In 2008, the demand for wireless networks will continue to grow as network speeds and performance improve
Over the next year, enterprises will understand that WEP is obsolete – better measures must be taken to ensure effective wireless network security
802.11n and high speed networks will help drive the wireless industry in 2008
The next 12 months will see an even bigger increase in “non traditional” products that are Wi-Fi enabled and that need access to the network – an example of these are commercial fridge’s that have built in temperature monitoring
The voice over wireless market will boom in 2008 as the number of dual-mode Wi-Fi and cellular phones continues to increase
The wireless industry has gone from strength to strength over the past year – after a bumpy adolescence, 2007 was the year that wireless grew up. The boom in city-wide networks and dual-mode Wi-Fi enabled phones has added to this growth, with enterprises realising that Wi-Fi provision can help increase productivity, flexibility and boost the bottom line through increased remote working facilities and lowered communications costs.
AirMagnet predicts 40 per cent market growth in the wireless industry in 2008. According to recent Gartner research, laptop shipments are set to grow by 19 per cent per until 2011, exceeding desktop shipment growth that is predicted to increase by just 4 per cent per year. As the majority of laptops are Wi-Fi enabled, AirMagnet predicts that remote working and laptop sales growth will continue to be key drivers for wireless in 2008.
Wireless security in 2008
43 per cent of companies who have so far resisted wireless adoption in the workplace have done so because they are concerned about how to ensure the wireless network’s security. Security concerns will continue to be an issue in 2008, and organisations must understand that whilst WEP was sufficient to protect the network several years ago, it is now obsolete as hackers are becoming increasingly more sophisticated.
Point monitoring using a mobile device or laptop solution helps increase network security by allowing users to identify isolated risks and troubleshoot the network to protect users.
802.11n
The new high speed Wi-Fi standard, 802.11n, promises users increased network speeds and reliability with raw data throughput theoretically capable of reaching as much as 600 Mbps, over 10 times that of 802.11g. Demand for 802.11n networks is set to be a key driver for wireless networks in 2008 as organisations look to increase speed and bandwidth for data intensive applications. However to achieve the expected performance and throughput, careful planning and implementation analysis should be undertaken. As more vendors begin to deploy 802.11n, organisations will look at implementing these networks as opposed to expanding existing networks.
Voice over wireless
With the increase in the number of dual-mode Wi-Fi and cellular phones in 2007, we will see this continue to increase in 2008 as businesses seek to deploy voice over wireless technologies in the enterprise. The convenience and cost savings offered by the technology may have it poised for tremendous growth, but for the application to truly become widespread it has to be as reliable as traditional fixed-line voice services. In order to cope with this increased demand for voice over wireless enabled phones, organisations must optimise wireless access points already installed as well as investing in additional access points where necessary to support additional traffic. Effective wireless network planning is key to ensuring the success of voice over wireless.
Wireless performance in 2008
Wired networks are no longer less reliable than their wired counterparts. In 2008 organisations will continue to strive for optimal network speed and network performance. In order to ensure this, they need to plan ahead using Wi-Fi survey tools for optimal access point positioning.