It’s no secret that enterprises are wild about mobility — just check soaring sales of smartphones and laptops.
But wireless in the enterprise hasn’t yet reached the dream of flowing business-critical applications across an all (or mostly) wireless internal network.
Ironically, that dream is near and yet so far away. The enabling technology, the IEEE Wi-Fi 802.11n standard, which promises better wireless predictability, reliability as well as speeds of at least 600Mpbs, has been in Draft 2.0 mode for some time.
Organizations who want it right now can buy access points based on the draft from veteran Cisco Systems to upstart Meru Networks.
Yet most North American organizations are shying away from “n,” and not merely because the standard hasn’t been finalized. That won’t be done by the IEEE until next year, by all accounts.
The Wi-Fi Alliance, an industry trade group, insists the draft standard will be close to the final and that hardware will simply be updated through software. Sales of “n” gear so far “exceeded all expectations,” insists Edgar Figueroa, the group’s executive director. This year nearly half of the Wi-Fi chipsets shipped will include the ability to use 802.11n.
Tremendous interest
Industry analysts and some network manufacturers say most organizations have tremendous interest in the technology. But at the same time they acknowledge that many buyers are holding on to their chequebooks.
802.11n is what industry analysts call a disruptive technology — that is, disruptive to existing Wi-Fi networks using the 802.11a, b or g standards. Network managers have to rip and replace all their access points because “n” doesn’t play nicely with its slower siblings, says Nick Jones, research vice-president and distinguished analyst at Gartner who specializes in mobile and wireless technologies.
They may have to rework their wireless coverage areas, upgrade their backbone wiring to 1Gbps, and if running Power over Ethernet, find more power.
And why rush if only a minority of laptops and dual-mode smartphones have “n” chips?
“We don’t expect 11n shipments will take over classic b/g in corporations until 2010,” says Jones.
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Consider this telling statistic: According to IDC, unit shipments of wireless enterprise LAN products worldwide (excluding NICs) dropped 7.4 per cent between the fourth quarter of last year and the first quarter of this year.
“We haven’t seen a decline like that in a while,” says Dan Corsetti, IDC’s senior enterprise wireless analyst.
The fact that 11n access points still cost three times as much as b/g hardware is a factor, he says, but the requirement to either rip out existing 802.11 networks or only install 11n in new buildings is a “huge impediment.” Remember those vendor press releases proudly announcing wins? Read them carefully. Corsetti says they aren’t migrations, but greenfield installations.
Kyle Klassen, Nortel’s director of enterprise mobility solutions, is enthusiastic about 11n’s potential for creating an all-wireless network.
“I think it will be a catalyst” for change, he says, enabling organizations to rethink workflows, improve collaboration, save cellular costs by running Voice over Wi-Fi and make it easier for offices to move desks around. It could even slash the size and cost of wiring closets, he points out.
But even he admits that the lack of a finalized standard, clients and price is holding back many network buyers.
And as 11n is honed, it will get faster, he adds. While the promise is up to 600Mbps, the Draft 2.0 version only supports spatial streams of about half that — theoretically — another reason many buyers are taking their time.
3G architectures
Meanwhile 11n is not the only big news in enterprise wireless. There are a number of what Corsetti calls third-generation architecture companies offering new ways of building wireless.
These include Extricom, a Tel Aviv-headquartered company, whose “channel blanket” approach to VoWi-Fi adds intelligent routing to reduce network traffic. Similarly, access points from Aerohive Networks of Santa Clara, Calif., use what it calls co-operative control to get the benefits of a controller-based wireless LAN but without requiring a controller or an overlay network. The APs share information to enable functions such as fast Layer 2/Layer 3 roaming, co-operative RF management, security and mesh networking. Ruckus Wireless of Sunnyvale, Calif., claims its RF routing technology allows signals to be focused and directed over the best performing paths.
However, according to Corsetti, Cisco Systems may again have stolen a march on the industry with its Cisco Motion strategy, announced in May.
The idea is to treat wireless as a platform for mobile applications. Ben Gibson, Cisco’s senior director of mobility solutions, said in an interview that given the capability, organizations will want to wirelessly tag and locate almost anything with an IP address that moves — laptops, mobile phones, server blades, medical equipment, and so on.
That will demand tight integration with wired and wireless networks, Corsetti said, an approach that an increasing number of network buyers are demanding to simplify network management.
Parts of Cisco Mobility, which includes the ability to unify networks are available now. Nortel has also seen the light. Klassen said that next year it will introduce a new series of 11n products whose wireless capabilities will eventually be included in its routers and switches, making for easier management.
Corsetti warns that pure-play wireless companies without wireline products will may be left out of such a vision.