Andrew R. Hickey said:
802.11n, the new wireless standard that promises faster speeds and greater range, is already starting to trickle into some network environments, even though it will not be ratified until at least next year. The new standard, by many accounts, is destined to shake up the world of wireless networking, making the other wireless LAN standards seem clunky and outdated.
Meru Networks is in the forefront of the 802.11n charge, making and shipping 11n WLAN products that have already demonstrated increases in performance. SearchNetworking.com recently caught up with Rachna Ahlawat, Meru's vice president of strategic marketing, to discuss the ins and outs of 11n and highlight what organizations need to do to prepare for its impending coup against all other Wi-Fi standards.
With the 802.11n standard still in draft form until 2008, why should an enterprise consider deployment now? What are the downsides, if any, to such an early deployment?
Rachna Ahlawat: WLAN products based on 802.11n draft 2.0 are already being certified by the Wi-Fi Alliance, which means they are effectively ready for use today. The draft standard specifies all core features of the standard, including increased performance using multiple input, multiple output (MIMO) technology.
The Wi-Fi Alliance's approach here is similar to when it launched Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) prior to the approval of 802.11i for security. Eventually, the Wi-Fi Alliance synchronized its own certification with 802.11i through the release of WPA2, but provided WPA as an interim technology for use in advance of the final standard.
Given the speed, capacity and other benefits of 802.11n, many organizations are deciding to deploy 802.11n now, rather than wait until the full ratification of the standard. For example, Morrisville State College, a SUNY school, is the first organization to deploy enterprise-class 802.11n WLAN products. Morrisville installed its first WLAN in 1999 and determined that an upgrade was necessary this year. The effective life of a WLAN is three to five years, so it was time for the school to make a change ….
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