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EDS’ Patricia Wilkey, Siemens Communications’ Chris Meaney and John McHugh of ProCurve Networking by HP talk next-generation networks and WLAN’s role in the future.

Wireless networks are revolutionizing the way information is shared, offering better coverage, flexibility and cost savings. As the benefits of the technology become more recognized, so too its market is set to increase. In order to discover more about the impact of next-generation networks, how to choose the perfect solution and WLAN’s role in the future, Business Management spoke to three leading industry experts from Siemens, HP and EDS to get their views.

Patricia Wilkey is Director for EDS Global Desktop and Mobility. In this role, Wilkey is responsible for creating and delivering mobile and emerging solutions that range from mobile messaging to edge services. She is responsible for strategic plans, products and alliances, and is instrumental in launching new services and leading new opportunities for the business enterprise market on a global basis.

Chris Meaney is Vice President of Secure Networks at the Enteprise Networks division of Siemens Communications, Inc. In this position, Meaney is responsible for sales support, partner management and business strategy for advanced network and security solutions to Fortune 1000 clients, encompassing all elements of IP network security and infrastructure, and advanced security solutions including Identity and access management, smart card infrastructure, provisioning and password management applications and solutions.

John McHugh is Vice President and General Manager for ProCurve Networking by HP. Under his leadership, ProCurve has risen from number 11 in the networking marketplace to the number-two position in the market, based on worldwide port shipments. McHugh is responsible for ProCurve’s global operations, strategic and tactical planning, business development and the creation and introduction of a continuous stream of enterprise networking solutions and services.

BMUS. How are next-generation wireless networks revolutionizing the way companies operate? What advantages over traditional ways of working do they offer?
PW. Next-generation networks are opening a new era of innovation related to anywhere, anytime and anyway access to information. Whether LAN, WAN, WLAN or PAN, the business enterprise is extending to the ‘edge’. Data is streaming across a global information network, and there’s a surge of applications and technologies extending the business ecosystem: mobile, always-on devices including laptops, cell phones and PDAs, and machine-to-machine communications using RFID and Bluetooth technology.

Companies are dealing with the development of virtual enterprises and extended supply chains. Enterprises must interact with numerous stakeholders located across the globe – all demanding 24-hour a day access to services and information. Across all industries, clients are adopting new technologies that enable the visibility across their eco-system so that their company can achieve optimal results. Benefits include increased productivity and cost savings.

As business processes extend further with core applications and transaction systems, the need for a seamless, extended enterprise emerges. Wireless networks are changing the way companies work today and it will change the way they work in the future.

CM. In general, WLANs have allowed data (and, to a lesser extent, voice) to become untethered resources. The old saw talks about being able to be in a conference room and access the WLAN, but the real power comes from being able to access a myriad of data services on the go. For example, being able to track parts as they travel throughout the warehouse is invaluable in manufacturing, as is having a physician being able to call up electronic patient records at bedside in a hospital. These types of uses change the way businesses operate and dramatically increase efficiency.

The advantages of wireless networks are efficiency and convenience – whether it’s RFID or cellular voice calls. Simply, any operation that requires a worker to repeatedly return to a fixed workstation is inefficient. Any operation that requires a worker to aimlessly wander to find a specific item is inefficient. And yes, any worker without a Blackberry who can’t access e-mail from Starbucks is inefficient.

JM. Already, wireless networks are extending the network to areas that were previously unattached to the corporate infrastructure, such as warehouses and distribution centers. And WLANs enable the use of new applications, such as voice over WLAN (VoWLAN) and location-based services.

Because wireless networks increase workers’ mobility, they not only significantly boost productivity, they also have the potential to produce happier workers who experience more control in their jobs. Clearly, worker satisfaction is a quality that has profound benefits at both the organizational level and the level of individuals.

I think what we’ll see is a huge range of changes as companies assimilate next-generation wireless networks into their operations, and as they realize that wireless networking issues are business-level and not just IT-level concerns. What’s clear, though, is that any company using wireless networks needs to be focused more strongly than ever on issues of network security and manageability.

BMUS. Analysts predict an increased reliance on WLANs in 2006, resulting in 75 percent of North American enterprises using or evaluating WLANs by year-end and more access points deployed per company. So how should companies go about choosing the right WLAN solution to fit their needs? What factors need to be taken into consideration?
JM. One of the first considerations facing a company that wants to deploy WLANs is which wireless technologies to adopt, and when? Actually, to step back even further, the first criterion should be that the WLAN solutions chosen are based on industry standards. Only industry-standard products will give companies the freedom to choose the solution that best meets their needs and that allows for future choice and flexibility as technologies and market conditions evolve.

Companies need to evaluate how wireless technologies can and should be deployed to help achieve specific business goals. In other words, it’s important that WLANs, access points and all the rest be chosen very strategically, not according to some vague notions of what wireless networks might or might not do.

When it comes time to actually selecting specific networking equipment, there are some important things to consider. Determine which of the two main WLAN architectures – standalone access points or centrally coordinated – is best suited to the individual company’s environment. Make sure to choose access points that provide a comprehensive range of industry-proven security capabilities that integrate easily into any network design.
Networking equipment should provide standards-based authentication and encryption methods that satisfactorily address security concerns such as data privacy, authentication and access control. For either existing legacy WEP-based WLAN deployments or new deployments that have difficulty deploying 802.1X end-to-end (and are therefore not suitable for 802.11i-based link layer encryption), use robust VPN encryption. For smaller networks that function without a centralized RADIUS server for user authentication, choose access points that integrate seamlessly with existing authentication systems. Finally, choose and properly place antennas according to the conditions identified in the site survey (e.g. to deal with odd-shaped buildings, corridors, aisles, obstacles to signal strength), to achieve the desired coverage, capacity and bandwidth objectives.

PW. Once a business enterprise has solidified their mobile strategy, they are ready to begin the implementation. Companies who are planning a WLAN rollout should first consider their goals. These goals may consist of improving mobile employee productivity by providing real-time access to corporate information; securely connecting mobile users to their corporate data; providing rapid extension of the wired LAN; reducing costs for moves, adds and changes (since connections are not hard wired); providing an alternative for point-to-point connections by providing intra-campus building connectivity; improving productivity by enabling ad hoc collaboration and information sharing; and minimizing expense in ever-changing and dynamic environments.

Wireless LAN solutions may provide wireless connectivity from a user laptop to a client-owned or service provider Ethernet network. Using RF signals instead of twisted pair, coaxial cable or optical fiber provides wireless connectivity to corporate information and databases. They can operate within an enterprise-wide LAN, enhancing and complementing wired LANs, or be a freestanding, all-wireless network.

Wireless LAN solutions will enable business enterprises to seamlessly roam, provide dynamic load balancing, wireless connect to access points, fault tolerant systems and easy system configuration and expansion. Business users will be able to move freely anywhere that radio frequency coverage permits. Companies will demand a solution that is designed to meet the mobility, performance, security, interoperability and management requirements of a wired LAN.

CM. With any fast-moving technology trend, buyers have to focus first on the potential vendors. New technologies, by definition, mean a lot of start-ups with scant financial resources whose goal is to gain enough buzz to be acquired. It’s in a customer’s best interest to select vendors who have the financial strength, dedication to this technology and resources to effectively design, implement, support and in some cases manage and refresh solutions to keep the fire burning without burning out.

Second, customers need to focus on technology. There are several schools of thought concerning even mundane things like signal coverage and hand-offs. Some, like Siemens believe in having a multi-channeled approach for handoffs where others believe a single gigantic channel will work. Also, customers need to understand the vendors’ commitment to adopting the latest standards for management, protocols and security. With any rapidly changing technology, customers will need to partner with a vendor that will keep them up to date and free from malicious attacks.

The third focus point will be security. Every technology today needs a robust security story that ties into the rest of the secure organization. The WLAN needs to be secure and attach to the larger WAN that’s also secure. Only by protecting 100 percent of packets from end-to-end will an enterprise be truly secure – even for voice packets.

Finally, voice needs to be considered. While many companies will not initially utilize the WLAN for voice, they need to take it into consideration when buying. Voice is an obvious application to run over WLAN. While still in its infancy, businesses need to look to their future and ensure that a vendor will have a robust voice offering that can be seamlessly and securely implemented when ready.

BMUS. What is the current situation regarding WiFi standards? Do you think we are any closer to technological harmony? Why are standards so important to the development of the WLAN sector?
JM. Standards are crucial for all networks, but particularly for wireless networks. Standards not only ensure predictable, consistent operation and interoperation among the various parts of the network, they also make possible the choice and flexibility that are crucial to companies in today’s highly competitive market environments. It just doesn’t make any sense to be locked into a proprietary solution – no matter how much functionality it offers today – because no one knows what future decisions will be required. Industry standards are an important part of a company’s network investment protection.

The set of Wi-Fi standards specified by IEEE 802.11 are coalescing well, I think. They have evolved, necessarily, since the original 802.11 standard was released in 1997 to define a common media access control (MAC) later for WLANs. The subsequent amendments – 802.11b, 802.11g, 802.11a and more recently 802.11n – have all added important specifications for defining the physical (PHY) layers.

ProCurve has not only been involved in these standards, we have in many cases been a driving force behind their definition and acceptance. For example, ProCurve representatives serve as the Working Group Vice-Chair for IEEE 802.1; we initiated and provided key technical contributions for IEEE 802.1X; and we are voting members and contributors to IEEE 802.1AE, 802.1af and 802.1AR.

PW. Wi-Fi networks continue to be established; however, standards and their interoperability are not well known. From 1997 when IEEE established the first wireless LAN standard there has been a mix of technology ‘standards’ that are not well known by business enterprises. These varying standards all bring the industry closer to reaching harmony but the knowledge needed for a business entity to establish the proper strategy is challenging.

Wireless LAN solutions were created to take advantage of unregulated frequency. Their user popularity quickly spread around the globe but so did their business and municipality demand for high bandwidth and security. Many CIOs deal with departments implementing a rogue solution not to mention the various technologies that are not compatible.

The lack of standards has slowed the adoption of WLAN solutions by business enterprises. As the WLAN industry continues to show benefits of leveraging a corporate owned network for cost savings and productivity improvements, the need for global standards increases.

CM. Standards are critical to any technology. Enterprises understand that technology islands never worked efficiently and don’t work now. As the IT market in general moves towards SOA, open standards are critical because attaching multiple proprietary systems together is a luxury customers can no longer tolerate or afford.

Specific to WLAN, the standards are evolving rapidly as they do in any new technology. This is why it’s critical to select a vendor with the R&D strength who can manage the protocol changes and provide fast, efficient, minimally disruptive updates to their customers. I don’t believe I ever see ‘technological harmony’. I do see technology reaching a point where the updates and changes slow as the technology matures. The ‘harmony’ customers need to be concerned with is the harmony their business receives from selecting the right vendor.

BMUS. The proliferation of wireless networks has led to increasingly closer scrutiny regarding the security of wireless LANs, particularly in business networks. How is the issue of security being addressed? What best practices can be employed to secure the enterprise against wireless threats?
PW. Integrating security, privacy and business continuity plans are key to mitigating risk in the business enterprise. A business must recognize the risk from both internal and external threats. Business enterprises best approach is to implement an overall mobile strategy that sets the boundaries for their business users, vendors and clients. This may include creating IT user technology plans, employee, vendor and client policies, and disaster recovery plans, and testing the plans so they can be executed when a security or privacy breach happens or a disaster strikes

As a result, a client can create a foundation of trust to attract and retain loyal customers. That trust naturally satisfies the ever-growing security and privacy legislative and regulatory requirements, safeguards their people, processes and technology and prepares for a successful business recovery in the event of a disaster.

Wireless mobility is a powerful contributor to the agility and flexibility of the business community, but represents a widely recognized security risk. Business enterprises must invest to establish wireless LAN service offerings that are specifically engineered to minimize the risk.

CM. Inside or outside, wireless or wired, every packet traveling on a network needs to be inspected – period. In addition, within wireless networks, access points needs to sniff out intruders at the same time they are transmitting data. Today, most APs do one or the other so that a hacker can setup a rogue device and send a burst of malicious code while the AP is transmitting data and not checking for a rogue.

JM. At ProCurve, it’s our strong belief that network security is not only about repelling attacks (e.g. viruses, worms) and keeping unauthorized people from accessing the network; it’s also about making sure that authorized users are using the network in the ‘right’ ways, which is to say in ways approved by the company. In addition, network security must protect against both internal and external threats.

For both wired and wireless networks, companies need to eliminate viruses and unwanted network traffic; apply access rights and take control over network usage; address both internal and external threats; turn security intelligence into actionable network operations; understand and demonstrate regulatory compliance; and deploy easy-to-use security solutions that are standards-based, interoperable and reliable.

It’s also important that the network itself be automated to respond automatically to threats and to manage policy enforcement. It’s equally important that if you’re going to have automation, a trusted network is implementing it.

BMUS. Looking ahead, what does the future hold for wireless LAN? What trends/developments are you currently getting excited about? And how will this drive the business of tomorrow?
CM. The most exciting near-term development for WLAN will be the addition of dense voice usage. This will really cut the cord of the traditional office phone and allow workers to work most efficiently wherever they are. Three things need to happen. First, the WLAN infrastructure needs to be architected to handle dense voice usage inside the corporate WLAN. Second, the multi-modal device needs to be cheaper, more robust and ubiquitous. Third, cellular carriers need to be more embracing of these technologies and develop new services to offset their theoretical loss of user minutes – perhaps even embracing a fixed-cost cellular plan.

Further out, I see incredibly high-speed wireless technologies like HSDPA and WiMAX that will lead an even faster generation of wireless technologies to enable full, rich media, completely wirelessly and ubiquitously.

PW. The integration of wireless networks with wire-line networks will provide seamless communications services for voice and data to both the business user and the consumer.

Fixed-mobile convergence will enable communications platforms to deliver a solution converging cellular, wireless LAN, wired line voice and data services into a dynamic IP network to enable new levels of enterprise connectivity. As network operators embrace VOIP solutions and OEMs incorporate WLAN or dual mode solutions, the opportunity for business enterprise savings will increase.

With one subscriber phone number and one voicemail system, the unified messaging environment can drastically increase user productivity. Business enterprises will be able to leverage their VOIP and WLAN infrastructure investments. The complexity that is typically associated with enterprise mobility will be reduced, with the seamless hand-off between cellular and Wi-Fi networks eliminating the physical boundaries between the mobile workforce.

JM. We’re very excited about WLAN, period. I think that the full promise of wireless networking has been hindered by some basic technical issues, such as providing adequate security in a wireless environment and the cost and hassle of maintaining and managing wired and wireless networks as essentially separate entities. With ProCurve’s unified, secure wired and wireless environment and our ProActive Defense security vision, we have made real breakthroughs on these important fronts. I think that very soon, you’ll see a real surge in adoption and use of WLANs, as well as an explosion of new ways of doing business as companies explore the possibilities of wireless technologies.

I’m excited to see what forms this unleashed creativity takes. When you untether people and resources from the constraints of a physical wire, and you then provide the tools to easily and securely manage wireless networks, who knows what great things will emerge?