Wireless spreads its wings - Trends

Communications News, Nov, 2003

At the University of San Diego (USD), the pursuit of academic excellence extends to the technology used to support its 30 programs of study. That is why, when USD learned it could increase Internet and network access across its scenic 180-acre campus via a wireless network, its decision was academic.

USD went wireless, according to Tina Wing, USD network technician, to support the changing communications requirements, demands and opportunities presented in today's educational environment, where students and faculty are as likely to tote a laptop as a spiral-bound notebook. Today, using 25 3Com 11-Mbps wireless LAN access points linked to a network of 300 3Com switches in 30 buildings, and a 3Com network management solution, USD provides wireless access to 6,000 students and 850 faculty and staff.

Despite ongoing concerns about security, wireless LAN installations like that at USD are growing, with worldwide hardware revenue topping $608 million in the second quarter, and projected to grow to $3.2 billion in 2006, up about 100% from $1.6 billion in 2002, according to Infonetics Research.

"Wireless LANs will continue to show solid growth in all enterprise markets in upcoming quarters, and access point products, in particular, will increasingly be designed to target this market," says Infonetics Research's Richard Webb.

At USD, the wireless LAN allows students, faculty and administrators to access the Internet, check e-mail or search online university resources from virtually any location throughout USD's ocean-side campus. According to Wing, the university expects to provide wireless service to every building on campus. The access points extend wireless coverage up to 1,000 feet and deliver wireless Ethernet links to 3Com SuperStack 3 4400 switches stationed across the campus. The switches connect to USD's core network and support 15 departmental virtual LANs, simplifying the university's network administration.

WI-FI IN KNOXVILLE

Baptist Hospital in Knoxville, Tenn., a 329-bed acute care full-service hospital, has implemented a facility-wide rollout of a Wi-Fi enterprise campus solution, streamlining workflow and providing healthcare professionals with wireless access to patient information.

"Baptist Hospital's health care professionals have instant wireless access to admission data, radiology and laboratory results, as well as key information such as prior surgeries, allergies and medications," says Rick Simpson, senior system specialist, Baptist Hospital. "This has improved our productivity and allowed us to deliver better patient care."

Baptist Hospital selected the Proxim ORiNOCO AP-2000 access point because it can simultaneously support two separate and secure wireless technologies: 802.11a to deliver 54 Mbps for the transmission of images such as X-rays, charts, documents and other critical patient care information, and 802.11b at 11 Mbps for less bandwidth-intensive communications and maximum coverage. By using the AP-2000 with two separate wireless frequency ranges, Baptist Hospital is able to reduce infrastructure costs by maximizing the amount of wireless users on each access point.

FSO LINKS LAW OFFICES

For establishing a dependable wireless Gigabit Ethernet connection between two buildings at Atlanta-based law firm Powell, Goldstein, Frazer & Murphy LLP (PGF&M), the verdict was in: it opted to employ free space optics. PGF&M recently installed the Canobeam DT-55 optical beam transceiver from Canon U.S.A., for a high-bandwidth solution.

"It was the only system that fit the bill," says Brad Sidwell, chief technology officer of PGF&M. "We have two sites in Atlanta a block away from each other, and the 100-meg connection from our local telecom provider wasn't enough. We wanted a gig, but we felt the price of having that from telecom was too high, while the Canobeam gave us a 10-month ROI scenario."

The system provided an instant upgrade in data rates for the firm's 350 attorneys and 650 total employees. "From a logistical standpoint, things could not be better," Sidwell confirms. "Setup of the system literally took five minutes, with one unit in an office window on the 16th floor, and the other in a window on the 11th floor. The system took very little time to configure, we immediately switched it over to be our main connection, and we have had no connectivity issues since--even with nasty weather, there have been no problems."

The DT-55 optical beam transceiver features Canobeam's unique auto-tracking system and constant footprint function, and a range of 100 meters to 1,000 meters. The transceiver maintains alignment between units, even under conditions in which buildings or other platforms sway due to altitude or wind conditions. Secure operation comes from a tight, "untappable" beam, making signal interception impossible from street level.

Security is #1

According to participants in a Sage Research technology roundtable discussion. "The Mobile Enterprise," security is still the number one inhibitor to more widespread mobile application deployment. Most enterprises also remain skeptical of outsourcing mobile applications, roundtable members said. Strong service-level agreements and financial stability are key to convincing enterprises to outsource mobile applications, according to participants.