Wireless Lan Analysis Paper

Analysis of the Addition of Wireless Technology at Riordan The management of Riordan Manufacturing has requested an analysis of adding wireless technology to the existing wide area network (WAN). The organization's goal in considering wireless technology is to keep the network current while controlling costs. The purpose of this document is to provide a basic understanding of wireless technology and outline what the organization must consider in determining the viability of wireless within the organization. The advent of wireless technology is due in part to the ever increasing demands for mobility and flexibility in our daily lives. A wireless LAN (WLAN) is based on cellular architecture where the system is subdivided into cells,
with each cell being controlled by a base station called an access point. There are several different wireless LAN technologies available each with varying levels of standardization and interoperability.
The technologies available for use in WLANs include infrared, UHF (narrowband) radios, and spread spectrum radios. The two spread spectrum techniques that are most prevalent are frequency hopping and direct sequence. The choice of radio technology may be less important than the wireless networking software selected which can also have a major impact on system performance and throughput. In additional to the technical factors noted, many business factors that the organization must also consider when selecting a WLAN vendor. In order to properly evaluate a WLAN vendor, it is important for Riordan to make a list of requirements, including current and future needs. Matching the organization's requirements against the offerings of each WLAN vendor will allow Riordan to shorten the list of prospective solutions. Riordan may discover that no single vendor will match all of the current and future WLAN requirements. In this case, Riordan must consider future product plans with the vendors to determine which offers the development and migration options that most closely meets the organization's
needs. In making the decision to add wireless to Riordan's current WAN, management must take into consideration many business, as well as, technical factors. The first business factor management must consider is cost. In order to calculate the total cost of implementation, management must include the cost of client devices, access points, as well as ongoing maintenance. The cost of access points can vary significantly depending on the range and throughput of the selected device. Another cost consideration will be whether a technology migration path will re-use the customer's existing equipment. As new capabilities, such as faster data rates are offered by the vendor, it is important that the equipment be backward compatible with older technologies. Other cost factors will include product quality, reliability, ease of use, and availability. All of these factors must be considered in order to determine the true cost of implementing wireless. The next business consideration management must take into account is the building's structural composition.
The coverage pattern of WLAN radios within a building can be potentially affected by walls, ceilings, and even the composition of the building's construction. When considering the decision to implement, management must consider the different antenna options available. An experienced vendor should be able to supply management with a complete site survey that details what the installation plan will be. Though there are numerous other business factors management must consider, the final one to be covered in this discussion is the level of service and support available both during and after the installation. Once a WLAN system is installed and operational, service and support become critical factors for continued success of the system. Changes in the system requirements, the physical environment, applications, or system components are best handled by a vendor that provides on-site service and
support. Beyond simply business considerations, management must factor in numerous technical considerations as well. Though many technical considerations exist the most important will be seamless integration into the existing corporate network. Wireless LANs are not a replacement for, but instead and extension of, the wired LAN. The WLAN should seamlessly integrate into the wired network regardless of the current topology. Even as the network topology changes, the WLAN system should support new networking requirements. The WLAN should also support a variety of topologies from wired access points, wireless access points (repeaters), and wireless bridging to offer flexibility during the implementation regardless of the physical requirements of the facility. Another key technical consideration is interoperability. WLAN systems that support interoperability give customers the freedom to choose equipment from a variety of vendors. Interoperability has led to increased competition in the WLAN marketplace resulting in lower costs, increased features, and new product selections for consumers. Finally, though many other technical considerations exist, Riordan should also consider security in the decision to implement a wireless LAN. Security has traditionally been a concern for wireless communications. An important consideration is that the IEEE 802.11 standard secures only over-the-air transmissions. An access point will send information over the Ethernet or Token Ring network without encryption. For higher level security requirements, Riordan would need to use an end-to-end encryption technique as is specified in the standard. The choice of security should be based on individual application requirements and consider the trade-off of cost, performance, and complexity. Riordan must consider many factors in making the decision as to whether or not to add wireless to the current network structure. A wireless network will potentially offer greater flexibility to the organization however, at potentially a higher cost. In the end it will be up to the management of Riordan to determine if the cost of upgrading the system for wireless capabilities is worth the performance and flexibility offered by the WLAN.