As wireless local area networks continue to permeate the enterprise market, corporate IT managers are faced with having to learn how to integrate the new technology into a working environment. Recent reports have noted enterprises implementing wireless LANs onto their networks not only allow easier access for employees, but an increase in productivity.
According to a recent report from Sage Research Inc. titled “WLANs: Improving Productivity and Quality of Life,” a wireless LAN user can save up to eight hours per week vs. a wired LAN user. “Of course, time savings equates to monetary savings. Using these figures, on average, a wireless LAN user saves his or her organization $260.50 per week due to time savings,” the report noted.
For those IT staffs still resistant to introducing another component into the enterprise network due to the potential for complications, Wavelink Corp. unveiled Mobile Manager 5.0. The management software is designed to allow network administrators to install and manage wireless networks, including multisite wireless LAN installations from a central location using a single management console.
“The idea that an enterprise is going to replace its IT staff with one with different skill sets is not realistic,” said Bob Whelan, president and chief executive officer of Wavelink Corp. “So, we have to provide a good migration path for the enterprise.”
Employing what it calls “intelligent agents,” Mobile Manager automatically discovers access points on the network and configures them according to pre-defined profiles, turning the access points into plug-and-play components. Eric Hermelee, vice president of marketing for Wavelink, explained setting up a remote WLAN access point site takes less than one minute.
Wavelink noted the software agents also proactively initiate routine updates to network settings including firmware upgrades, to either local or remote wireless LAN locations. If a problem is found on the network by the routine updates, Mobile Manager allows automatic alert notifications to be sent to either an e-mail address or to a pager.
Mobile Manager also allows IT managers to unite access points from a variety of vendors onto one network. The supported vendors include Cisco Systems, Symbol, Intel and Ericsson.
Another issue IT managers have to worry about with implementing wireless LANs is security concerns. While there have been recent reports of security flaws in popular wireless LAN technologies, Wavelink noted the problem is not with the protocols but with how enterprises are setting up their security settings.
To help with access to the security measures, Wavelink said its Mobile Manager simplifies the task of managing access point security settings such as network identifications and wired equivalent privacy encryption keys. The software constantly checks for new users on the network, and if their ID does not fit the pre-defined list, Mobile Manager can shut off and isolate the access point immediately.
“There are features in access points that control security,” Hermelee said. “But, unless you have access to these controls, they are of little use to the enterprise.”
Sage Research noted most of the respondents to its survey concerned about security issues with wireless LANs did not report any incidents of data being intercepted as a result of using the wireless network.
“We have a lot of experience with enterprises and with their needs,” Whelan explained. “Our intellectual property in the devices is what sets us apart in the market.”
