Senior Field Marketing Specialist - US Public Sector

Extreme previews on-prem AI zones for enterprise networks. Thu, 22nd Oct 2026 (Yesterday) Extreme Networks has previewed Exchange zones, an on-premises artificial intelligence infrastructure for enterprise networking. The product is due for general availability in the first half of CY27. The system is designed to let businesses run the same AI applications locally and in the cloud while controlling where data is processed and stored. Extreme is targeting organisations that want tighter oversight of data residency, less reliance on cloud links and greater use of hardware already installed across branch and edge sites. Under the design outlined by Extreme, each Exchange zone would combine either an Extreme Universal Compute Platform or a qualifying customer-owned server with spare processing capacity from access points and switches. Workloads would then be placed automatically according to customer rules on latency, resilience and data residency. Models would run locally by default, with cloud inference available only when policy allows. Any such cloud use would be logged, according to Extreme. The announcement reflects a broader shift in enterprise AI from centralised cloud deployments to distributed computing closer to where data is generated. That trend has been shaped by regulation, the cost of moving large volumes of data and the need for systems to keep operating when network connectivity is disrupted. Extreme is positioning the product around those pressures, particularly for regulated industries and businesses with dispersed operations that may need AI workloads to remain within a defined site and country boundary rather than flow to external cloud infrastructure. Edge focus The proposed architecture is also aimed at environments such as retail stores, warehouses and branch offices, where local decision-making can matter when links to central systems are weak or unavailable. In those settings, businesses have increasingly looked for ways to run AI tasks at the edge without building separate, dedicated infrastructure at each location. Exchange zones would allow organisations to pool compute resources from networking equipment already in place, including spare capacity on deployed access points and switches. Extreme argues that capacity can be redirected to AI applications and plug-ins. "We've spent decades building networks that reach every corner of the enterprise, and those networks hold a lot of idle compute. Exchange zones will put that compute to work, letting AI run locally on infrastructure customers already own. That delivers sovereignty, local inferencing, and better economics than sending everything to the cloud. Customers control their data, inference, and cost inside a boundary they define, with a record of every exception. No one is better positioned to bring AI to the edge than Extreme. We already run the networks where that work happens," said Nabil Bukhari, Chief Technology Officer and President of AI Platforms, Extreme Networks. Extreme said its networking products generate large volumes of operational data that can be used not only for network management but also for areas such as security, logistics and business operations. Exchange zones are intended to keep that data on premises for AI use cases that, in Extreme's view, are harder to support in a cloud-only model. Market context The move comes as infrastructure providers compete to define where enterprise AI workloads should run and who controls the software layer through which customers access models and applications. Many suppliers have focused on public cloud services, while others are trying to build hybrid systems that can move workloads between customer sites and remote infrastructure. For networking vendors, the case for edge AI rests partly on installed base. Access points, switches and related hardware are already spread across large enterprises, giving suppliers a route to offer local processing without requiring a full rebuild of branch technology estates. Brandon Butler, IDC Senior Research Manager, Networking and Infrastructure Services, said the approach addressed a gap in current AI distribution models. "As AI moves toward the distributed sites where enterprise data is generated, organisations need to run AI applications on-premises to meet data sovereignty requirements and control inferencing cost - yet many AI marketplaces still assume a cloud-only model. Exchange zones is an innovative approach that brings a marketplace of AI applications to customer premises, using spare capacity in existing network infrastructure to keep data local," said Butler. Extreme said Exchange zones will sit within a broader enterprise software stack that includes its network infrastructure, Platform ONE management and security layer, AI tools and Agent ONE interface, as well as Exchange for AI applications. The company is seeking to tie those layers together around the idea that data originates in the network and can be processed closer to that source rather than being sent automatically to the cloud. Whether customers adopt that model at scale is likely to depend on how much unused compute exists in current deployments, how easily workloads can be orchestrated across mixed hardware, and whether the operational savings outweigh the added complexity of managing AI across distributed sites. Each zone would be bound to a single site in a single country, with records showing what remained local, what crossed the boundary and why, and which model was resident, according to Extreme.

Roundup: Apple's UWB, Realtek's Wi-Fi 8, Extreme Networks wins award, Brazil's 6 GHz dispute continues, & Japan's Wi2 extends OpenRoaming. October 18, 2026 | WEEKLY NEWS BRIEF | by Claus Hetting, Wi-Fi NOW CEO & Chairman By Claus Hetting, WiFi NOW CEO & Chairman Apple brings UWB-based hands-free access to the smart home. This past week Apple introduced its new Home Collection - developed in cooperation with LG Electronics and Schneider Electric - including an LG Smart Deadbolt Lock that uses ultra-wideband for hands-free access. According to Apple's October 13 announcement, the lock can detect when an authorised user carrying a compatible iPhone or Apple Watch approaches and unlock automatically without requiring a tap. It also supports Matter and Aliro and can continue core access functions locally even without an Internet connection. Aliro is a Connectivity Standards Alliance (CSA) standard for digital access credentials - essentially a common framework for using phones, smartwatches, and other devices as secure digital keys. Apple says that the wider Apple Home Collection integrates with Apple Home, while individual products support technologies including Matter, Thread, Bluetooth and UWB depending on the device. Apple's backing could accelerate UWB as a mainstream secure-access technology for the home while reinforcing a multi-radio architecture in which UWB provides precise proximity detection and technologies such as Bluetooth, Thread, and Matter handle complementary connectivity and interoperability functions. Network X: Realtek showcases Wi-Fi 8 router solutions with Multi-AP Coordination. Last week chipmaker Realtek outlined its Wi-Fi 8 strategy at Network X 2026, including next-generation router solutions featuring Multi-AP Coordination. According to Realtek's announcement, the technology is designed to reduce interference between mesh nodes while improving uplink performance at network edges, dead zones, and difficult locations such as garages. Realtek also says its Wi-Fi 8 platform will support more seamless roaming between access points, with an emphasis on reliability, low latency, and energy efficiency rather than higher peak speeds alone. Realtek is a major supplier of connectivity silicon for high-volume broadband and consumer networking equipment. The company's move into Wi-Fi 8 could help bring advanced coordination features into a broad range of operator gateways and routers and not only premium products. Sagemcom positions Wi-Fi 8 as part of a broader operator services platform. Sagemcom used Network X 2026 to showcase next-generation broadband platforms combining Wi-Fi 8, 50G-PON, DOCSIS 4.0, and 5G Advanced with open software and AI-driven services. According to Sagemcom's October 13 announcement, the new solutions have been tested in industry plugfests and are available with both prpl and RDK middleware. The company's software stack includes device management, remote service deployment without full firmware upgrades, AI-assisted customer support and cybersecurity functions. Sagemcom This means that Sagemcom is presenting Wi-Fi 8 not simply as a new radio generation but as part of a programmable broadband platform. For operators, Sagemcom's approach could make it easier to deploy new services, manage mixed access networks, and evolve gateway functionality independently of the underlying hardware. Extreme Networks wins WBA award for multi-beam stadium Wi-Fi. Extreme Networks has won the Wireless Broadband Alliance's 2026 Best Wi-Fi Network Technology Award for its Multi-Beam Wireless solution for stadiums and other large public venues. According to the WBA's announcement, the technology creates multiple independent coverage sectors from a single installation point, reducing cabling, access-point density, and deployment complexity while maintaining capacity in high-density environments. Large public venues are among the most demanding Wi-Fi environments, and reducing infrastructure requirements could materially lower deployment costs. Extreme Networks is also using the technology to strengthen its position in a segment where Cisco has traditionally been dominant. Brazil's 6 GHz dispute intensifies as providers push for AFC-based sharing. Brazil's 6 GHz spectrum debate is intensifying as regional broadband providers challenge the country's allocation of much of the upper 6 GHz band to mobile services. According to Folha de S.Paulo, provider association Abrint is advocating greater spectrum access for Wi-Fi, including possible sharing using Automated Frequency Coordination (AFC). Mobile operators represented by Conexis oppose the proposal, arguing that the spectrum will be needed for future 5G and 6G capacity. Regulator Anatel remains cautious because of interference concerns but has left the door open to further technical trials. The outcome could materially affect future Wi-Fi 7 and Wi-Fi 8 capabilities in Brazil. Brazil's initial 6 GHz decision from 2023 included allocating the full 6 GHz band to Wi-Fi with AFC - read more here. Japan's Wi2 expands OpenRoaming across more than 20 municipalities. Wire and Wireless Co. (Wi2) - a KDDI group company - has been recognised by the Wireless Broadband Alliance for an OpenRoaming deployment spanning more than 20 municipalities in Japan. According to the WBA's October 15 announcement, the deployment connects previously fragmented public Wi-Fi networks and allows residents and visitors to connect automatically and securely without repeated registrations or captive portals. Coverage includes Tokyo, Osaka, transport hubs, tourist destinations, and designated emergency evacuation centres. The project demonstrates OpenRoaming at a municipal scale and provides a practical model for seamless public Wi-Fi across different local authorities.