Wavelink promotes hands-off management of hands-free technology
By Dann Anthony Maurno, contributing editor -- Manufacturing Business Technology, 11/1/2005 7:00:00 AM
Wireless LANs offer many advantages over traditional hardwired networks, but cost-of-ownership isn't necessarily among them.
A recent report from Boston-based IT research firm Summit Strategies reveals many enterprises are surprised at how long it takes to recoup their investments in wireless LANs. The primary reason for the surprise is IT professionals generally don't anticipate the amount of hands-on attention this hands-free technology demands.
The report, titled Rapid Payback: Managing WLANS for Maximum ROI, indicates the most time-consuming aspects of managing wireless LANs revolve around security.
During the initial setup, firewalls and data encryption keys must be established to keep hackers from breaking in and stealing data. After that, access points must be updated periodically with new firmware—often as frequently as once every two months. It's also a good idea to change those encryption keys and user passwords on a regular basis.
While all this can get cumbersome, Wavelink, a supplier of wireless network management software, believes recent enhancements to its Avalanche suite can make it less of a burden, particularly for companies relying on wireless LANs to support automated data-collection processes.
"We refer to the wireless life cycle," Says Martin Brewer, Wavelink's director of technical strategy. "You have to be able to manage the cost of deploying and securing the wireless LAN. Those are the variables that erode the return-on-investment you use to justify going wireless in the first place."
Avalanche offers a central console for managing the equipment and devices running on a wireless network. Brewer says the suite is unique in the industry because it can control devices from multiple manufacturers. He contends most wireless networks are managed by proprietary software purchased from the same company that supplied the mobile hardware. Thus, he says, companies often find themselves deploying multiple separate wireless networks. But with Avalanche, he says, that's no longer necessary.
Brewer says Avalanche offers complete hands-free management of wireless networks, including the ability to configure the network, synchronize all necessary software, and update firmware and drivers. Recent enhancements include a "scan to configure" feature, which allows system administrators to ship devices to the field with preprinted bar codes. Authorized users can then connect the device and configure it for the network by simply scanning the bar code.
A remote-control feature lets administrators take control of any device on the network from a remote location to perform diagnostics or troubleshooting.
Wavelink Avalanche hands-off management enhancements
| Feature name | Capability |
| Scan to configure | System administrators can ship pre-configured mobile devices to the field, where users connect them to the network with a simple bar-code scan. |
| Remote control | System administrators can take control of any device on the network from a central location to perform diagnostics or troubleshooting. |
