The Selection Criteria

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Each WLAN user should be equipped with at least one of the following devices: a laptop, tablet computer, PDA, handheld computer, a phone based on one of the 802.11 flavors, a wireless printer, etc.

Note 

Processing power counts for a lot, so if you plan to add wireless capabilities to computing devices that have low processing power, consider upgrading first. When you access a WLAN—using any vendor's NIC—the processor utilization will become quite high.)

Don't try to support any and every device that crosses the organization's threshold. Instead, create a "cafeteria plan" (a term coined by Gartner Inc.) that offers employees a limited choice of mobile computing devices, and a variety of support options. Such a plan allows the IT department to provide the employees with device options that more closely suit their personal preferences, yet contains costs and development complexity.

The best way to implement a cafeteria plan is to categorize all available mobile computing devices into three levels of support.

  • Level One: The organization's standard mobile computing devices. If the employee uses one of these devices, the IT department will support it in the same way that PCs are supported.

  • Level Two: Employees will be permitted to access the WLAN via level two devices, but the IT department will not support them in any way whatsoever.

  • Level Three: Banned devices. If the organization catches an employee using any of these devices within the IT department's jurisdiction, that person will be asked to remove the banned device from the organization's facilities.

Allocate a budget. Give the employees a list of supported devices, and let them choose from that list up to the amount of the budget. This way you can satisfy the employees' desire for the latest technology, but keep costs within budget.

Keep abreast of new devices, manufacturers, and form factors. Not only will it help to anticipate new opportunities for applying technologies within the organization, but it will also help keep everyone on top of what's occurring in the mobile and wireless technology marketplace.



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Going Wi-Fi. A Practical Guide to Planning and Building an 802.11 Network
Going Wi-Fi: A Practical Guide to Planning and Building an 802.11 Network
ISBN: 1578203015
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2003
Pages: 273

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