Cognio today announced additions and enhancements to its line of Spectrum Expert spectrum management platforms, to support the rollout of new services such as wireless VoIP.

Spectrum Expert now gives IT managers the ability to create detailed device-versus-channel charts that quickly show the impact of specific devices on each Wi-Fi channel. Managers can then elect to remove, move, shield or replace specific devices to maximize Wi-Fi network performance.

Cognio has also added the ability for wireless techs to perform a full spectrum capture at remote sites that can be saved for later review and analysis, or transmitted via the wireless network back to headquarters for real-time analysis. This enables IT managers to create a baseline and compare spectrum changes over time.

Cognio's technology is unique in that it not only plots the energy of the spectrum but also lists the devices that are using the spectrum in real time. By understanding what devices are actively using the spectrum by name (such as cordless phone, Bluetooth device, microwave oven), Spectrum Expert helps enterprises set policies to deal with the consequences of intrusions into the spectrum.

"Enterprise Wi-Fi networks are no longer a best-effort convenience service for Internet connectivity and email; they are becoming an integral part of the IT department's overall network plan for innovative applications such as wireless VoIP," says William Flanagan, Vice President of Marketing at Cognio. "For these services to be effective, IT managers need to ensure that the underlying physical layer of the wireless network can consistently support these services, and if not, eliminate the interference."

Spectrum Expert 2.0 is available today for $3,995. The technology in Spectrum Expert is also available in other products from OEM vendors.