Consider ROI, security, and management before implementing a WLAN

Wireless connectivity offers many benefits: quick setup, untethered employees, networking flexibility, and relatively low costs. JP Gorsky, product line manager for Enterasys said, “I think one of the real compelling reasons beyond the 'gee whiz, it’s cool’ stuff is that it’s a very effective media for the last ten feet of connection." He offered an example: The convenience of a doctor doing the paperwork for a patient in the examining room instead of going back to an office for a wired connection may seem like a small thing. But it is this convenience--in dozens of instances a day--that creates efficiencies for the entire office.

For CIOs, determining whether wireless is a good investment in technology can be surprisingly complex. You must make decisions from an educated point of view. Throwing up a network without doing the necessary due diligence is far worse than bypassing the idea entirely. Let’s take a look at three areas that deserve special attention.

Issue one: ROI
“ROI on a WLAN happens very quickly, as accuracy is improved and work speeds greatly increase," said Dan Park, principal product manager for the wireless products group for Intermec. “Intermec generally sees a 12- to 18-month payback for these systems." However, ROI questions are difficult to answer, said Brice Clark, worldwide director of strategy and business planning for Hewlett-Packard’s ProCurve networking business unit. “The issues become far more complex when a campus-wide WLAN is deployed, as opposed to creating a wireless network in a cafeteria or a few conference rooms."

“Sometimes it’s hard to understand what the business productivity improvement is and what’s the cost," he said. “It’s like an onion: It looks real simple on the surface, but as you peel it away, you find that wireless technology is not the same as wired." Issues that must be dealt with going forward include design, deployment, management, and the cost of the equipment.

ROI won’t be realized, however, unless the job is done right. The first thing you and your staff must do is to learn about the various protocols that you may use. At various times, 802.11a, 802.11b, or 802.11g may be called for, alone or in combination. You must know for which application each is optimized and how they fit together. “One of the barriers is choosing. From the alphabet soup, which satisfies my requirements best?" Gorsky said.

Issue two: Security
Another element that an enterprise must be educated on is security. On one hand, WLANs--while terrific tools for the enterprise--can leave gaping security holes unless experts deploy them. On the other is the fact that technology and techniques exist to run very secure WLANs. The wired network itself must be operated more tightly. It is easy for employees to plug consumer wireless access points into their wired Ethernets. These ad hoc wireless connections--called rogue access points--introduce serious security issues.

Devin Akin, CTO of Planet3 Wireless, a vendor-neutral wireless network training and certification organization, said that many enterprises don’t make decisions in a sensible manner. They either go in without paying any attention to security or simply rule out WLANs because of an assumption that they are inherently insecure. The reality is that WLANs are insecure if not properly deployed and managed. If appropriate care is taken, they can be as secure as wired networks. “Most people don’t understand the security, that’s the problem," Akin said. However, standards are coming that will make these networks more secure.

Issue three: Management
A third area of concern is management of a burgeoning number of wireless access points. This goes hand-in-glove with the security issues. It goes beyond, however, in that a poorly managed WLAN may be secure, but simply won’t help the people using it.

“[IT] people know Ethernet inside and out," Gorsky said. “They need to understand the RF specifics that are part and parcel of wireless, including the range, how do you deploy so that there is solid coverage, and the kind of building materials you are going through."

Questions to ask before going wireless
Your organization must consider a number of standard questions before taking the plunge into WLANs. While these individually are not make-or-break issues, you must wrestle with them to make wise decisions on whether to deploy a WLAN and, if so, what type to use. Questions include:

 • How many mobile workers does your organization have?
 • What type of mobile workers are they? Do they travel to different parts of the building, work from home part-time, or travel the globe?
 • Does the enterprise employ temporary workers on a regular basis? “This could be a good reason to deploy a WLAN," said Planet3 CEO and cofounder Kevin Sandlin. For instance, if a seasonal business ramps up during the holidays or the summer, it may be a good idea to accommodate the computer needs of those extra workers with wireless connectivity.
 • Is the organization expanding? If the enterprise is taking over space across the hall or across the parking lot, a WLAN could be an alternative to extending the wired network.

The reality is that wireless local area networks can bring big benefits to an enterprise's communications infrastructure. Those interested, however, shouldn’t jump in before becoming educated on key ROI, security, and management-related issues.

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