Cisco Cisco Wireless Control System Version 4.0 Hoja De Datos
Customer Case Study
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Orthopedics Company Goes Global with Wireless
Smith & Nephew deploys a Unified Wireless Network at its headquarters and several
satellite offices.
Business Challenge
With annual sales of $2.5 billion, Smith & Nephew is
a global leader in developing and manufacturing
advanced medical devices. The company operates
four business units: Orthopaedic Reconstruction,
Orthopaedic Trauma and Clinical Therapies,
Endoscopy, and Advanced Wound Management.
Among its recent product advancements is the
renowned Birmingham Hip Resurfacing System,
which preserves a patient’s bone structure better
than traditional hip replacement.
In order to continue providing innovative medical
technology to its customers, Smith & Nephew must
keep up with the latest networking technology. With
operations in 33 countries, global connectivity is a
necessity. Five years ago, in order to support a
deployment of wireless scanning devices, the
company installed a wireless LAN of stand-alone
access points on the manufacturing floor of its
Memphis headquarters. More recently, the company
realized the need for a wireless LAN in its offices,
too.
“We had executives who, while in meetings and
away from their desks, needed true connectivity to
the network,” says Chris Graziosi, a network
architect at the company.
Because these executives often travel to keep apprised of company operations, officials at Smith &
Nephew wanted to extend WLAN access to several remote offices worldwide. Graziosi knew that
this would pose a management challenge because the company’s IT staff is relatively small. Of
Smith & Nephew’s 8500 employees, only four work support the global network for the
Reconstruction and Trauma business units. Furthermore, that entire IT staff is based at the
company’s headquarters. As a result, any global network that the company deployed required
centralized management tools.
Also, Smith & Nephew wanted to offer wireless network access to company guests, while making
sure to adhere to federal security standards. Because it keeps confidential data about prospective
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
SMITH & NEPHEW
●
Healthcare and manufacturing
●
Memphis, Tennessee
●
8500 employees
BUSINESS CHALLENGE
●
Provide ubiquitous wireless network access to
executives and other employees, both at
company headquarters and several remote
locations all over the world
company headquarters and several remote
locations all over the world
●
Manage a globally distributed wireless network
with a very limited IT staff
●
Provide the ability to track the location of
company assets
NETWORK SOLUTION
●
Quickly installed a Cisco Unified Wireless
Network at company headquarters
●
Expanded wireless coverage to more than 25
remote offices
●
Readied the network for location-based
services
BUSINESS RESULTS
●
A single IT staff member can remotely manage
a wireless network that spans multiple
continents—with plenty of time to spare for
other projects
continents—with plenty of time to spare for
other projects
●
Company executives and other office workers
can stay constantly connected to essential
business information during conference room
meetings and visits to remote offices
business information during conference room
meetings and visits to remote offices
●
Guests can access the Web without
compromising the company’s network security