SUNNYVALE, CA--(Marketwired - May 14, 2015) - Meru Networks® (NASDAQ: MERU), a leader in intelligent Wi-Fi networking, today announced a strategic relationship with WestconGroup, the leading value-added global distributor of security, unified communications, network infrastructure and data center solutions, to deliver the first subscription-based Wi-Fi-as-a-Service (WaaS) offering for small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs). The offering, based on Meru XPress Cloud, is designed to give businesses of all sizes the ability to support the high density of mobile devices in the workplace. XPress Cloud is unlike other enterprise-class offerings on the market today because it can be quickly deployed by office staff with little or no IT experience and easily managed through a cloud-based service with 24x7 support in a pay-as-you-go subscription model.

"According to analyst firm IDC, cloud-managed Wi-Fi is set to reach $2.5 billion in 20181," said Don Trimble, vice president of WW Channels and Cloud Sales at Meru. "SMEs require the security and reliability of enterprise-grade wireless networks, but they often do not have the luxury of large enterprise IT departments. By introducing this subscription-based WaaS model to the channel with WestconGroup, Meru is helping SMEs get affordable enterprise-grade Wi-Fi that can be seamlessly deployed and easily managed without substantial IT overhead. Meru is pleased to be the first to offer SMEs with a subscription-based WaaS model that fits their unique business needs." 

The Meru XPress Cloud is a controller-less 802.11ac Wi-Fi solution featuring cloud-based management that is purpose-built for SMEs and distributed enterprises. The XPress Cloud portfolio includes the new Meru XP8i access point, with management software hosted by Meru and delivered through industry-leading, highly-secure data center providers worldwide. With Meru XPress Cloud, only network management traffic traverses the cloud; all corporate data remains behind the firewall. With the new subscription-based model, SMEs can make WaaS an operational expense, scaling costs as they grow or downsize.

"Our partners are focused on providing innovative and cost-effective solutions for their customers and the Meru XPress Cloud WaaS is such a solution," said Barat Dickman, vice president and general manager of WestconGroup's Unified Communications and Collaboration practice. "With this offering, WestconGroup is giving resellers the power to enable Wi-Fi for the SME market."

In addition, Meru XPress Cloud service provides a complete white-label capability that can help resellers promote their brand to end customers by providing the XPress Service Provider (XSP) the ability to customize their unique content for their dedicated Managed Services Provider (MSP) Portal.

Meru and WestconGroup have maintained a relationship for more than a decade with distribution in more than 17 countries worldwide. Meru maintains a highly selective and supportive partner program, providing participants with broad access to resources to ensure the delivery of world-class solutions to market. WestconGroup will be the first distributor of the subscription-based XPress Cloud offering. WestconGroup guides resellers to profitability, allowing customers to secure what matters most. From evaluation, pre-design and planning to technical enablement and educational support, the company offers the support necessary to ensure partners thrive in the challenging business environment.

"With the increasing demand from our customers to have all IT as-a-service, it is great to finally have a solution to provide them wireless within the same model," said Jason Malloney, director of Technology Service with INNOVEX. "Subscription-based wireless-as-a-service with Meru Networks allows our business to expand our enterprise cloud portfolio. Meru's distribution partnership with WestconGroup also affords our business to buy wireless for our customers on a pay-as-you-go model, allowing us to pay on the same billing cycle as we receive monthly recurring revenue."

For more information about XPress Cloud, please visit http://cloud.merunetworks.com/. 

About Meru Networks
Meru Networks (NASDAQ: MERU) is a leader in intelligent 802.11ac Wi-Fi solutions delivering uninterrupted user experience for education, healthcare, hospitality and enterprise. The Meru open-standards-based architecture is designed to enable unified management of wired and wireless networks. Its end-to-end application QoS enables enforceable service-level agreements. Meru provides top performance and high capacity in high-density environments. Visit www.merunetworks.com or call (408) 215-5300 for more information.

©2015 Meru Networks. Meru and Meru Networks are registered trademarks and the Meru logo is a trademark of Meru Networks, Inc. in the United States.

About WestconGroup
 WestconGroup Inc. is a value-added distributor of category-leading unified communications, network infrastructure, data center, and security solutions with a global network of specialty resellers. The company goes to market under the Comstor and Westcon brands. WestconGroup's teams are located in 60+ countries around the globe, create unique programs and provide exceptional support to accelerate the business of its global partners. Strong relationships enable partners to receive support tailored to their needs. From global logistics and flexible customized financing solutions to pre-sales, technical and engineering assistance, the company works with partners to respond with agility and speed to changing market conditions so they can achieve the fastest time to revenue. WestconGroup's portfolio of market-leading vendors includes: Cisco, Avaya, Polycom, Check Point, F5, Palo Alto and Blue Coat, among others. For more information, please visit www.westcongroup.com. 

1 IDC, Cloud-Managed WiFi Set to Grow to $2.5 Billion by 2018, Doc # 247738, March 2014