(Click on the title above to access the paper.)
By Motorola
Abstract:
Wireless technology is exploding in popularity. Businesses are not only migrating to wireless networking, they are steadily integrating wireless technology and associated components into their wired infrastructure. The demand for wireless access to LANs is fueled by the growth of mobile computing devices, such as laptops and personal digital assistants, and a desire by users for continual connections to the network without having to “plug in.”
Like most innovative technologies, using wireless LANs poses both opportunities and risks. The wireless explosion has given momentum to a new generation of hackers who specialize in inventing and deploying innovative methods of hijacking wireless communications, and in using the wireless network to breach the wired infrastructure. In fact, hackers have never had it so easy.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
Steven,
ReplyDeleteYou're perfectly right in emphasizing the importance of WLAN security. That said, I'd like to refer to an adaptation of the well-known Maslow Hierarchy of Needs* as a suitable model in the WLAN context as follows:
[TOP of the Maslow Pyramide]
A: Service quality, end user experience, fulfillment of business purpose
B: Service availability, interoperability, network status, standard interfaces
C: Configuration management, maintenance, troubleshooting
D: Security, encryption, access control, intrusion detection and prevention
E: Network planning, wiring, power and shelter for networking gear
[BOTTOM of the Maslow Pyramide]
If we compare LAN and WLAN solutions available it is easy to see that their degrees of maturity are very different.
In LAN area, the entire Maslow hierarchy is well covered by both major players with wide range of products (e.g. Cisco, Alcatel-Lucent) and a number of vendors offering specialized solutions for certain levels.
In WLAN world, most of the vendors offer solutions to the lower or central parts of the pyramide (E to C/D), whilst the most important area "A" for business critical WLAN applications (e.g. VoIP over WLAN, Mobile devices in logistics, healthcare, air-/seaports etc.) are covered by just few companies' new products offering (most notable www.7signal.com and Motorola's AirDefence).
Only with continuous Wireless Quality Assurance in place can we confidently deploy WLAN to improve efficiency and cut cost in truly business critical applications where the current approach, "troubleshooting after user complaints" is clearly not enough to catch performance issues and intermittent radio problems. This is a clearly emerging important new trend we should bear in mind.
______________
*) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maslow's_hierarchy_of_needs