NETWORK WORLD NEWSLETTER: JEFF CARUSO ON HIGH SPEED LANS 10/14/04 Today's focus: Wi-Fi Alliance talks tough
Dear [EMAIL PROTECTED], In this issue: * Wi-Fi Alliance gives vendors warning over draft 802.11n ��standard * Links related to High Speed LANs * Featured reader resource _______________________________________________________________ This newsletter is sponsored by Veritas Meta Group Whitepaper Database Infrastructure Performance Challenges: Approaches to Better Manage Application Database and Storage Subsystem Performance Corporate relational databases now manage the majority of business-critical data within the enterprise. IT organizations face continuing challenges in managing increasingly complex, data-driven application environments. Read this white paper to discover several factors which will converge to challenge the IT organization's ability to manage its database software infrastructure. http://www.fattail.com/redir/redirect.asp?CID=84654 _______________________________________________________________ SECURITY CONCERNS STOPPING YOUR WLAN PLANS? Is it possible to deploy a secure wireless LAN with technology available today? That question preys on the minds of IT executives who are tempted to deploy enterprise WLANs, but are hesitant because of security concerns. Find out what we uncovered when we assembled 23 wireless products trying to get to the answer. Click here: http://www.fattail.com/redir/redirect.asp?CID=84750 _______________________________________________________________ Today's focus: Wi-Fi Alliance talks tough By Jeff Caruso The Wi-Fi Alliance this week issued an interesting statement regarding the still-draft standard for IEEE 802.11n - saying it won't certify any equipment as compliant with the standard until it is officially complete. More interesting is the fact that the alliance took the stand specifically in response to what happened with 802.11g. Quoting Gartner analyst Ken Dulaney, the group's press release said, "Vendors took advantage of unsuspecting buyers when they touted pre-standard technology for 802.11g that later did not meet the standard. Left unchecked, the industry is unfortunately poised to repeat itself with 802.11n." The release also says that any pre-standard IEEE 802.11n products that create interoperability issues will lose their Wi-Fi certification. These are strong words - and perhaps necessary for this industry. As I've noted before, wireless LAN (WLAN) equipment makers have very strong proprietary roots and a history of putting off standardization in favor of high-speed equipment that can't interoperate with gear from other vendors. IEEE 802.11b was a breakthrough in standardization in this field that kick-started widespread use of WLAN technology. By fostering interoperability, the Wi-Fi Alliance (despite what I originally saw as a goofy name) has done a lot to encourage this growth. It's a shame that some vendors can't see that, even now. Perhaps this new warning from the Wi-Fi Alliance will knock some sense into them. And perhaps users will put pressure on the vendors to be fully compliant. IEEE 802.11n promises to raise throughput rates to 100M bit/sec - that's after you subtract for overhead, which can be substantial when it comes to wireless technology. With potential like that, the case for losing your wires gets a tremendous boost, and vendors should try not to blow it with products that are too early and too different from the eventual standard. The standard is expected to complete in about two years. RELATED EDITORIAL LINKS IEEE 802.11n Network World Encyclopedia http://www.nwfusion.com/details/6450.html _______________________________________________________________ To contact: Jeff Caruso Jeff Caruso is managing editor of online news for Network World. He oversees daily online news posting and newsletter editing, and writes the NetFlash daily news summary, the High-Speed LANs newsletter and the Voices of Networking newsletter. Contact him at <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> _______________________________________________________________ This newsletter is sponsored by SBC Dialing for Dollars CRATE & BARREL'S VOIP MOVE NETS SAVINGS AND FLEXIBILITY An apples-to-apples comparison showed that a centralized, software-based, IP-based platform could provide significant cost savings and productivity benefits over a comparable, traditional PBX system. Download whitepaper now, click here http://www.fattail.com/redir/redirect.asp?CID=84636 _______________________________________________________________ ARCHIVE LINKS Archive of the High Speed LANs newsletter: http://www.nwfusion.com/newsletters/lans/index.html _______________________________________________________________ FEATURED READER RESOURCE CHECK OUT NW FUSION'S WHITE PAPER LIBRARY Visit Today: NW Fusion's White Paper Library with new features and improved capabilities! Sort NW Fusion's library of white papers by Date and Vendor, view white papers by TECHNCIAL CATEGORY, mouse over white paper descriptions and take advantage of our IMPROVED white paper search engine. CLICK HERE: <http://www.nwfusion.com/vendorview/whitepapers.html> _______________________________________________________________ May We Send You a Free Print Subscription? You've got the technology snapshot of your choice delivered at your fingertips each day. 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Write Jeff Caruso, Newsletter Editor, at: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Inquiries to: NL Customer Service, Network World, Inc., 118 Turnpike Road, Southborough, MA 01772 For advertising information, write Kevin Normandeau, V.P. of Online Development, at: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Copyright Network World, Inc., 2004 ------------------------ This message was sent to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
