Cisco UK: Businesses Need to Improve Wireless Networks
In a world with increasing numbers of mobile smart devices, Cisco believes businesses need to focus on their wireless networks.
As adoption of smartphones and tablets continues to grow, more and more companies are employing BYOD policies and people are taking these mobile devices to work. However, with the types of devices being used on corporate networks, businesses need to rethink how they're running their networks. Specifically, Cisco UK believes businesses need to focus on making their wireless networks as reliable as their fixed line networks.
IDG cites Sarah Eccleston, head of borderless networks for Cisco UK and Ireland, as saying businesses need to beef up their wireless networks to ensure employees, clients and visitors get the same level of service on their mobile devices that they have come to expect on their PCs and laptops via a wired connection.
"In a traditional world, if your wireless network wasn't performing reliably, you simply plugged in your Ethernet cable. But you can't plug an Ethernet cable into a tablet or smart device because it doesn't have an Ethernet port," Eccleston is quoted as saying. "The wireless network is becoming more and more relevant and can't just be a best efforts technology any more."
Eccleston goes on to say that the biggest issue is making wireless networks as fast as fixed networks. Though the number of connections to a fixed line network is restricted by the number of ethernet ports, the number of mobile devices on a wireless network can vary at any given time. Then there are the tasks of improving speed and reliability.
Eccleston says if business don't boost their wireless networks, they'll fall behind.
"If organisations don't improve their wireless capability then they can't really truly enable these devices for productivity, and that has all kinds of implications in terms of employee satisfaction, and the ability to recruit and retain younger talent," she's quoted as saying.
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Cisco: Wireless Networks Need to Catch Up with Fixed Line
Jane McEntegart is a writer, editor, and marketing communications professional with 17 years of experience in the technology industry. She has written about a wide range of technology topics, including smartphones, tablets, and game consoles. Her articles have been published in Tom's Guide, Tom's Hardware, MobileSyrup, and Edge Up.
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EDVINASM In other words not enough new Cisco approved tech is going into today's businesses. In theory what they want is us to abandon secure and simple wired networks (easy to troubleshoot too) and get on WiFi wagon with new expensive tech with security holes, patch them up with extra hardware and maintain by training IT with Cisco programmes that costs thousands. Yep..Reply -
azgard A Bad DayExcuse me, what are the the purpose of tablets in business?Reply
What do you think UPS and FedEx use? -
EDVINASM azgardWhat do you think UPS and FedEx use?Reply
Very good point. You have to weight all the criteria into consideration. If having Wireless is huge timesaver - go for it. But then again that is probably already in place since we are in a hole for past 5 years... However I have seen businesses having WiFi for no reason really. And all employees do is just browse net while having a cigarette. It's a big investment. Cisco is brave but.. Too luxurious for most. -
rebel1280 I don't see why most businesses would need WiFi and it opens a BIIIIG can of worms for PCI Compliance. We actually pay for small DSL line to keep it completely separate from out network in our employees break room. Its small, tiny radius (so it wont bleed into the call center) and did i mention its off our corp network? And UPS and FedEx don't need WiFi on their "tablets" at their pickup locations. That's their concern not mine and though i don't know much about their tracking scanner but I'm pretty sure they don't use a/b/g/n WiFi.Reply -
eddieroolz I disagree. Corporations should be using wired network as much as possible in the interests of securing the connections.Reply