Cisco Cisco 2112 Wireless LAN Controller White Paper
Total Economic Impact Study of Unified Wireless Network
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The offering’s security enhancement feature enabled interviewees to monitor, detect, and shut
down rogue access points. The system adjusts coverage using access point transmission control
automatically and provides consistent availability. Based on the interviews, we estimate that the
composite organization will perform two site surveys annually at each of its four locations at a cost
of $10,000 per survey. After migration, the organization reduced the number of surveys per location
by 50%. Table 10 presents the annual cost savings of $40,000 (4*2*50%*$10,000).
down rogue access points. The system adjusts coverage using access point transmission control
automatically and provides consistent availability. Based on the interviews, we estimate that the
composite organization will perform two site surveys annually at each of its four locations at a cost
of $10,000 per survey. After migration, the organization reduced the number of surveys per location
by 50%. Table 10 presents the annual cost savings of $40,000 (4*2*50%*$10,000).
Table 10: Reduction In Site Survey Costs To Mitigate Security Risk
Ref.
Metric
Calculation
Per period
G1
Total number of sites surveyed
4
G2
Number of scheduled site surveys
2
G3 Reduction
in
site surveys
50%
G4
Site survey costs
$10,000
Gt
Reduction in on-going RF monitoring and rogue access
point detection
point detection
G1*G2*G3*G4 $40,000
Source: Forrester Research, Inc.
The controller’s ability to centrally manage access points reduced: 1) the administrative time to
troubleshoot and perform frequently scheduled wireless audit rotations, and 2) the effort to perform
site surveys to detect and eliminate rogue access point and mitigate security threats. As a result, it
also enabled interviewees to significantly reduce their help desk support costs within their
organizations. In the environment prior to the migration, these interviewed customers received as
many as 20 calls per day related to the wireless network, but after the migration, the numbers
dropped to approximately five calls per month. This shift impacted Tier 1 support as well as Tier 2
and Tier 3 support. Today, the majority of the calls are being managed by Tier 1 support or help
desk staff, and organizations have significantly reduced, and in some cases, eliminated the effort
previously required by Tier 2 and Tier 3 support.
troubleshoot and perform frequently scheduled wireless audit rotations, and 2) the effort to perform
site surveys to detect and eliminate rogue access point and mitigate security threats. As a result, it
also enabled interviewees to significantly reduce their help desk support costs within their
organizations. In the environment prior to the migration, these interviewed customers received as
many as 20 calls per day related to the wireless network, but after the migration, the numbers
dropped to approximately five calls per month. This shift impacted Tier 1 support as well as Tier 2
and Tier 3 support. Today, the majority of the calls are being managed by Tier 1 support or help
desk staff, and organizations have significantly reduced, and in some cases, eliminated the effort
previously required by Tier 2 and Tier 3 support.
To calculate this benefit, Forrester estimates that the composite organization responded to 1000
incidents annually prior to the migration and that it required 2 hours to rectify each incident. We
assume that prior to the migration 40% of incidents were managed by help desk and 60% by Tier 2
and Tier 3 support. After the migration, the support requests dropped; help desk saw a 40%
reduction in requests, and Tier 2 and Tier 3 support experienced an 85% reduction in support
requests. Table 11 demonstrates the annual cost savings of $88,000 for this category
(1000*2*(40%*40%*48+60%*85%*$72)).
incidents annually prior to the migration and that it required 2 hours to rectify each incident. We
assume that prior to the migration 40% of incidents were managed by help desk and 60% by Tier 2
and Tier 3 support. After the migration, the support requests dropped; help desk saw a 40%
reduction in requests, and Tier 2 and Tier 3 support experienced an 85% reduction in support
requests. Table 11 demonstrates the annual cost savings of $88,000 for this category
(1000*2*(40%*40%*48+60%*85%*$72)).