Many organisations are unable to realise the benefits of wireless LAN (WLAN) deployments because of the complexity and maintenance burdens associated with traditional WLAN systems. That is the main finding of a new report from analyst firm The Aberdeen Group called Measuring the Real Value of Wireless LAN Deployments.

Aberdeen Group measured the value of WLAN deployments using three criteria: the increase in the flexibility of the workforce; the increase in the collaboration of the workforce; and the increase in the quality of meetings. Based on the results, companies were then graded as either “best-in-class”, “industry average” or “laggard”.

Firms graded as best in class showed the highest increases across the categories, averaging a 27 percent increase in flexibility and a 29 percent increase in meeting quality, for example. The industry average firms saw a 20 percent jump in workforce flexibility, but only an 11 percent increase in collaboration. The laggards recorded a nine percent drop in the quality of meetings.

According to Aberdeen Group wireless and mobility research director Philippe Winthrop, the laggards’ poor showing was partly down to a lack of relevant skills. The research found that fewer than one in three firms in this group offered IT staff training in deploying and managing WLANs. He said that where a company cannot afford to hire WLAN specialists, “it is critical that current IT managers have the skills to identify and resolve any central, spectrum or end-point performance issues that may arise”.

Winthrop added that while a lack of dedicated staff can make it difficult for a firm to perform frequent security scans, there is no excuse for a company not to put in place technology for protecting the WLAN. “Firms should have at a minimum a line item in their implementation budget to secure the wireless LAN. In fact, that should be a part of the initial purchase request,” he argued.

Companies that would struggle to throw adequate resources at a WLAN implementation should consider outsourcing security, or even management of the entire wireless infrastructure, Winthrop said. But while outsourcing is likely to appeal to companies that lack the expertise to deploy WLANs systems, “in the long run, organisations should challenge WLAN vendors to lower the overall complexity of WLAN solutions,” he advised.

The report highlighted a number of services that could be rolled out to increase WLAN utilisation, including RFID, fixed-mobile convergence, streaming IPTV and new location-based services.

“These services are the logical evolution of the wireless infrastructure. While they each have their own issues from an implementation, overlap and management perspective, none of these challenges is insurmountable,” Winthrop said.

To maximise their WLAN investments, best-in-class firms were advised by Aberdeen Group to perform more frequent radio frequency scans and analysis. Industry average firms were advised to adopt WLAN test tools, centralise WLAN management and automate the site survey process. It was recommended that Laggards hire specialist WLAN staff and invest in better wireless security.