Cisco Cisco 2106 Wireless LAN Controller White Paper
Total Economic Impact Study of Unified Wireless Network
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Executive Summary
In February 2008, Cisco Systems commissioned Forrester Consulting to examine the total
economic impact and potential return on investment (ROI) that enterprises may realize by migrating
to a Cisco Unified Wireless Network. A Cisco Unified Wireless Network allows organizations to
standardize and centrally manage all of the various elements within their wireless network. This
study illustrates the financial impact of migrating to a controller-based, or centrally managed,
wireless architecture for an organization that previously deployed and managed autonomous
wireless solutions.
Forrester conducted in-depth interviews with four existing Cisco customers that had recently
migrated from autonomous wireless solutions to a centrally managed, wireless architecture. The
purpose of the interviews was to understand the key drivers for migration and to quantify the IT and
business benefits. Forrester found that as a result of the migration, the organizations achieved
operational cost savings including: improved network security, reduced on-going administration
costs, improved end-user productivity, and improved third-party guest access.
economic impact and potential return on investment (ROI) that enterprises may realize by migrating
to a Cisco Unified Wireless Network. A Cisco Unified Wireless Network allows organizations to
standardize and centrally manage all of the various elements within their wireless network. This
study illustrates the financial impact of migrating to a controller-based, or centrally managed,
wireless architecture for an organization that previously deployed and managed autonomous
wireless solutions.
Forrester conducted in-depth interviews with four existing Cisco customers that had recently
migrated from autonomous wireless solutions to a centrally managed, wireless architecture. The
purpose of the interviews was to understand the key drivers for migration and to quantify the IT and
business benefits. Forrester found that as a result of the migration, the organizations achieved
operational cost savings including: improved network security, reduced on-going administration
costs, improved end-user productivity, and improved third-party guest access.
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to provide readers with a framework to evaluate the potential financial
impact of Cisco Unified Wireless Network on their organizations. Forrester’s aim is to clearly show
all calculations and assumptions used in the analysis. Readers should use this study to better
understand and communicate a business case for investing in Cisco’s Unified Wireless Network.
impact of Cisco Unified Wireless Network on their organizations. Forrester’s aim is to clearly show
all calculations and assumptions used in the analysis. Readers should use this study to better
understand and communicate a business case for investing in Cisco’s Unified Wireless Network.
Methodology
Cisco selected Forrester for this project because of its industry expertise in wireless networking
technology and Forrester’s Total Economic Impact™ (TEI) methodology. TEI not only measures
costs and cost reduction (areas that are typically accounted for within IT) but also weighs the
enabling value of a technology in increasing the effectiveness of overall business processes.
technology and Forrester’s Total Economic Impact™ (TEI) methodology. TEI not only measures
costs and cost reduction (areas that are typically accounted for within IT) but also weighs the
enabling value of a technology in increasing the effectiveness of overall business processes.
For this study, Forrester employed four fundamental elements of TEI in modeling controller-based,
or centrally managed, wireless network infrastructure solutions:
or centrally managed, wireless network infrastructure solutions:
1. Costs and cost reduction.
2. Benefits to the entire organization.
3. Risk.
4. Flexibility.
Given the increasing sophistication that enterprises have regarding cost analyses related to IT
investments, Forrester’s TEI methodology serves an extremely useful purpose by providing a
complete picture of the total economic impact of purchase decisions. Please see Appendix A for
additional information on the TEI methodology.
investments, Forrester’s TEI methodology serves an extremely useful purpose by providing a
complete picture of the total economic impact of purchase decisions. Please see Appendix A for
additional information on the TEI methodology.
Approach
Forrester used a five-step approach for this study:
1. Forrester gathered data from existing Forrester research relative to mobility services and
the wireless LAN market, in general.