Summary

Griffith University has succeeded in designing and deploying a very successful and popular wireless LAN by focusing on business value and user requirements.

The university decided to deploy wireless LANs for both the student body and faculty in early 2004 on an incremental, phased basis. Instead of introducing wireless LANs earlier, the university's Network and Communications Services group waited for the technology to mature and for the group to better understand their end-user requirements. Proactive engagement with the academic staff and student body, including comprehensive user surveys, allowed the university to tailor the solution to exactly what its users wanted.

The use of Smart Zones, targeted areas for wireless connectivity, allowed IT staff to carefully manage the solution, providing a higher level of service and quality than typically experienced in institutions of higher education.

A comprehensive web portal, Wireless@Griffith, has greatly assisted in the success of the solution.