Mobile & Wireless Technology

摘要

Mobile and wireless systems initiatives often top IT managers' pilot-project lists. Not only is the allure of enhanced mobility extremely strong, technologists are also innately fascinated by the technology itself. When it works, wireless networking is nothing short of amazing, a testimony to 21st century engineering ingenuity. The downside is that, in most organizations, getting from pilot project to production system requires compelling ROI, and the costs and benefits of many mobile and wireless systems initiatives are difficult to measure. Sure, you can slap together a budget for a new WLAN (wireless LAN), for example, but determining the TCO (total cost of ownership) that reflects the upgrades as the technology evolves is another issue. Just how much of a productivity increase can you realize by giving people untethered access to the network? Of course, you may have a situation where WLANs can save you the cost of wiring, but in most environments where performance is a priority, you'll probably need to have a wired infrastructure in addition to wireless. Then it comes down to demonstrating ROI for two networks.