Anywhere Computing Is Cool until the Data Is Everywhere

Enterprise Networks & Servers, Mar 2005 by Yao, David

"Never trust a computer you can't throw out a window." -Steve Wozniak

Increasingly, it's getting tougher for people to throw their computers out the window when they encounter a "gottcha" because they may already he outside. The rapid spread of the new WiFi networks is keeping professionals plugged in without being plugged in.

Wireless hot spots or nodes are popping up everywhere - coffee shops, libraries, bookstores, airport lounges and even parks. The technology has been a major boost to notebook and ultra-light systems.

Open Environment

The same open spirit that started the original Internet more than 15 years ago helped rapidly build out the nation's Wi-Fi network. User groups, companies, retailers (theaters, coffee shops, restaurants, malls), as well as governmental and educational agencies, have added nodes in stores, parks and public buildings.

The high-speed wireless network is either free or relatively inexpensive and delivers data to your system much more rapidly than dialup, DSL or cable modems. Obviously, the trend for wireless connectivity is also attracting service providers.

The fact that the sites are as open to you as well as anyone else means it can be relatively easy for less than scrupulous individuals to "borrow" your passwords, credit card information and other vital data. Initially the majority of users' work or activity was of little concern. But as more and more business is conducted across the wireless network a number of security solutions have been introduced to protect vital data.

While no one expects the free ride wireless service to last (someone is paying for the Internet connection users share), it will always be price-competitive - especially considering the speed of sending/receiving data.

Stimulates System Sales

For computer manufacturers, integrators and resellers the Wi-Fi phenomenon produced a very bright spot on the PC sales landscape. The rapid delivery of high bandwidth, security and quality-of-service make it enticing to mere mortals.

It is also creating a new area of concern with corporate and IT managers.

The problem is that with higher-performance CPUs and larger storage capacities, the laptop and notebook computer is rapidly becoming users' primary computer, rather than just their on-the-road supplement. At first blush, that sounds good because users can have instant access to the most current information, regardless of their location - in the office, in the conference room, at home, in the airport, in their hotel room or in a client's office.

The problem - and the operative words - are "current information."

Areas of Concern

Contingency Planning Research points out the obvious.

There has been a dramatic increase in the volume of data stored on PCs (even in the corporate office environment). Because of the extremely low cost, storage capacity has increased 80 percent during the past 12 months and will increase more than 50 percent in the coming 12 months.

Corporate users have traditionally resisted hierarchical storage management (HSM), preferring to retain "their" data on their systems. Forty percent of corporate users resist or circumvent centralized storage. Meanwhile, less than 30 percent of all PC users backup their data; the Internet has opened systems to the world, meaning that any and all data is available to others; 31 percent of users are susceptible to virus attacks and 56 percent are vulnerable to exposing private data online; and even users who use virus protection software are only protected from existing viruses - there is no protection for new viruses which usually require 2-3 days for antivirus firms to research and block.

If this is discouraging, consider the notebook or laptop computer user are five times more likely to be stolen than desktop systems.

The IRS lost or misplaced more than 2300 laptop computers over the last three years. More than 2,000 laptops are stolen every year in the United States. Because of heightened airport security, the number of laptop and notebook computers lost, misplaced, stolen or forgotten at airports has increased more than 80 percent in the past 12 months.

Notebook hard drives are 10 times more likely to crash than desktop systems. And today, an organization's most current customer data is in the field - not in the office - making the cost of manual recovery is prohibitive.

While insurance can be purchased for the replacement of notebook or laptop hardware, there is no insurance that can replace the data.

Added Care, Protection

Users need to understand that these mobile systems aren't invisible, nor are they invincible. While it is impossible, anyone who receives a portable computer should also receive an orientation on how and why they need to protect the corporate data they will be carrying with them around the country and the globe. Any portable can be configured to require a password before the user can access any data on the system. This ensures at least some data protection.

To protect users from virus-inflicted disasters, the leading PC antivirus firms have automated their products so that scheduled updates are carried out without the user's intervention.