Traditional workplace networks rely heavily on Ethernet, but in environments dominated by laptops, tablets and phones the wireless component is arguably more important. Wi-Fi is more convenient for users, but one new report suggests it can also halve your overall business network setup costs by half.
Patch panel picture from Shutterstock
In its 2013 Network Barometer Report, integrator Dimension Data suggests that overall network costs will drop by 50 per cent over the next five years. As well as the general trend for technology costs to reduce over time, the shift from a current ratio of 80 per cent cabled networks and 20 percent wireless networks to a more Wi-Fi-centric approach will cut costs, the report predicts.
“When comparing a traditional wired network deployment supporting 100 users to a wireless network of the same size, the reduction in physical hardware – LAN switches, discrete wireless LAN controller and cabling – makes the wireless network up to 50% less expensive,” Dimension Data director of solutions Neil Campbell said in a statement announcing the report. “In addition to the capital savings, the operation and management of this user environment is also reduced.”
Have you seen costs fall in wireless environments? Share your experiences in the comments.
Comments
11 responses to “Wireless Can Halve Your Networking Costs”
this sounds great until everyone in the office is on wifi, and everyone on the floors above and below you are too, and then you can see the network grind to a halt when someone does a large download.
do these people believe what they say?
An office isn’t the only place people work. Think warehouses.
hahahahahahahaha
*deep breaths*
hahahhahahhahahaha
*Turns on microwave to warm up lunch*
Oh, sorry about that.
“You know what’s delicious? Nachos. When you layer the cheese so it gets on every chip. Then smother them in sour cream and salsa. You should make some. Hurry!” – XKCD
*Wireless Can Halve Your Networking Speeds*
Fixed
“it can also halve your overall business network setup costs by half.”
halve it by half, so it’ll end up 1/4? 🙂
At first, I thought LH was either taking the piss, or Alex was having a quiet laugh, but then realised I’d seen wireless deployments in areas that would have been prohibitive to have wired, such as warehouses, airports, stadiums, etc.
Not as useful for closely spaced work areas such as offices, as previous commenters has pointed out 😀
This is bad advice. What you save in networking costs, you lose tenfold in productivity.
Link to the report would have been nice…
http://www.dimensiondata.com/Global/Global-Microsites/Pages/Network-Barometer-2013/index.html