Cisco Cisco Aironet 1130 AG Access Point Libro blanco

 

 
 

desktop CAGR for the same period is expected to grow by only 3 percent. To respond to this market transition, IT must be proactive or risk 

losing to more tech-savvy competitors. 

The preference for mobility within the enterprise can be seen by IT departments from both top down (upper management) and bottom up 

(department users). Upper management wants to improve their company’s competitive edge through faster decision-making, better access to 

information, and improved accuracy for employees. Users want to work more effectively from any location, whether they are at their desks, at 

any place within the enterprise environment, at home, or on the road. 

The drive for mobility in the enterprise, coupled with dramatic improvements in wireless networking technology, is reshaping the work habits 

and productivity of workers. IT departments are being asked to embrace the mobile wireless usage model to respond to the demands of both 

management and users.  

The benefits of wireless networking go beyond simply providing data transfer to mobile devices. Productivity has long been singled out by 

wireless advocates as being the primary reason for adopting wireless technology. Several studies quantify productivity gains from wireless 

networks. For example, a study completed in 2003 by NOP World Technology showed the average time saved per day as a result of wireless 

connectivity was 1.3 hours. An internal study conducted by the Cisco IT department, indicated that 95 percent of employees gained at least one 

hour per week of additional productive time. 

As the pervasiveness of wireless networking within the enterprise increases, so do the benefits. In addition to productivity gains, enterprises 

can take advantage of a variety of new mobility services—such as location, voice, guest access, and enhanced security—that allow businesses 

to reap additional benefits from the network by adding a mobility element to existing (and new) business applications. 

Thanks to the availability of these services, businesses can calculate a tangible return on investment (ROI) for each wireless application 

enabled by the network. For example, a business may implement an asset tracking application based on active Wi-Fi asset tags to decrease 

the cost and time associated with looking for and replacing high-value assets. Or a business deploying an in-building voice over wireless LAN 

service can decrease its dependency and the costs of cellular voice services for calls originating from the enterprise. 

The strong Cisco Systems and Intel partnership focuses on improving the business impact of technology. The Cisco Intel Alliance 

(www.ciscointelalliance.com) is the vehicle for both companies to collaborate in specific technology areas for the benefit of their mutual 

customers. The alliance provides: 

•  Tangible business value for technology adoption 
•  Business-class wireless networking solutions that seamlessly combine  

Intel

®

 Centrino

®

 mobile technology clients with the Cisco Unified Wireless Network 

•  Lower complexity of deployment and total cost of ownership (TCO) for businesses implementing  

and managing a pervasive wireless network 

 

Inadequate security has consistently been one of the biggest concerns IT departments raise about wireless networking. Wireless security has 

made great advances over the past few years thanks to the efforts of the IEEE and the Wi-Fi Alliance. New security standards like IEEE 802.11i 

and the Wi-Fi Alliance Wi-Fi Protected Access 2 (WPA2) have emerged to match the robust protection previously found on wired networks. 

Cisco and Intel continue to take the lead in these security standards bodies to focus on delivering a wireless solution that is as secure as the 

wired network, as well as to provide products designed to protect the enterprise against wireless security threats. Cisco delivered the Cisco 

Compatible Extensions program, of which Intel is a lead collaborator. Cisco Compatible Extensions incorporates the latest security standards 

and innovative security solutions, including authentication protocols like Extensible Authentication Protocol-Flexible Authentication via Secure 

Tunneling (EAP-FAST). 

The end result has been to dramatically improve the ability of the network to automatically identify, prevent, and adapt to security threats. Every 

device in the network—from clients to access points to wireless controllers and the management system—plays a part in securing the wireless 

network environment through a distributed defense. 

7/25/06