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Build or Refresh the Wireless LAN

Right-size your WLAN to support your ever-evolving business needs.

  • As a company in a society where technological demands are ever-changing and always increasing, you need to be adaptable to ensure customer satisfaction and operational efficiency.
  • Your end users are embracing wireless and you can’t afford to live in the past. They’re demanding faster and more reliable wireless networks as they push the limits of your network’s capacity with a growing number of devices per person.

Our Advice

Critical Insight

  • Supply your stakeholders with historical network usage and capacity data when making the case for a Wireless LAN (WLAN) build or refresh in order to provide a benchmark and gain buy-in for the project.
  • Define your technical WLAN requirements based on your business context and requirements.
  • If you design your WLAN for capacity, density and coverage will follow.

Impact and Result

  • Gain stakeholder buy-in by making a solid business case for your WLAN build or refresh project by understanding the value it provides to the business.
  • Define the business context surrounding the WLAN build or refresh and make sure your technical requirements can satisfy your business requirements.
  • Develop a comprehensive request for proposal based on your technical requirements and score your responses using a standard methodology.
  • Craft a well-designed network implementation and monitoring process.

Build or Refresh the Wireless LAN Research & Tools

1. Define the WLAN state

List the business requirements and determine the corresponding set of technical requirements.

2. Build the business case

Assess the project financials, build a high-level timeline, and define your metrics for success.

3. Select the WLAN solution

Develop the RFP, hand it out to vendors, score it, and select a vendor.

4. Design the network and deployment plan

Design the network and build the detailed implementation timeline.

5. Deploy the network and monitor success

Assess the success of the initial WLAN build or refresh and establish a process for ongoing monitoring.

Build or Refresh the Wireless LAN preview picture

About Info-Tech

Info-Tech Research Group is the world’s fastest-growing information technology research and advisory company, proudly serving over 30,000 IT professionals.

We produce unbiased and highly relevant research to help CIOs and IT leaders make strategic, timely, and well-informed decisions. We partner closely with IT teams to provide everything they need, from actionable tools to analyst guidance, ensuring they deliver measurable results for their organizations.

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Each blueprint can be accompanied by a Guided Implementation that provides you access to our world-class analysts to help you get through the project.

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Speak With An Analyst

Get the help you need in this 1-phase advisory process. You'll receive 5 touchpoints with our researchers, all included in your membership.

  • Call 1: Define the WLAN state

    Conduct a scoping call; understand your business context; determine your technical requirements.

  • Call 2: Build the business case

    Conduct a scoping call; review your project financials; review your business case.

  • Call 3: Select the WLAN solution

    Conduct a scoping call; review the RFP; review the RFP responses and contract.

  • Call 4: Design the network and deployment plan

    Conduct a scoping call; develop the implementation plan; finalize the plan.

  • Call 5: Deploy the network and monitor success

    Conduct a scoping call; review the initial project implementation; monitor the WLAN.

Authors

Margaret Hao

Cassandra Cooper

Contributors

  • Michael Morgan, Senior Information Technology Manager, OASBO/ Waterloo Region District School Board

Search Code: 77215
Last Revised: March 26, 2015

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