NARA & Tanaza’s AI journey

NARA: Tanaza’s AI-powered assistant

Since the release of GPT-3.5 at the end of 2022, it became clear that AI was finally getting ready to significantly impact all industries. As tech enthusiasts who have dedicated the past decade to cloud computing and networking, we were eager to explore the potential of AI in our field.

Our journey began with extensive research, testing various AI options, and refining our concepts. By December 2023, we launched the Tanaza GPT agent integrated with ChatGPT. Today, I am thrilled to introduce NARA, our AI assistant.

NARA

NARA is designed to assist Tanaza users at every stage of their journey: from initial discovery and evaluation to adoption and large-scale operations. It can answer specific questions in real-time, help get started with Tanaza or provide guidance to troubleshoot networks. Furthermore, it can recommend the best Apps from our marketplace based on users’ needs. These are capabilities that are already available and we encourage you to play with it on support.tanaza.com.

NARA example 1
NARA example 2

Tanaza’s AI journey and lessons learned so far

Our ultimate vision is for NARA to fully automate Wi-Fi and enterprise networks, making them entirely AI-driven. We believe this is achievable, and this is fully reflected in our high-level roadmap.

Tanaza – Product roadmap 24-25

The path to this point has been challenging. Despite the amusement generated by ChatGPT (when it gets it right), developing a controlled AI that performs precisely as needed and avoids hallucinations is akin to “keeping a wizard inside a cage“. We evaluated various chatbot solutions and found that existing tools required significant tuning and curated knowledge to function correctly. We needed an AI that adhered to our principles and met our specific needs.

Additionally, we’ll need to integrate authentication systems, connect to our knowledge base and production systems with different access levels, and ensure consistency with our privacy policy. We aimed to learn from thousands of cases and conversations in our CRM while protecting private information. These requirements led us to build a system that is both open and controllable. In a rapidly evolving context, we chose to create a framework that leverages the latest LLM models while maintaining full control of all aspects.

Here are the key guiding principles we adopted:

  • MVP Approach: Start with a minimum viable product and expand its scope over time.
  • LLM Agnostic: Our framework can leverage the most efficient models, whether from LLAMA, OpenAI, Claude, or others.
  • Curated Knowledge: Knowledge must be carefully curated, whether created by humans or synthesized from multiple sources.
  • Unified Agent: Instead of multiple agents for different purposes, we opted for a single source of truth representing our company’s knowledge. This makes the problem harder to solve, but delivers an incredible experience to users.
  • Regression Protection: Automatic testing is crucial, with a different LLM testing the output of each test case.
  • Coachability: Any Tanaza senior employee should be able to train our AI, similar to how they mentor junior employees. Coaching NARA has been exhilarating (like giving input to Johnny 5).
  • Extensibility: Starting with 0-shot learning, the AI will evolve to deeper connections with production systems, real-time diagnostics, and ultimately an always-on AI agent capable of auto-driving networks.

This journey is incredibly exciting. The potential applications of AI in networking are limitless, and we are proud to bring these capabilities to our users, adding the AI pillar to our core principles of cloud and hardware/software disaggregation.

A big thank you to all of our users and partners for joining us on this journey in building next-gen AI-powered infrastructure.

Tanaza Now Supports All TIP OpenWiFi™ Access Points

Telecom Infra Project and Tanaza Collaborate to Extend Tanaza Platform Compatibility to TIP OpenWiFi™ Access Points.

Today, Tanaza proudly announces the general availability of the Tanaza platform supporting all OpenWiFi™ compliant access points (in addition to the others already supported thanks to the Linux-based TanazaOS). This collaboration with Telecom Infra Project (TIP) marks a significant milestone in the journey towards a disaggregated networking market, pushing the boundaries of innovation and reducing the effects of lock-in strategies applied by incumbents.

The Tanaza platform, a pioneer in hardware/software disaggregation since 2011, has supported various off-the-shelf devices from third-party manufacturers such as Ubiquiti and MikroTik. Now, Tanaza extends its compatibility to ALL OpenWiFi™ compliant devices, giving out-of-the-box interoperability with OpenWiFi™ hardware providers included in the TIP community.

Sebastiano Bertani, CEO of Tanaza, expressed the importance of this achievement, stating, “Our technology has reached widespread global adoption, featuring over 60,000 active access points. It has been utilized by some Tier-1 telco providers, leveraging the synergy of SDN networking and hardware flexibility to empower their B2B managed Wi-Fi offering. Bringing to production OpenWiFi™ compliant hardware has been a natural step for us. It not only enhances Wi-Fi hardware flexibility, but also envisions extending this capability to switches, for a complete “OpenLAN” solution. But most of all, it consolidates a solid foundation to shape the innovation of the next decade, on top of a common layer. For instance, our ChatGPT AI integration (TanazaGPT) enables the control of any networking device connected to our platform, and the same will be for any other App and service built on top, ranging from hyperconvergence to cybersecurity”.

Jack Raynor, TIP OpenLAN™ and OpenWiFi™Co-chair, said, “We are proud of this collaboration with Tanaza. This achievement aligns with our commitment to fostering an open and collaborative ecosystem in the telecommunications industry, transitioning the market from vertically integrated to horizontally structured”.

About TIP / OpenWiFi™
Telecom Infra Project (TIP) OpenLAN Project Group is a collaborative community that aims to accelerate the pace of innovation in the telecom industry. OpenWiFi™, an initiative within TIP’s OpenLAN Project Group, focuses on advancing open and disaggregated Wi-Fi solutions.

About Tanaza
Tanaza is a leading provider of cloud-based networking platforms to enable B2B managed Wi-Fi and NaaS. Since its inception, it has adopted a cloud-only approach and hardware/software disaggregation as its founding pillars. An early member of TIP OpenWiFi™, Tanaza provided an initial Proof of Concept (PoC) of OpenWiFi™ at MWC2020. Tanaza technology has been used in projects with Meta, Fortinet, Sercomm, Etisalat, and NEC, among others.

TanazaGPT: OpenAI ChatGPT integration

Tanaza proudly introduces TanazaGPT, the latest integration with OpenAI’s ChatGPT, marking a significant stride in bringing artificial intelligence to the forefront of Wi-Fi network management.

TanazaGPT provides users with a sophisticated toolset for efficient monitoring and control of Wi-Fi networks. This integration streamlines network management tasks and enhances troubleshooting capabilities, all driven by the intelligence of ChatGPT.

Experience the future of network management with TanazaGPT – the perfect synergy of Tanaza‘s expertise and the AI prowess of ChatGPT.

This is just a first example of the AI’s transformative role in Wi-Fi network management ahead of us.

 

How to troubleshoot MDU Wi-Fi networks with Tanaza

How to troubleshoot MDU Wi-Fi networks with Tanaza

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the technical guide about MDU Wi-Fi.

The demand for managed MDUs Wi-Fi is on the rise across the world. In 2023, a study by Parks Associates (well-known market research and consulting firm) showed that 31% of the US population lives in MDUs (Multiple Dwelling Unit Wi-Fi), and 50% report Wi-Fi issues. Multiple Dwelling Unit Wi-Fi represents a sizable business opportunity for MSPs that offer managed WLAN connectivity services for apartments, condos, multi-family homes, townhomes, and other high-density living spaces. Continue to read why and how Tanaza can help network administrators to troubleshoot common network coverage and speed issues.

What is a MDU Wi-Fi (Multiple Dwelling Unit Wi-Fi)?

MDU Wi-Fi refers to WLAN wireless networks that serve multiple residential units within buildings or complexes. MDU Wi-Fi networks are designed to provide secure and ubiquitous internet connectivity and managed services to tenants living in apartment buildings, condominiums, student housing, assisted living facilities, and other types of multi-unit dwellings.

In some cases, MDU Wi-Fi networks are managed by a single MSP or SP, who manages the deployment and operation of comprehensive Wi-Fi services for the properties.

MDU WI-FI Opportunities

MDU Wi-Fi market provides significant opportunities for MSPs and SPs that serve building owners and property managers. Benefits can include:

Revenue Generation: Building owners or property managers can generate additional revenue streams by offering Wi-Fi services to tenants as value-added facilities for residentials. They can charge a monthly fee for the service or include it in the rent.

According to a report by Grand View Research, the global MDU market size was valued at USD 158.5 billion in 2020 and may grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.6% from 2021 to 2028.

Competitive Advantage: Offering high-quality Wi-Fi service can be a competitive advantage for property owners or managers in attracting and retaining tenants. Thanks to Wi-Fi analytics integrations such as My Wi-Fi Networks and Social Wi-Fi, network administrators can analyze the residents’ preferences and offer tailored guest Wi-Fi experiences.

Improved Resident Satisfaction: Providing reliable and fast Wi-Fi service can improve resident satisfaction and reduce complaints about connectivity issues. Wi-Fi troubleshooting tools can help network administrators to fix the most common connectivity problems related to the speed of connection and coverage. 

Enhanced Security and Privacy: A shared Wi-Fi network can be designed with advanced security features to protect users’ privacy and prevent unauthorized access. 

Remote Monitoring and Maintenance: MDU Wi-Fi networks can be remotely monitored and maintained by service providers, reducing the need for on-site visits and minimizing downtime.

Marketing and Analytics: Wi-Fi networks can be used to gather data on users’ preferences and behavior, which can be used for targeted marketing or to improve operational efficiency. ADS4Wi-Fi is a Tanaza integration to monetize MDU networks, through targeted ADS managed by an easy-to-use advertising management and campaign delivery platform.

Smart Building Integration: MDU Wi-Fi networks can be integrated with smart building systems to enable automated control of building functions and services, such as lighting, heating, and security. Visit the Tanaza Marketplace to stay tuned for the latest IoT integrations.

What are the main network issues that MDU WiFi have to face? And how MSPs and SPs can use Tanaza to troubleshoot them?

Park Associates listed the common MDU network technical problems by residence type.

MDU Wi-Fi Technical Issues

As shown from the precedent graphic, the main issues are related to two main topics: speed connection and coverage.

How to solve MDU Wi-Fi speed connection issues with Tanaza?

Excluding the use of outdated access points (IEEE 802.11g and previous standard – discover here the most advanced compatible and Tanaza Powered Devices), congestion, interference, or bandwidth limits can represent one of the most common causes for low levels of speed connection.

In case of congestion, the Tanaza Overview dashboard is an all-in-one network observability tool to monitor the entire network architecture stats. 

The network administrator can intuitively check the global or granular bandwidth at different moments, identify what AP devices are affected, and if a specific client is causing the slowdown. 

After a first overview analysis, network administrators can manage SSID advanced options and radio settings:

– testing real-time speed values with the integrated Ping Tool (read more about it)

– limiting the Max N. of clients 

– selecting the freest band frequencies (2.4GHz or 5GHz or dual-band – soon 6GHz) at AP or SSID level

– enabling client isolation

SSID Settings

The Tanaza Marketplace includes the Historical Statistics add-on. By enabling historical statistics, MDU network administrators can keep track of historical data related to the status of their devices and learn more about when congestion happened. Data is stored for 30 days and it’s possible to see what happened daily. In the last 24 hours, it’s also possible to see the details on an hourly basis.

In case of interference, the radio options at the AP level can help network administrators to switch to the best RX frequency to improve the quality of the signal. In the MDU Wi-Fi networks, it is common to have multiple adjacent APs that operate in adjacent channels. Due to wrong AP positioning in the environment, the channel overlapping can cause adjacent channel interference.
Let’s assume that three residents complain frequently of slow connection caused by APs placed adjacently in the three nearby apartments that use sequentially channels 3 (2422MHz), 4 (2427MHz), and 5 (2432MHz). To troubleshoot this issue, the network administrator can decrease the TX power levels of all the APs to prevent their transmissions from overlapping. In addition, he could increase the channel width to 40MHz on 2.4GHz frequency and gradually switch to 5GHz to have a certain safety margin.

Radio settings access points

In case of bandwidth limits, network administrators can operate at the SSID level, limiting or improving the speed of connection values for download and upload. This tool is perfect to ensure that the internet connection is available to all connected devices equally or to limit bandwidth consumption by some devices that may cause network congestion.

Bandwidth limits

How to solve MDU Wi-Fi coverage issues with Tanaza?

Excluding structural interference caused by incorrect network design, network overload, wrong roaming setup, multipath fading, congestion, and interference can represent some of the most common causes of coverage issues.

In case of network overload, too many devices attempting to connect to the same network at the same time, the available bandwidth shared among all connected devices can be spread too thinly, causing slowdowns or even disconnections. This is a common issue in apartments and small condos where typically a single AP has to manage simultaneously time laptops, smartphones, IoTs, and other devices.

When it happens, network administrators can regulate the max. n. of concurrent clients or increase the MHz of the channel width, paying particular attention to not causing further adjacent channel interferences.

How to fix network overload

Performing Wi-Fi roaming is fundamental. MDUs Wi-Fi networks have to guarantee that clients can automatically switch from a Wi-Fi network with a weak signal to one with a stronger signal without friction. Inconsistent manual network configuration and proximity interferences are the main causes that afflict the roaming feature. To improve a fluent transition to both SSIDs, network administrators can enable 802.11k, 802.11r, and Sticky client auto disconnection. Read more about how the Wi-Fi Fast Roaming feature works.

Network assisted power savings

Multipath fading is a phenomenon that occurs in wireless communication when radio signals travel from a transmitter to a receiver by multiple paths, which can result in signal distortion and cancellation. Multipath fading can be flat fading or selective fading. Selective fading is more common in MDU apartments and condos due to architectural obstacles and more objects that can reflect and spread irregular signals.
Beamforming technology can solve this issue, directing the Wi-Fi signal exactly toward the targeted direction of a specific client. Beamforming sends the same spatial stream on multiple antennas with determined timing offsets, thus increasing range.
Tanaza Compatible Devices and Tanaza Powered Devices APs with MU-MIMO integrated can mitigate the multipath selective fading phenomenon.

The Tanaza Powered Device Edgecore EAP102-T can be a good choice for MDU Wi-Fi networks in luxury or top-end apartments with IoT architectures. The model is a high-performing Wi-Fi 6 concurrent dual-band 802.11ax indoor access point that supports 4×4:4 uplink and downlink MU-MIMO between the device and multiple clients, with up to 2.9 Gbps aggregate data rate. It’s perfect to avoid coverage issues in complex network ecosystems where multiple clients require a constant flux of connections.

Edgecore EAP102-T Tanaza Powered Device™

Several types of interference can impact the coverage of a Wi-Fi architecture. MDU apartments and condos are generally spaces with many adjacent devices and networks. These types of interference are most common on the 2.4GHz. The Tanaza radio options at the AP level can help network administrators to switch to free RX frequency to improve the quality of the signal, setting channel width, channels, and TX power.

How to reduce network interferences

Are you an MSP or an SP focused on the MDU market?

Tanaza helps network administrators to configure, monitor, and troubleshoot MDUs networks of any size and add 3-rd party services on top to offer the best guest Wi-Fi experience to residents of apartments, condos, multi-family homes, townhomes, and other high-density living spaces.

The intuitive all-in-one Tanaza dashboard allows total control of the MDU Wi-Fi infrastructure and converts them into valuable assets.

Try Tanaza

Reduce the issues in MDU Wi-Fi networks thanks to a stack of intuitive features manageble from a single dashboard.

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Mobile World Congress 2023

Join Tanaza at the Mobile World Congress 2023 in Barcelona

The Mobile World Congress  – MWC 2023 – is the event of the year for global telecommunication operators, MSPs, ISPs, SPs, OEMs, ODMs, and the most influential companies in the connectivity industry. 

From 27th February to 2nd of March 2023, Tanaza will be there at the stand n.8.1A20.20 in the EIC Pavilion, Fira Barcelona Gran Via, to promote its revolutionary mission to democratize the Wi-Fi sector and its vision to become the new “Android of WiFi networks”.

The overwiew

Now more than ever, the Wi-Fi industry is facing the need for a new paradigm where vendor-lock logics are replaced by open network infrastructures that help to reduce CAPEX and OPEX costs. Two years of lockdown and the actual uncertainty generated by an impending global recession have urged small, medium, and enterprise MSPs, ISPs, and SPs to think of new strategies to cut unnecessary operating costs and to discover the potentiality of cloud-based managed solutions for remote network monitoring and management.

In this turbulent landscape, Tanaza continues to create value for its partners and users by allowing unprecedented efficiency in network management, and by freeing in general users from locked-in vertical solutions that impose a software/hardware bundle.

The Mobile World Congress 2023 is the ideal exhibition where Tanaza can connect directly with thousands of visionary senior executives and change-makers from the top global companies and from the most disruptive SMBs that support fast-changing innovation.

Meet our experts

At our stand, our experts will explain:

– how to speed up the WiFi Network installation process in the cloud through MAC address typing.

– how you can easily troubleshoot networks, enable SSIDs, configure IP addresses, set radio power and channels, and more.

– how MSPs, ISPs, and SPs professionals can take advantage of multiple integrations and add-ons from the official Tanaza Marketplace to customize their network architectures with some of the most advanced hotspot management and network monitoring solutions.

– the new stack of 1-click advanced networking features, including QoS for business applications, client isolation, assisted and fast roaming, sticky client auto disconnection, and much more.

– how Tanaza can significantly reduce CAPEX / OPEX spending in different sectors and industries.

– the entire selection of Tanaza Compatible Devices and Tanaza Powered Devices, what are the next devices available, and our roadmap for new interesting features.

Book a meeting with us

We are at booth 8.1A20.20 in the EIC Pavilion

Latest updates

Freemium Network Management Platform

Read more about the reasons behind the change to the freemium pricing model and the two new pricing plans, Basic and Pro.

6GHz Frequency Band

Read our guide to 6GHz for MSPs, ISPs, SPs. Learn more about benefits of the frequency band, features, differences with 2.4/5 GHz and more.

Edgecore EAP102T

Edgecore EAP102-T Wi-Fi6 Tanaza Powered Device

Thanks to the new strategic partnership among Tanaza and Edgecore Networks, Edgecore EAP102-T is now part of the Tanaza Powered Devices selection.

Is WiFi management technology a recession-proof investment for MSPs, ISPs and SPs?

Is WiFi management technology a recession-proof investment for MSPs, ISPs and SPs?

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why Wi-Fi management technology 
could be a recession-proof investment.

The following article expresses opinions based on previous economic studies and it has not valid scientific evidences.

Unlike other article with informative / scientific purposes, the following text is deliberately written to present what are the points in favor for evaluating an investment in Wi-Fi management technologies during an economic recession.

Nobody can predict the long-term course of an economic downturn and for this reason the following analysis is based on studies and economic sources that concern the current economic landscape, what other companies are doing, what ChatGPT in Bing search suggests in February 2023.

The following information may change while this article is online

[○ LAST UPDATE – 13th February 2023].

The last analysis by the Bureau of Economic Analysis on Q1, Q2, and Q3 for U.S. gross domestic product (GDP) has shown the first signals for the next global recession. Q4 and the first forecasts for 2023 seem to re-confirm this trend.

Should MSPs, ISPs, and SPs invest in WiFi Management technology? How are the major players in the market approaching the recession? And, why could WiFi cloud management be considered a recession-proof investment?

In Tanaza, we tried to answer these questions, which are popular among our users and in general in the industry. We have analyzed the situation by considering recent economic publications, avoiding as best of our possibilities forced-optimistic biased data.

The networking industry has not faced a similar economic scenario, and for this reason, it’s quite difficult to create comparisons with the past. The 2008-2009 Great Recession was different, the industry itself was organized differently.
Furthermore, the current economic environment includes complicating factors, such as inflation and the war in Ukraine. Consider the following answers as a point of reference to understand what’s happening in a dynamic contest.

Should MSPs, ISPs and SPs invest in WiFi Cloud Management solutions?

MSPs, ISPs, and SPs should not be afraid of a drastic drop in Wi-Fi demand. A study by Recon Analytics presented by FierceWireless explains that “Americans and world-wide citizens are prioritizing home internet and mobile service over most other recurring bills they have.” The domestic market will prefer to invest in Wi-Fi technology because it’s more economic than mobile data, and this technology offers major control over signal features. This trend seems to be confirmed by the study of Marketsandmarkets.com about the WiFi global market size. The market will grow from USD 12.3 billion in 2022 to USD 31.3 billion in 2027, at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 20.4% during at least 2 years of recession.
Researchandmarket.com refers to how the Wi-Fi market is projected to reach a value of US$ 54.53 billion by 2027, exhibiting a CAGR of 13.70% during the same period 2022-2027.

With a similar expansion in a turbulent economy, Wi-Fi is considerably a recession-proof investment for MSPs, ISPs, and SPs.
Also if there are different economic schools of thought about the gravity of the recession, cloud technology shows in general to be resilient to the recession.
Fortune Business Insights affirms that the market is expected to grow from USD 130.69 billion in 2021 to USD 716.52 billion in 2028 at a CAGR of 27.5% during the 2021-2028 period.

To guarantee the highest transparency and not influence with forcibly positive numbers, we have selected these data sources because they have the most valuable and updated methodologies of primary and secondary research and data triangulation.

Investment in a WiFi cloud management solution is highly recommended. Tanaza allows to configure, manage and monitor high-scalable networks helping MSPs, ISPs and SPs to maintain certain stability also during downturns.

What does ChatGPT in Bing Search answer?

ChatGPT in Bing Search is currently (February 2023) one of the most advanced AI search engines to aggregate the most valuable data and answers on the Web.

ChatGPT’s answers may have biases (they are not published on academic publications/peer-to-review patents) but, in general, they contain authoritative information extracted from the main economical sources that monitor how the recession could impact.

Here is the ChatGPT answer to the question “Is WiFi management technology a recession-proof investment for MSPs, ISPs and SPs?
“It is difficult to say definitively whether investing in WiFi management technology is a recession-proof investment for MSPs, ISPs and SPs. However, there are several factors that suggest that demand for WiFi management technology may remain relatively stable even during economic downturns.

First, wireless Internet usage continues to increase as more and more devices and services rely on wireless connectivity. This means that there is likely to be continued demand for reliable and efficient WiFi networks and the tools to manage them.

In addition, many companies and organizations have embraced remote working and virtual collaboration because of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has created a need for secure and reliable WiFi networks both at work and at home. This trend may continue even when the pandemic subsides.

That said, it is worth noting that the technology industry as a whole may be affected by economic downturns, and MSPs, ISPs, and SPs may see a breakthrough in demand for their services during such periods. However, given the continued growth in wireless Internet use, investment in WiFi management technology could still be a relatively stable investment in the long run.”

Why could WiFi cloud management be considered a recession-proof investment?

Considering the data presented in the previous chapter, WiFi cloud management solutions can be considered a recession-proof investment.
People need WiFi more than ever and they are ready to renounce other domestic services just to be able to work, play, and stay connected with friends and the world.
The quality of the required connection is increasing.
Investing in Tanaza, MSPs, ISPs, and SPs can decrease their CAPEX / OPEX saving money to re-invest in:

– research and development;
– avoid employee layoffs;
– create a solid resistance to market fluctuations.

Invest in the Tanaza Wi-Fi management solution

Configure and manage multi-vendor cloud networks and scale your business smartly.
Reduce CAPEX / OPEX of your infrastructure.

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