions no matter how challenging,” he explained.

Wi-Fi performance on Aruba’s 802.11n network is enhanced by the Adaptive Radio Management (ARM) and spectrum analyser technology integrated into Aruba 802.11n APs.

ARM uses infrastructure-based controls to optimise network and client performance in real-time, which means the wireless network adjusts itself automatically.

Wireless network parameters such as power output levels, AP load balancing, airtime allocation, and interference mitigation dynamically adjust to ensure latency-sensitive data, like voice and video applications operate reliably.

The ship's 802.11n Wi-Fi system was tested and certified in May 2009, a month before the Azura was launched.

The MS Azura weighs about 115,000 tons and can carry over 3,000 passengers and 1,200 crew, and was commissioned in April 2010.

Binks said Aruba’s 802.11n solution performed well on the Azura, and Carnival UK is deploying 802.11n Wi-Fi for both passengers and crew on its latest liner, the Cunard Queen Elizabeth, which will launch on 11 October.

The company said another reason for it choosing Aruba was because its system dealt with high client density and guest access requirements.

Carnival is also trialling Aruba’s Virtual Branch Networks (VBN) system to allow staff working remotely to access its corporate system.

Using compact Aruba APs remotely gives Carnival the facility to connect teleworkers and ship’s crew stationed at temporary offices while in port.