Future of Wireless Category Archives

May 07, 2008

Cisco Ships 5 Millionth Aironet AP to Mayo Clinic

It’s not every day that you announce a major industry milestone like shipping five million wireless access points (since 2000). And adding to that, we shipped more than 50,000 802.11n access points, making it the fastest ramping access point in Cisco history. So where was the five millionth access point shipped to? The world-renowned Mayo Clinic. They are running a Cisco Unified Wireless Network for hospital staff, patients and guests at its three U.S. campuses in Minnesota, Florida and Arizona.

A Q&A with Randy Regimbal on how Mayo Clinic sees efficiency as a major mobility benefit can be read here.

And the press release is available here.

Posted by Ed Tan at 05:31 AM Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

April 30, 2008

Mobility Video Blog du jour: Adding Context Awareness to the Mobility Network

Aside from access and voice services, what else can businesses do with their wireless networks? This is something I think many mobility application providers and innovators maintain their focus on a daily basis.

Here is the setup: since a WLAN is available, I can roam around the office and campus while maintaining a connection to check email and access unified communication-type applications like messaging. Grand. I can make phone calls with a voice over Wi-Fi phone. Grand. If I did not have an actual handset available, then I could use my IP softphone client installed on my laptop to make phone calls. Grand. (I’m sure many users are over it, but my IP softphone client has a high usability and practicality factor, especially when I work from home or away from my desk.) And, if I were to work in a retail store, I could use a mobile computer to check inventory levels or collaborate with team members to better serve customers. Grand. Not to digress…

But, how about some of the not so often discussed mobility services? I’m talking about services that happen in the background, behind the scenes, yet have an impact to operations. I wanted to learn about some mobility services that do not get too much play, but deserve equal billing because I think they fall into the cool (literally) mobility application category.

In this episode, I interview Isabelle Guis, senior manager of mobility solutions, and asked her what mobility-related area she has been focused on. (Mobility has been a long-standing hot topic, but Isabelle always adds that certain je ne sais quoi…) So I will not say more; but, watch and listen about how adding context awareness to a wireless network can benefit the carpeted enterprise and enterprises in the every vertical market, including healthcare and manufacturing. Also, Isabelle talks about what IT should look for when planning to deploy context awareness services within their organization.

Posted by Ed Tan at 10:23 PM Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

April 23, 2008

Security and the Evolving Mobility Network

Thanks for tuning in for the second episode in our Mobility Video Blog series.

It is clear that more mobile devices are entering the enterprise, and this trend does not show any signs of slowing with industry analysts predicting an additional 1.1 billion new mobile devices coming to the market in the next couple years.

Security is a maintained concern with IT, especially with wireless and mobility; and with the expected wave of devices entering the enterprise, I interviewed Chris Kozup for his insight on the trends he is seeing that are related to securing a broader mobility network with a growing number of connecting end points and mobile users traversing multiple networks.

Although businesses can not deny the benefits of mobility, they should be cognizant of emerging security threats, as well as adjust their strategy when evolving their mobility network.

Posted by Ed Tan at 01:15 PM Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

April 11, 2008

New Cisco Mobility Video Blog Series

Welcome to the first in a series of video blogs that will discuss the challenges IT face for meeting the demands of mobility. With greater user expectations for mobility, new mobile devices and end points entering the market and organization environment, you will want to hear some of the insights and strategies addressed in the coming video blogs.

In the pilot episode, “Mobility and the Converging Networks,” I interview Ben Gibson, and ask what Cisco is seeing as IT’s challenge for providing mobility to employees and mobile users as they are connecting to more disparate networks (both wired and wireless). Ben provides insight on what and how IT should consider when planning, managing and growing a mobility system. And finally, hear how Cisco sees mobility evolving.

Thanks for watching, and stay tuned for a new episode next week!

Posted by Ed Tan at 01:42 PM Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

January 24, 2008

Is 802.11n Right for You?

The debate over the readiness of 802.11n and whether businesses should adopt or wait is nothing new. Remember when Ethernet was too unpredictable to displace ATM? IP VPNs too unreliable for critical business data? The adoption rate of new technologies is commensurate with the benefits they deliver. 802.11n offers significant performance improvements over existing standards. Still, for most, the benefits must be evaluated in combination with longevity. In other words, few want to deploy a technology that may soon be obsolete – no matter how great the benefit.

802.11n can deliver both performance and longevity. Illustrating market support, the Wi-Fi Alliance has certified over 180 products as 802.11n draft 2.0. Still, the draft status of the standard continues to beg the question of whether the technology is ready. The definition of “standard” includes consistency and interoperability – which are more a function of Wi-Fi certification than IEEE specification. Consider briefly the relationship of the original 802.11b to Wi-Fi, 802.11i to WPA2 and 802.11e to WMM. Businesses don’t deploy an IEEE specification; rather, a standard that guarantees interoperability. The same rings true for 802.11n. While not yet ratified, the 802.11n draft 2.0 has already become a de facto standard thanks to Wi-Fi certification and product development momentum.

Cisco customers are putting this new technology to work today. A large apparel retailer is improving the quality of its warehouse voice-over-wireless implementation by deploying 802.11n. MIMO has improved the call quality of the company’s Cisco wireless IP phones by increasing network reliability and coverage predictability. A large U.S. hospital is deploying 802.11n to ensure consistent connectivity for synchronous patient care applications deployed to mobile computer carts. Without 802.11n, mobile carts were losing connectivity due to coverage holes caused by interference and multipath. Finally, Duke and Western Michigan universities are…deploying 802.11n across campus to support a growing diversity of client devices.

Technology shifts are gradual events that generally take years. With the Wi-Fi Alliance assuring longevity, the adoption timeframes should be determined purely on business need. Assured of investment protection and the performance required for the truly mobile experience, businesses can adopt 802.11n with confidence today.

Posted by Chris Kozup at 05:29 PM Permalink | Comments (5) | TrackBacks (0)

January 07, 2008

The Power of 802.11N

One can barely open a trade rag these days without reading about the arrival of the next generation of wireless standards - 802.11n. It's always exciting when new technology hits the market, especially when that new technology truly lives up to the hype. Of course, as with anything new there's always a bit of misinformation that exists before folks have made it through the learning curve. As I follow the comments of various industry pundits, I'm starting to see a reoccuring theme - misinformation on how to power 802.11n access points.

Power over Ethernet (PoE) has helped many an IT shop save money and improve application availability. Its value extends beyond wireless to include other peripherals, including IP Phones. But arguably, PoE's true calling is in obviating the need for AC power in the ceiling and by default, simplifying and reducing the cost of wireless deployments. However, with the emergence of 802.11n, a new power paradigm is emerging.

Here are the facts:

The 802.3af standard provides up to 12.95 watts at the remote end of the Ethernet cable to power a variety of devices.
To perform at full capacity, dual radio 802.11n access points require greater than 12.95 watts.

Thus, our conclusion:

Currently, 802.3af is not adequate to fully power dual radio 802.11n access points. That is, without some trade offs.

Despite these facts, a number of industry players are claiming to power their dual radio 802.11n access points with standard 802.3af power. While at face value the statement is true, the devil is in the details. The truth is simple. Powering dual radio 802.11n access points with standard 802.3af power will result in a reduction in performance. Here are some different ways in which performance will be impacted:

1. Up to 60% reduction in coverage area (requiring additional access points to cover the same facility)
2. Reduction in throughput (disable transmitters, reduce CPU clock rate, etc.)
3. A loss of services (e.g. security)
4. Limiting to a single radio

What does this mean for the business deploying 802.11n? To realize the full value of their investment, the business must invest in power options that deliver full power to the access point. Options that promise support for standard 802.3af PoE for dual radio 802.11n access points don't come without significant performance implications. IT must assess whether investment in these suboptimal solutions is worth it.

Cisco offers four alternatives that each deliver complete power:

1. Enhanced Power over Ethernet - Cisco has innovated beyond the 802.3af standard to deliver up to 20 watts of power from a single Ethernet port across select members of the Catalyst switch family. This option offers the greatest performance with the lowest operational impact.
2. Power Injector - The Aironet 1250 Series supports power injectors that can deliver adequate power to support full operation.
3. Local AC Power - Access points within proximity of a power outlet can deliver full performance with AC power.
4. Standard 802.3af - The Aironet 1250 Series can fully power a single 802.11n radio with standard 802.3af power. This is ideal for businesses that chose to only deploy on a single frequency (2.4GHz or 5GHz).

Other options such as the nascent 802.3at PoE standard will emerge over the next several quarters.

The next several months promise to be exciting as businesses start to experience the true power of 802.11n. The inadequate power alternatives offered by other providers will leave IT questioning the true performance of 802.11n. Only by treating next generation wireless as an integrated wired and wireless decision can businesses truly unleash the power of business mobility.

Posted by Chris Kozup at 01:21 PM Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

September 03, 2007

802.11n -- Why now, why not?

There has certainly been a good deal of industry discussion, or should I say a good dose of vendor hype, around the new emerging standard for Wi-Fi, 802.11n. Through all of the wild-eyed claims of performance increases and radical shifts in the world of enterprise networking, I thought I would offer up some humble (or maybe a bit beyond humble) perspectives on the state of enterprise Wi-Fi, the emerging 802.11n standard, and what customers really need to consider on this front:

1. First and foremost -- 802.11n certainly represents an intruiging step forward for the wireless industry. It promises to deliver a significant step up in performance, which has been well covered in press. What is not as well covered, but perhaps even more compelling for customers today, is the substantial improvement in overall reliability that 802.11n will bring to networks. No customer is expecting an immediate "0 to 100%" shift to 802.11n users and clients. With the backwards compatibility of .11n, for existing .11b/g users, the compelling 'why to migrate' now case will often lie with reliability for all Wi-Fi clients across the business.

2. Make no mistake -- moving to 802.11n is both a wireless AND wired decision. Given the theoretical available bandwidth in a dual-radio .11n access point of 600 mbps (300 mbps per radio -- expect closer to 130 Mbps, no matter what vendor release you read) there is an obvious need to provision a 1 Gbps Ethernet port to backhaul the AP traffic. Another critical deployment consideration is how to power these new access points. Any competitive 802.11n AP requires more power than is provided via a standard 802.3af power-over-Ethernet port. Workaround options include provisioning two 802.3af ports (not high on any IT department lists of desireable activities -- run more wire to the AP...) or my personal favorite, utilize one 802.3af port, and run a dual radio AP in "pico cell" mode (code for running at half-capacity and performance). External power injectors are always an option, as are the ole AC power outlets, but the latter could put a crimp in any deployment.

3. Here is where having a nice Ethernet switching franchise comes in handy if you are a vendor in this space (and where claims of 802.11n representing a major vendor market share shift fall way short). Cisco is announcing today its new Enterprise WLAN 802.11n offering today, and it is about more than the access point (which is quite a nice, modular platform). It is equally about delivering a true wired and wireless solution that actually considers how a customer could actually deploy with as much simplicity, and as little network architecture disruption as possible. Cisco will be delivering an auto-negotiating, single port extended power capability across switches in its Catalyst 3750, 4500 and 6500 families. This means, with a large number of customers out there, customers will be able deploy 802.11n and utilize their existing wiring closet switches to deliver the extra power required to take advantage of those wireless performance and reliability kickers that 802.11n offers. Delivering the easiest power solution for 802.11n may not make for the best headlines, but it is one of those fundamentals that must be addressed.

4. So that brings me to my last thought -- I've been reading some recent comments by a Enteprise WLAN vendor wondering aloud to the press why any vendor would ship a 802.11n draft 2 solution today. The reasoning centered around two key points: the final standard has not been ratified, and Cisco hasn't announced a product. Well -- to comment on the Cisco point, we have announced a product, and it has everything to do with customer demand and supply chain reality. Customers are starting to ask for 802.11n. Chipset manufacturers like Intel and others are shipping 802.11n silicon. PC manufacturers are releasing 802.11n-capable product. The market seems to have spoken, and to follow the lessons learned from earlier Wi-Fi days -- clients will drive the infrastructure. Cisco chose a deliberate approach to this space -- get Wi-Fi Alliance (and it turns out, the only to date..) certification, participate in the test bed, and then bring 802.11n product to market. On the final standard ratification point -- I'd offer that given the supply chain momentum and rising customer interest in 802.11n draft 2, it becomes hard to argue why any serious vendor wouldn't have an offering. While there is no 100% guarantee, it is truly hard to imagine any upgrade beyond software to bring an 802.11n draft 2 product into compliance with the final standard. So to the vendor that just last week asked why .. I'd respond .. why not?

So to be sure, the emergence of 802.11n for businesses will be met by a distinct, early adopter market over the next year. Such customers certainly deserve both an easy, deployable solution, and also information to set expectations on the performance, reliability and reach of this new technology. Please visit http://www.cisco.com/en/US/netsol/ns767/networking_solutions_package.html on an ongoing basis for more information on 802.11n, including soon to be released information on benchmarking testing between Cisco and Intel. Enough of pre-announcement press releases -- let's dig into the reality of 802.11n. What are your expectations for performance, reliability, and reach? Any plans to deploy soon? Next year? Three? Never? Please share!

Posted by Ben Gibson at 10:47 PM Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

March 15, 2007

Wi-Fi Cars, Tools, and Shopping Carts - Changing The Way We Do Business

In keeping with Matt Glenn's 'car themed' blogs (1, 2) last week - here's an example of an implementation of Wi-Fi with cars......Newsweek’s March 5th article titled “Marketing: Ads Made for You”.

This article describes how individuals, zipping by in their cars, can activate a billboard to display messaging that is personalized just for them. This is made possible by a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag on the car that is detected by a wireless infrastructure that includes location services. The article goes on to talk about using RFID in supermarkets to push out advertising to shopping carts based on their location within the store.

RFID is changing the way we run businesses, communicate, and track items, events, and people....

RFID is gaining momentum among businesses and consumers -- and not just for shopping carts, billboards, and cars. An RFID tag can be put on anything - parts, tools, pallets, wheelchairs, machinery, file folders, artwork, heavy equipment, store inventory, office projectors, and even babies in a healthcare environment.

As wireless access is deployed pervasively – indoors and outdoors – adding location services and RFID tags will enable businesses to:

• Track the movement of any RFID or Wi-Fi enabled item
• Reduce the costs associated with lost, stolen, or misplaced items
• Send information where and when it’s needed based on a Wi-Fi device’s location
• Quickly find the closest person during an event
• Gain revenue through advertising or specialized services based on a user’s location

Would I sign up to have a billboard display personalized advertising to me on my morning commute to Cisco?

Sure – if there are discount coupons involved.

You can track me – just make sure that it’s a good deal for both of us.

Posted by Peggy Casey at 12:01 AM Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

October 26, 2006

Wi-Fi Security and the State of California

The California State Government recently passed a bill to mandate that manufacturers of consumer grade Wi-Fi products attach labels to warn consumers on the dangers of not securing their wireless networks. The hope is that with more visible warnings, consumers will understand the need for wireless security and take steps to enable security settings.

Education is always a good thing. Thus educating consumers on the need for greater wireless security cannot be a bad idea. Still, the extent to which the government needs to be involved is up for debate. I can see the value in advising consumers on how to protect their sensitive information. Let’s face it; I don’t want my next door neighbor taking a peak every time I log in to do some online banking. Yet selfishly, as an avid “borrower” of free Wi-Fi, I hate to see too many networks locked down – for fear of never being able to find free connectivity again.

The good news is that many municipalities are working diligently to provide Wi-Fi everywhere which means I won’t have to sneak about looking for free networks. Cisco is leading the push to take Wi-Fi outdoors as illustrated by the recent Silicon Valley Metro Connect win. Cisco technology will be used to deliver wireless connectivity to 2.4 million residents across 42 municipalities in Silicon Valley. But, I digress. Until such time as pervasive Wi-Fi is a reality, borrowing a few wireless bytes here and there certainly makes life easier.

As a matter of principle, I have always left my personal Wi-Fi unsecured. I love the idea of Wi-Fi for the masses. A good neighbor shares his Wi-Fi. Of course, I’m quick to use my VPN for sensitive applications. But as long as my network isn’t being abused, I’m happy to promote the use of Wi-Fi by extending my service to others.

Perhaps the answer lies in innovation. Imagine a consumer solution that offers the ability to segment network access for different user types. The owner segment could be secured and guaranteed a higher level of quality of service while the guest segment is open and delivers best effort service only. These types of guest services are currently offered as a standard feature within Cisco’s enterprise wireless solution. Extending them into consumer products would be technically trivial and present consumer manufacturers with another point of differentiation to fight the ever downward pricing slope.

Of course, it’s fair to assume that a user who is unaware of the security risks presented by open Wi-Fi is unlikely to understand the intricacies behind guest services. Still, consumer vendors have done an okay job at making home Wi-Fi more digestible by the technically illiterate. They could certainly do the same with a guest feature. While the California government is correct in wanting to protect sensitive consumer information, let’s hope we don’t over rotate and kill what to date has been a fantastically socialist Wi-Fi experience.

Posted by Chris Kozup at 02:37 PM Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

September 15, 2006

Enter the Era of Pervasive Mobility

Today closes my first week at Cisco. Starting a new job is always momentous, but this one is even more so. I’ve been in the wireless industry for 10 years – a virtual dinosaur – and for the bulk of that time, Cisco has been the networking force in wireless. The acquisition of Aironet in 1999 set the industry on a growth curve that hasn’t slowed since.

And that brings to me why this job is so interesting. For 10 years, I’ve been with small companies fighting to gain mindshare in the shadow of Cisco. I’ve done a lot of interesting things and I’d like to think along the way helped a lot of customers, analysts and press understand the exciting new world of wireless and what possibilities it brings.

But I sense that the opportunity is bigger now.

While there is still plenty of innovation in Silicon Valley start ups, the era of wireless as I knew it has ended. When I started, there were four ‘major’ players in the wireless LAN space – Aironet, BreezeCOM, Proxim and Symbol. That’s it. Now, when you look at the wireless landscape, there are literally hundreds of companies. Wireless LAN, mesh, point to point, point to multipoint, WiMAX, RFID, Zigbee, 802.15, sensors, security, management, voice over Wi-Fi, etc. And that’s just technology companies. When you look at the extended space of application providers that are building their businesses on mobility and wireless, the number explodes. Companies like Jambo http://www.jambo.net that are using the ubiquity of Wi-Fi combined with the popularity of social networking to bring people together. My kids will grow up with capabilities like this in their personal mobility devices (I don’t even want to call them smartphones as who knows what they will be able to do in 10 years) and will wonder how mom and dad used to meet people ‘in the old days.’

One era has ended, and I hope to help usher in the new one. An era of pervasive mobility. Not just voice calls. Not just the ability to connect. That you can do today from almost anywhere. But so many times that connection is barely usable, and certainly not enjoyable. How many of us have tried websurfing for simple things – like the nearest Italian restaurant – on our phones and given up. The speed, the device, the information display, the lack of context – so many things that limit the experience.

But the ability to have the same experience – be it professional or personal – as you would if you were ‘wired’; that is the promise of pervasive mobility. To be in the company meeting while in a taxi riding from the airport. To collaborate on a powerpoint presentation while on the train commuting to work. To download direct to the HD player the kid’s movie you left behind while driving to Tahoe. (My personal dream to eliminate the stacks of DVDs we currently bring….)

Much of this is in sight, but so much more remains to be done. And this brings me to why I’m at Cisco. Of all the companies in the world, only Cisco has the means and the wherewithal to usher in this new era. No other company can deliver both the vision and the products that will enable the enterprise, the public sector and the individual to grab an IP pipe anywhere – indoors or out, still or in motion - bringing life’s experiences to them wherever they may be.

Posted by at 05:18 AM Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

August 25, 2006

Hot, Sweaty, and Wireless

Last week, while I was on vacation, I listened to the book The World Is Flat by Thomas L. Friedman. I listened to the audio-book CDs while I purged my storage unit of old, unused, and unnecessary clutter.

Yes, I spent my vacation sweating in a hot, dusty, 10x10 metal box sorting through 70+ boxes of books, family heirlooms, obscure kitchen devices, abandoned furniture, obsolete computer manuals, and way too many pairs of skinny jeans stored in the forlorn hope that I will someday fit into them again….

As I tossed my Macintosh 512K computer manual into the trash pile and listened to Mr. Friedman’s stories of the world’s flattening revolution, I realized that I am again part of a historic technology shift. I’m part of the cresting wave towards a wireless world. Yes, I’ve come a long way from my Macintosh world of 1984…..

In January 1984, I was working as a student usher at Flint Center in Cupertino, California where Apple Computer held their company meeting and previewed the now famous Apple Computer 1984 commercial (13MB, 5Mb) that introduced the Macintosh to the world. When the video finished playing, the audience went wild. They applauded and cheered. Raw energy, excitement, and enthusiasm for the Macintosh were everywhere.

Breathless from the experience, I told my father that personal computers were the future. Everyone was going to have a personal computer. I had to have a Macintosh. I could use it for my homework. I could use it to organize my record collection. I could use it to write a screenplay that Steven Spielberg would buy. [Back then, I was a dreamy, naive, excitable film and creative writing student. :-) ]

My father, an unfailingly logical engineer—totally disagreed with me. He insisted that:
• No one needed a personal computer—unless it was to sort recipes for cooking.
• If I wanted to play with a computer I could play with his Texas Instruments TI-99 computer that had a tape cassette drive and its own TV monitor.
• Yes, I must learn to use a slide rule just in case my calculator failed me.
• No, I could not invest any of my college fund to buy stock in Microsoft (circa 1986)

On the day that I brought my new Macintosh 512K home, my father declared that I was wasting my college-job money on a $3000 loan that would take me 2+ years to pay off. It would’ve been smarter and cheaper to buy an electric typewriter with a built in erasable head for my writing. Ignoring him, I happily kissed and hugged my glistening new Mac. I declared that his circumscribed view was wrong—personal computers were the future!

Several years later, my father finally admitted that I was right about personal computers and Microsoft. But by then, he insisted that I was wrong to still love a machine that supported a paltry 512K of memory—especially since I’d moved on to a PC laptop.

Today, if I was able to talk with my father about wireless technology (he passed away in 1995) I think he would agree with Mr. Friedman who defines wireless as one of the key drivers flattening and connecting the world. Well, he’d agree, after a few discussions and a demonstration—my dad, the engineer, loved a snazzy technical demonstration!

Yes, wireless has left the port of new technologies and is now established in the seascape of business critical technologies. Like those of us who bought the early PC’s and Mac’s because we could see the future and value of personal computing, users all over the world are embracing Wi-Fi in the office, at home, and on the road. Mobility is the future.

What else would my father have to say to me? Well, since he was never one to hold back on his opinions, he’d tell me that it was ridiculous of me to spend my precious vacation days purging clutter in a hot, dusty storage unit—even if I used the time productively, to listen to a book that I should’ve read last year.

And, all those skinny jeans that I have in storage? He would tell me to give them away. Why? Because, although my father could not predict the future of technology, he could certainly predict that I’ll never again fit into those skinny jeans.

Posted by at 01:04 AM Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

August 16, 2006

Unified Wired and Wireless: History Repeated

At a recent event hosted by the City Universities of New York (CUNY), I had the privilege of presenting Cisco’s strategy for secure mobility to a team of security experts from the various universities. I enjoyed the opportunity immensely. Primarily because the audience responded very positively to Cisco's secure mobility story; but also because I had the opportunity to hear Aruba talk about its approach to wireless and security.

Aruba opened their presentation by discussing the evolution of wireless technology and by making the point that wireless and wired should never be unified. Rather, they claim, wireless is so different it should always be kept separate from the rest of the enterprise IP network.

Hmmm… sound familiar anyone? Think voice.

At Cisco, we believe the network is the platform for intelligent business services. We advocate the unification of wired and wireless networks – not the separation of the two. We believe that the user will have different network connectivity profiles based on a variety of parameters including device type, application requirements and physical location. In some instances, connecting wirelessly will be the medium of choice and in others; a wired connection may be preferable. As a result the way the network responds to a user’s request for services and applications should be the same whether wired or wireless.

The Cisco approach is to build wireless networks that are on par with the wired network.

By forcing a separation between the wired and wireless networks, Aruba is missing the larger picture. Enterprises are on a continual path to simplification and cost reduction. A unified wired and wireless network not only provides a common user experience, but it also decreases the network total cost of ownership. By unifying the two, IT no longer has to support dual networks, train staff on multiple (and often obscure) vendor products, or troubleshoot inconsistencies in the way the two networks support services and applications.

Of course it’s easy to understand why Aruba is advocating this approach. You would too if your dinner depended on it. But, the question of whether the wireless network should be unified with or kept separate from the wired network has already been answered. For proof, see how many PBX technicians you can still find that aren’t trained on IP.

Posted by Chris Kozup at 06:58 PM Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

July 24, 2006

Mobility, In Human Time

We of the Mobile Visions blog love it when a blog sparks a reader to post a comment. First of all, it shows that there is life beyond the typeface, but more importantly it provides a sanity check for our ideas.

I noticed that Alan's Instant Mobility post inspired a reader to write in (see the comment section). The reader claims that the need for continuous mobility is overstated. In fact, the reader makes the statement that he'd rather do without it in favor of conducting business at a much slower pace. I believe the phrase he used was "in human time".

I have been thinking about this concept of human time. I would like a definition. It seems to me that human time is dependant not only on the individual, but also on the environment.

Consider the days of Columbus. A trip from London to New York (had it existed) would have taken months. Steamships would cut that time to weeks; early aviation to several days; and modern jet engines to a matter of hours. What had previously been considered a normal amount of time was continually decreased with advances in technology.

Of course, each new technology isn’t completely at the expense of the former. Even today people can choose to travel from London to New York by boat. Most don’t. Why would you, right? Air travel is a much more efficient use of time.

The same is true for mobility. While some may be adverse to change, the fact is that technology initially disrupts and then it is absorbed. People adapt to change, eventually. So, while our reader may question the need for “instant mobility” as described by Alan, the future is clear. Continuous connectivity that is time and location agnostic will become just as common as a flight from London to New York.

Change is opportunity.

John F. Kennedy once said, "Change is the law of life and those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future."

Posted by Chris Kozup at 10:11 PM Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

July 12, 2006

Romance and Wi-Fi - Locating A Match

Yesterday, I found myself day dreaming while I was at work. Sitting at my desk, I was lost in the land of what-if. I used to do this in high school about boys I thought were cute. Now, I do it about products that I’m driving to market. Yes, I day dreamed about applications for location services.

This isn’t to say that romance in the head is dead. It’s just that, like all good platforms, the human brain can be used for many applications. As I wandered off into fantasy land, I tried to imagine how our clever customers and creative partners will use our free Wireless Location Appliance API to create exciting, innovative, and useful new applications for location services. Here are some ideas....

On May 29 Alan Cohen blogged about how Appear Networks deployed a landmark location service in the Stockholm subway and earlier this year Bronson Healthcare Group shared how they are using Cisco location services to track wheelchairs to avoid searches and patient waiting.

I was a candy-striper while I was in high school and I know how frustrating it is to look for wheelchairs – let alone missing patients. I lost a patient once. My 14 year old heart rate soared in fear. If the hospital where I volunteered had had Cisco’s 802.11 location services, I could’ve looked at the Cisco Wireless Control System (WCS) interface to see where my patient was, based on the location of her Wi-Fi enabled IV pump. Instead, since this was pre-Wi-Fi, I ran between floors, eventually finding her in the gift shop, sheepishly stuffing a chocolate bar into her pocket. She’d snuck off to buy a forbidden candy bar.

Other industries besides healthcare and transportation are embracing location services. Rental car agencies, airlines, manufacturing facilities (Boeing Turns to WLAN When A Key Part Goes Missing), retail stores, finance organizations, public agencies and warehouses can use Wi-Fi location services to track assets, inventory, or people to improve their business operations. Location services are helping organizations find rogue access points, track the movement of Wi-Fi enabled devices, issue location-based alerts, enforce business policies, and troubleshoot the network. With location services, workflows can be streamlined, assets can be managed more efficiently, and the WLAN will stay more secure. All of this reduces operating costs and improves business productivity.

Now, instead of the childhood game - Tag You’re It! It’s the business imperative: Tag It - To Track It!

And then, there are the fun uses for location services. My co-worker Matthew Glenn, suggested to me earlier today that on-line dating services could offer a Wi-Fi location service for their members – Wi-Fi alerts whenever they’re near someone that fits their profile. In dating, proximity is everything. So why not meet a potential love-match when you’re out for coffee, at a concert, or shopping at the grocery store? Yes, I can see the Wi-Fi Date Zone sign on college campuses or on airport kiosks, right next to the Wi-Fi Zone logo. Just imagine the telemetric data that could be made available! Obviously, Matt has focused his Wi-Fi day dreaming on areas other than I have. :-)

So, how will Cisco’s partners and customers use the free Wireless Location Appliance API? They’ll develop new location-based applications that support business critical services, streamline operations, reduce costs….and make our lives more fun!

As for me, I don’t have my Wi-Fi Date Zone device yet, but if it’s available while I’m still dating, why not? As for my day dreaming, will my director ever know that I was lost in a fantasy land while at work? Nope. When he logged into our internal Cisco WCS with the Cisco Wireless Location Appliance, my Wi-Fi UserID showed that I was sitting at my desk….diligently working. Location services can see where you are ….but they can’t read your mind.

Posted by at 04:16 PM Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

June 04, 2006

The Future of Wireless through the Eyes of Our Kids

I am sitting on the deck watching the waves of the Pacific Ocean and my kids starting to stir to life thinking of writing about the technical pros and cons of WiMax vs. WiFi. And I realize that as I watch my kids and their friends play with their IPODs and WiFi enabled portable play stations that they barely know what I do for a living let alone care that WiMax is a wireless protocol targeted for the licensed bands and an alternative to 3G wireless technologies and that WiFi is the protocol of choice for the unlicensed bands. What they care about are their friends, their music and connecting with them.

In watching our kids, I believe we can get a glimpse of the future and what the next generation of wireless and mobility will look like. My kids spend hours IMing with their friends and downloading music onto their IPOds and I am sure are representative of kids around the world. You see them connecting with their friends in new and different ways: Instant messaging, internet, local ad hoc wireless networking and text messaging. You also see them spending hours connecting with other devices, exchanging photos and downloading music into their IPODs and games into their PSPs. In watching how they interact with their friends and music, I am noticing that the access provider and the service provider are separating. In the old days (read that as I am over 40) your phone company provided you access and phone service, your cable company provided you access and TV shows and your mobile operator provided you access and cellular phone service. If our kids are any indication of the future, the service provider of the future is going to be the likes of Google, Yahoo, MicroSoft and your favorite gaming site and the access providers of today are looking to converge to becoming providers of IP access across multiple physical mediums such as cellular, WiFi, cable and fixed line. And watching the Gigabytes of music and photos being exchanged, the wireless network of the future will have 10 times the capacity of today’s networks and be able to deliver a wireless data bit for 1/10 the cost. So while the future is always hard to predict our kids maybe the best crystal ball we have to it.

Posted by Bob Friday at 10:39 AM Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)