Reliability and security depend more on corporate policies than technology

Wireless networks offer the ability to deploy people and equipment wherever they are needed at a given time, but they also are more susceptible to crashes and security breaches than their wired counterparts.

And while wireless technology suppliers are taking steps to guard against these vulnerabilities, industry analysts contend the strongest line of defense around a wireless network is a good set of corporate policies governing their use.

"Many companies have wireless networks up and running somewhere in their buildings before the IT department even knows about it," says Stan Schatt, a VP with Forrester Research, Cambridge, Mass. Such unauthorized networks are popping up because wireless equipment, particularly for office settings, is easy to install and cheap enough to purchase with department funds.

But as Schatt points out, these rogue networks pose the greatest security threat because the people installing them typically give little thought to network security. In many cases, vendors actually have turned off security features to make their equipment easier to install, and thus easier to sell.

These issues are lessened, although not eliminated, if all wireless networks are installed and managed by a central IT organization. In addition to being more security conscious, Schatt says, IT professionals are more likely to address questions about network reliability.

The reliability issue is especially important for wireless networks that are expected to run in factories, where the presence of metal and other materials can interfere with network transmissions. Wireless equipment vendors typically conduct site surveys before a network is installed to ensure that the proper numbers of antennae are installed in the right locations to keep signals flowing. But even the best survey is not foolproof.

"Conditions change over time," Schatt says. "If you move a desk or someone brings in an aquarium or a big plant, that could be enough to disrupt the wireless signal."

Vendors have responded with software that allows monitoring wireless networks for potential failures, but these products—from companies including WhereNet, Wavelink, AirMagnet, and Air Defense—have their limitations. For instance, a monitoring application can tell an administrator that the signal is degrading at a certain point on a network, but it can't stop the signal from being interrupted. These warnings from a monitoring application typically are used to determine whether a network needs to be fortified either by adding more antennas or repositioning existing antennas.

If a network interruption occurs, users typically are knocked completely out of whatever application they are using. They are forced to log in again and start the job over.

A company called eBusiness Solution Pros (eSP) has an application it claims can solve that problem. Mike Pagani, an eSP director, says coupling this application, called Stay-Linked, with a wireless network management package will allow users to "return to the same screen they were in, with the cursor positioned for their next task," following a wireless network disruption. "We can't stop the disruption," he says, "but we can stop the loss of productivity that it causes."

Schatt says the right set of corporate policies governing the use of wireless networks can go further than any software application in making those networks both reliable and secure.