Branch wireless network Best Practices

The popularity of mobile devices has increased the demand for Wi-Fi for branch networks. Even if a company with a wide range of branches does not need to deploy wireless networks in hundreds of locations, it needs to deploy branches in dozens of locations. Mainstream network providers are aware of these challenges and provide branch network solutions that can meet these needs.

"The problem with remote offices is that there is usually no IT Department support ." Paul Debian, vice president of wireless and mobile application research at Gartner, said. Few companies in the company have assigned administrators to deploy and manage branch wireless networks. Debian said that a branch solution must meet certain requirements, for example, A wireless branch network must be easy to install, with centralized diagnosis and remote functions, and relatively inexpensive.

"Almost every vendor has branch solutions ." "Most enterprises use the same vendor for their headquarters, and their branches use the same thing," he said. For example, if the company's headquarters uses Cisco, the Division also uses Cisco ."

There are some key differences between branch wireless network products. Before selecting a supplier for the branch, enterprises should understand the following points.

Remote Diagnosis

Solving Network Connection is difficult for branches because you cannot see wireless signals. This is where the spectrum analysis technology plays a role. At the company's headquarters, you can use a handheld spectrum analyzer with IT staff to determine interference sources. In wireless branch networks, you need to build the same technology into wireless access points. Debian recommends that enterprises only deploy access points with embedded spectrum analysis technology. In this way, you can remotely identify interference. If this is not done, the problem cannot be solved.

Most Suppliers' Access Points use spectrum analysis technology. However, Cisco hardware-based CleanAir charges more, while companies such as the Aruba network and Motorola use the Commercial silicon built-in function. "The Wi-Fi chip and all applications have spectrum analysis functions, so they don't charge any additional fees ." "Cisco says they have better performance. 'We have solved the problem, so no extra charge is required. 'When a consumer decides whether to buy an item, they will consider whether the item is worth the money ."

Network Management System

In addition to the visible Wi-Fi spectrum, the network team also needs to access historical data to solve problems in the wireless networks of branches. Wi-Fi troubleshooting is different from wired, because wireless problems depend on locations and are temporary. The wireless connection varies with different locations and may change over time. For example, a user in a branch may contact the technical support staff to inform them that they have been unable to connect to the wireless network for several hours. When a technician receives a call from him, the wireless connection may be okay, but the cause of the failure cannot be identified.

To solve the network problem of a wireless branch, IT needs a wireless network management system, including a database that records the real-time status of the network and associates IT with the information data of the branch. "The network management system needs to collect information about each access point-the error rate, interference, and number of devices. Once a problem occurs, when you receive a call from the branch, technical support can identify the crux of the problem through the past few hours of recording." "Not every wireless management system can collect data based on time and location," Debian said. This is the key aspect of the system ."

Branch Wireless Network Architecture

The architecture of wireless branch network products is also very different, especially its controller function. The control plane of the wireless branch network can be in the Access Point itself, in the cloud environment or in the central position: usually in the data center of the enterprise headquarters. In a centralized, controller-based architecture, the wireless LAN Controller determines how to handle wireless traffic. This method increases latency when the Access Point sends packets to the Controller.

Cisco has a controller-based architecture that can centrally forward data-traffic is sent to the central controller through the Cisco hybrid remote edge Access Point H-REAP. The architecture of Aruba is similar to that of Cisco, but it only adjusts the access point so that it can make forwarding decisions in the branch. The Aruba Mobile Virtual Enterprise MOVE architecture allows branches to have up to 16 independent access points, one of which acts as the controller of the Branch's wireless network.

"Aerohive has fewer controllers, and Meraki is a cloud-based controller," Debian said. The Motorola architecture has a central control device, but it is embedded with the WING 5 architecture into the access point so that the branch access point can make forwarding decisions. This is a controller-based architecture that supports distributed forwarding. The traffic speed may slow down when sent to the Controller, which is indicated by the vendor of the central controller. But they can configure it so that the traffic of the branches will be kept locally ."