Computer users love the mobility offered by notebook PCs. Not bound to one spot, you can work virtually anywhere — at your desk, conference room, airport, coffee shop or home office. Wi-Fi is no longer considered a luxury, but a necessity, with more than 95% of notebooks including wireless. Businesses also recognize the value of mobile computing and wireless networking. Wireless networks increase employee productivity, lower the cost of adds, moves and changes; and facilitate applications like mobile POS terminals and wireless VoIP. Enterprise-class wireless networks are growing 12 percent per year, and total wireless spending is expected to reach $3.5 billion in 2008.
As the network manager, it's your task to support these new users, new networks, new technologies and new applications, all while still delivering the network reliability and security users and business managers demand. Keeping control of a wireless network, that by design is constantly changing, requires an end-to-end management approach focused on each phase of the wireless lifecycle. The wireless lifecycle involves distinct and interrelated phases: pre-deployment and expansion planning, installation and verification, troubleshooting, and management and optimization.
To navigate through each phase successfully and efficiently, a network manager needs tools that provide features and functions specific to the unique requirements of each phase of this wireless lifecycle. Fluke Networks offers a suite of wireless solutions that deliver complete network visibility to help you successfully manage your network's wireless lifecycle.
1. Pre-deployment and expansion planning
The first phase of the wireless lifecycle is preparing for the deployment of a new wireless network or the expansion of an existing wireless LAN. With InterpretAir WLAN Survey, you can simulate a wireless network before purchasing a single access point. Import a map of your site and add virtual access points. You can even add virtual walls and other features. Determine the correct quantity and placement of access points required to meet your performance criteria. InterpretAir reduces deployment time, minimizes re-work, and reduces overall deployment and implementation costs.
2. Installation and verification
After deployment, walk your site with InterpretAir WLAN Survey to verify actual wireless coverage and performance. InterpretAir scans all 802.11a/b/g channels, records RF metrics and correlates the measurements to site locations. Instantly see RF health and the areas within your site that do not meet your performance criteria. Save the visualizations to document the condition of your wireless network.
3. Troubleshooting and Security
There are a lot of wires in a wireless network — from access point to switch to server to router. The EtherScope Series II Network Assistant and the OptiView Series III Integrated Network Analyzer analyze both Gigabit wired and a/b/g wireless networks so you can identify problems on both sides of the access point. These portable analyzers discover active networks, mobile clients and access points. Drill down into devices to see configuration details. Troubleshoot WLAN connectivity, authentication and performance issues. The EtherScope Network Assistant and the OptiView Integrated Network Analyzer help you address wireless security vulnerabilities. Walk your site to detect and identify unauthorized rogue devices and unprotected access points, then use the locate feature to hunt them down. Periodically survey the network for changes that could indicate a security breach.
4. Management and optimization
The EtherScope Network Assistant and OptiView Integrated Network Analyzer go where notebook PCs can't always go. These rugged and portable analyzers are easy to use and include the necessary utilities for network and device management — including web browser, telnet, and terminal emulator. Use InterpretAir WLAN Survey to optimize access point placement for the best performance.
From pre-deployment planning to installation verification, troubleshooting to performance optimization, Fluke Networks’ wireless solutions and technical resource links give you the vision you need to successfully manage your network's wireless lifecycle.