As organizations look to improve operations through centralized control, they often need to take into account what would happen if an area of the network fails. In many cases, having a centralized controller-based wireless architecture in organizations with multiple branch offices has prompted the question, “What happens if the WAN is slow, or even worse, goes down?”

Many organizations have been reluctant to implement a centralized wireless controller located in the data center or private cloud due to this concern. Without centralized control, these organizations have two deployment strategies available to them:

• Implement wireless controllers at each branch site. This approach is perfectly fine for an organization with many Access Points per branch, or those that require high throughput for applications such as Video. However, many branches only require a few Access Points per location or require simple applications such as bar-code scanning and printing. For these organizations, local controllers become less cost effective, with the capital expense becoming prohibitive.

• Implement access points running in autonomous mode. This approach eliminates the benefits of having any kind of centralized control such as the ability to centrally configure wireless policy and security setting on access points, WIPS capabilities and advanced mobility services like CleanAir, leaving the branch vulnerable and opening the corporate network to attacks.

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Tags: access point, AP, WAN, wi-fi, wifi, wireless, wireless controller, wlan

Tablets and mobile devices are driving massive change in the IT world. We are seeing a few key shifts that need to be addressed:

The user to device ratio has changed, while IT resources stay the same:

• Early 1990s: Each user has one device on a wired connection.
• Late 1990s: Users have gone mobile with laptops and other local devices.
• Today: Employees require anytime, anywhere access with multiple devices per person.

IT is struggling to secure, manage and support employee-owned devices in the workplace, bringing it’s own set of challenges:

• Classifying managed vs. unmanaged endpoints.
• Ensuring proper identification and authentication of devices.
• Associate each user with the proper host.

It all comes down to this: when your employee brings an iPad into work, how can you centralize access and policy management, without adding IT resources?

Join our session to learn how the Cisco Identity Services Engine and Cisco Prime Network Control System offer the solution. Timothy Abbott, Senior Network Engineer, CCNA, CCNP will be on-site to present a case study from his experience at the San Antonio Water System.

We hope to see you Wednesday May 11th, 11:15am -- 12:00pm in the Mandalay Bay L conference room. Learn more.

Tags: iPad, mobile devices, network, policy, security, tbalet, wi-fi, wifi, wireless

Users are increasingly carrying their iPads, iPhones and Android smartphones into the workplace. These mobile devices and tablets introduce new security threats and IT management challenges.

Join us for the third in our series of webinars to learn about new Cisco innovations that will help you identify the devices, apply policies and enable user management across wired and wireless networks. Featuring special guest speaker Dan Larkin, Director of Strategic Operations for the National Cyber-Forensics and Training Alliance (NCFTA) who will share the new threat vectors introduced due the influx of mobile devices. Take control of your network now.

Live webcast Wednesday, May 4th from 10:00 -- 11am PDT (12:00 -- 1:00pm EDT)
Register now!

Tags: Android, Cisco, iPad, iphone, management, mobile devices, network, security, smartphone, wi-fi, wifi, wireless

With 7.1 billion tablets, smartphones and other mobiles devices entering the market—and many making their way into the enterprise—how can you effectively manage user access over the wired and wireless network? Help your users and their devices get online, stay online with comprehensive visibility into you network.

Join our experts for a live Q&A TweetChat on Cisco Prime Network Control System, and see how we enable converged user, access and identify management across wired and wireless networks.

Win (1) Amazon Kindle or one of (2) $5 Starbucks gift card for simply participating live! Winners will be randomly selected for asking a relevant question, sharing a comment or Re-Tweeting a post with the #ciscowifi hashtag. Read the full terms and conditions.

When?
Tuesday, May 3^rd at 9-10am PDT (12-1:00pm EDT)

How?
On the day of the event, follow the conversation with the hastag #ciscowifi on any of the following platforms:

• Search for #ciscowifi on your favorite Twitter client such as TweetDeck or HootSuite
• View the stream directly on Twitter.
• Login to TweetChat, then join our room to view what others are saying and ask your own questions: http://tweetchat.com/room/CiscoWifi

Follow the discussion, contribute questions and submit your own comments by including #ciscowifi with all of your Tweets, regardless of the platform you use.

Who?

• Saurabh Bhasin (@sabhasin), Product Line Manager for Cisco Prime NCS
• Scott Simkin (@Cisco_Mobility), Mobility Solutions Marketing
• Brian Robertson, Mobility Solutions Marketing

Questions / Comments?
You can submit your questions ahead of time by sending a Tweet to @Cisco_Mobility or by commenting on this blog.

What is a TweetChat?
TweetChats are online conversations, held at a pre-arranged time, between a group of Twitter users, and using a specific Twitter hashtag (#ciscowifi) to identify the discussion.

We hope to see you on May 3^rd, 2011, 9-10:00am PDT (12-1:00 EDT), just follow the hastag #ciscowifi.

Tags: give-away, kindle, network, network management, prize, tweetchat, twitter, wifi, wireless, wlan

At Mobile World Congress last month we introduced our M.O.VE strategic framework and we’re already seeing the message take off.   We recently announced our relationships with major mobile operators, MegaFon in Russia and Reliance Communications in India.  Both of these operators are taking advantage of solutions within the M.O.VE strategic framework.

M.O.VE, with its targeted approach to helping operators monetize and optimize their mobile networks while enhancing the video experience, appears to be the right framework at the right time, and speaks to operators’ technical, financial, and business needs in a comprehensive and tangible way.

With the introduction of our first three M.O.VE solutions - Mobile Videoscape, Adaptive Intelligent Routing, and Service Provider Wi-Fi - we’re bringing practical innovations to market that can provide mobile operators with real benefits today.

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Tags: adaptive intelligent routing, ctia, mobile internet, mobile videoscape, mobility solutions, monetization, move, network architecture, next generation mobile network, optimization, Service Provider, service provider wi-fi, wifi