AirTight Secure Wi-Fi™ is the first Wi-Fi access and security solution designed specifically for retail enterprises with distributed outlets. It is an automated PCI wireless scanning and compliance service that can double as an enterprise Wi-Fi access solution,

1. AirTight Networks WHITEPAPER
AirTight Secure Wi-Fi™
Cloud-based Secure Wi-Fi Access with PCI Wireless Scanning
A Whitepaper by AirTight Networks, Inc.
339 N. Bernardo Avenue, Suite 200, Mountain View, CA 94043
www.airtightnetworks.com
© 2011 AirTight Networks, Inc. All rights reserved.

2. AirTight Networks WHITEPAPER
AirTight Secure Wi-Fi™
Executive Summary
Retail enterprises have been yearning for an affordable, easy to use,
and scalable Wi-Fi access solution that meets their unique business
process and customer service requirements while maintaining their
PCI compliance and network security. But, the only options retailers
had in the past were: 1) traditional enterprise Wi-Fi solutions that
are too complex and costly for managing hundreds or thousands of
geographically distributed access points, or 2) unreliable, consumer-
grade Wi-Fi access points that lack centralized, remote manageability and
have very limited security features.
AirTight Secure Wi-Fi™, part of AirTight Cloud Services™, is precisely
designed to fill this gap. Retail organizations of all sizes, looking to
deploy Wi-Fi across geographically distributed sites, finally have a viable
enterprise Wi-Fi solution that:
– requires zero upfront investment;
– entails no additional administrative burden;
– can be securely and remotely managed from anywhere on the
Internet;
– is infinitely scalable; and
– takes care of their PCI wireless scanning and security requirements.
In fact, organizations with PCI compliance reporting and wireless security
as their top priority can start with AirTight’s cloud-based wireless security
and compliance service, and seamlessly upgrade the service, with the
click of a mouse and a phone call, to include secure Wi-Fi access in the
future, without touching the hardware.
© 2011 AirTight Networks, Inc. All rights reserved. 2

3. AirTight Networks WHITEPAPER
AirTight Secure Wi-Fi™
More and more establishments in hospitality and retail verticals — such as quick serve
restaurants, convenience stores, hotels, and cafes — are considering Wi-Fi access as
a strategic business initiative. A number of key applications centered around greater
efficiency, increased sales, and customer convenience are driving this interest. But
enterprises have been postponing their Wi-Fi rollout in the absence of an affordable,
easy to use, and scalable solution.
Enterprise Wi-Fi Solutions for Retail
Traditional enterprise Wi-Fi solutions (including the controller-based architecture)
have been designed to support tens or hundreds of access points (APs) covering a
single campus. But typical Wi-Fi deployment in retail enterprises involves hundreds or
thousands of locations with only one or two APs covering each location.
Centrally managing such fragmented Wi-Fi networks, consisting of thousands of
geographically distributed APs, is radically different than managing a Wi-Fi network
serving a single campus. Not surprisingly, trying to use existing enterprise Wi-Fi solutions
in retail environments turns out to be complex, inefficient, and costly.
Consumer-grade Wi-Fi APs present a cheaper alternative, but they lack the security,
reliability, and central management capability required in an enterprise solution. In
addition to Wi-Fi access, retail organizations are looking for a solution that provides
comprehensive wireless security and simplifies their PCI wireless scanning requirement
at a minimal cost and without additional administrative burden.
An enterprise Wi-Fi solution tailored for retail organizations should enable:
PCI wireless compliance and security: Enterprises should be able to centrally enforce
their corporate wireless security policies, automate PCI wireless scanning and receive
a consolidated PCI compliance report.
Ease of use: Remove the complexity of deploying, securing, and managing
geographically distributed Wi-Fi networks.
Role-based permissions: The solution should allow granular delegation of
administrative functions such as policy definition, customization, and reporting by local
administrators, store managers, or franchisees while maintaining complete control of
security and compliance by the corporate IT department.
Remote management: For remote sites having little or no IT staff, the corporate network
administrator should be able to manage the Wi-Fi network remotely from anywhere on
the Internet.
Flexibility: Enterprises should be able to rollout their Wi-Fi network when and where
needed, and be able to enforce group-based policies where a group could represent
a geographical location, type of stores, a specific consumer brand, etc.
Scalability: The Wi-Fi network should scale over thousands of remote locations without
compromising on functionality and ease of use.
© 2011 AirTight Networks, Inc. All rights reserved. 3

4. AirTight Networks WHITEPAPER
AirTight Secure Wi-Fi™
One Hospitality Organization, 18,000+ Locations and the Need
for Wireless PCI Compliance and Wi-Fi Access
A large retail enterprise, with more than 18,000 quick serve restaurants spread across
the United States, was looking for a cost-effective and efficient way to conduct wireless
scans at all its remote stores as a part of its PCI DSS Compliance project. AirTight’s
SpectraGuard wireless intrusion prevention system (WIPS), delivered as a cloud based
service, was the solution of choice not only because it automated the wireless scanning
of 18,000+ stores and simplified the centralized management and reporting for PCI
compliance, but also because it provided solid 24/7 security for the corporate HQ
network from wireless threats.
With no upfront capital outlay, the organization did not have to wait for budget approval
to get started and was able to meet the PCI wireless scanning and reporting compliance
deadline.
But, as a strategic investment, it also wanted to provision Wi-Fi access to its store owners
giving them the options of:
– providing Wi-Fi HotSpot access to their customers as a way to increase the number
of footfalls;
– making their inventory control more efficient; and
– letting the serving staff place customer orders to the kitchen via mobile PoS.
A controller-based enterprise Wi-Fi solution was already deployed at its HQ. But with
only one AP required per store, the controller-based architecture was overkill. Further,
extending that architecture to its remote stores was not practical because of the high
cost, high complexity, limited scalability, and limited remote manageability. That is
where AirTight’s cloud based solution came into play to provide wireless security, PCI
compliance, and in-store Wi-Fi access.
After carefully evaluating enterprise Wi-Fi solutions from leading WLAN vendors, AirTight
Secure Wi-Fi™, which combines cloud-based PCI wireless scanning and secure Wi-Fi
access, was chosen as the most reliable, automated solution to provide Wi-Fi access to
18,000+ distributed stores without compromising on PCI compliance.
© 2011 AirTight Networks, Inc. All rights reserved. 4

5. AirTight Networks WHITEPAPER
AirTight Secure Wi-Fi™
About AirTight Secure Wi-Fi™ - Lowest Cost and Complexity for Wi-Fi
AirTight Networks Access and PCI Wireless Compliance
AirTight Secure Wi-Fi™ is the first Wi-Fi access and security solution designed specifically
AirTight Networks is the global
for retail enterprises with distributed outlets. It is an automated PCI wireless scanning
leader in wireless security and
and compliance service that can double as an enterprise Wi-Fi access solution, with the
compliance products and services,
following key features.
providing customers best-of-
breed technology to automatically Automated PCI wireless compliance and security: AirTight’s wireless sensors provide
detect, classify, locate and block 24/7 scanning to detect wireless vulnerabilities and policy violations in real time. For
all current and emerging wireless instance, AirTight’s patented Marker packet techniques automatically and accurately
threats. AirTight offers industry’s detect Rogue wireless devices in no time, eliminating the need for manual wireless
leading wireless intrusion scans. With a single click of a mouse on the central console, the wireless sensors can
prevention system (WIPS) and the also be converted into a dual-purpose AP-sensor combo mode. In this mode, the devices
world’s only SaaS based wireless conduct background scanning while providing Wi-Fi access, allowing organizations to
security, compliance and Wi-Fi maintain their PCI wireless compliance.
access branded as AirTight Cloud Cloud-based delivery: A controller-less wireless LAN architecture hosted in the cloud
Services™. AirTight’s award- enables virtually infinite scalability and reduces the complexity of managing network
winning solutions are used by security, PCI compliance and Wi-Fi access.
customers globally in the financial,
Pay-as-you-go model: With a pay-as-you-go subscription model and zero upfront
government, retail and hospitality,
investment, retailers can start their PCI wireless scanning and in-store Wi-Fi access
manufacturing, transportation,
immediately, without waiting for a capital outlay budget.
education, health care, telecom,
and technology industries. AirTight Plug-and-play installation: Pre-configured wireless sensor-AP devices that automatically
owns the seminal patents for connect and synchronize with the central server, literally enable plug-and-play
wireless intrusion prevention deployment at remote locations in minutes without the need for intricate configuration
technology with 18 U.S. patents or local IT support.
and three international patents Portal-based administration: Administrators can securely access the central
granted (Australia, Japan and management console via their web browser from anywhere on the Internet. They can
UK), and more than 20 additional remotely manage everything from viewing and responding to wireless security alerts to
patents pending. AirTight Networks changing settings on Wi-Fi APs at distributed locations.
is a privately held company
Centralized policy enforcement: Administrators can simply define and enforce
based in Mountain View, CA. For
corporate security policies across thousands of stores from a central point, while being
more information please visit:
able to customize policies for Wi-Fi access, reporting, alerts, incident response, etc. for
www.airtightnetworks.com.
specific locations.
AirTight and SpectraGuard are Flexible services model: Organizations have the option to start with the PCI wireless
registered trademarks of AirTight compliance service and then upgrade the service to full wireless intrusion prevention
Networks, Inc. AirTight Networks, or to include secure Wi-Fi access in the future with no IT intervention and no additional
AirTight Networks logo, AirTight Cloud hardware.
Services and AirTight Secure Wi-Fi are
trademarks. All other trademarks are
the property of their respective owners. With its unparalleled wireless security technology and ease of use, automated PCI
wireless scanning and reporting, and virtually infinite scalability, AirTight Secure Wi-Fi™
is well positioned to serve the unique requirements of the retail and hospitality industry
for supporting large-scale distributed Wi-Fi networks.
The Global Leader in Wireless Security Solutions
AirTight Networks, Inc. 339 N. Bernardo Avenue #200, Mountain View, CA 94043
T +1.877.424.7844 T 650.961.1111 F 650.961.1169 www.airtightnetworks.com info@airtightnetworks.com
© 2011 AirTight Networks, Inc. All rights reserved. AirTight Networks and the AirTight Networks logo are trademarks, and
AirTight and SpectraGuard are registered trademarks of AirTight Networks, Inc. All other trademarks mentioned herein are
properties of their respective owners. Specifications are subject to change without notice.