Motorola Aims to Reduce WLAN Management Blues

Motorola unveiled two new solutions Feb. 24 that the company claims will simplify and reduce the costs associated with the maintenance and management of enterprise wireless networks. The new technology allows IT managers to remotely analyze and perform network testing from a central location as well as take advantage of next-generation self-healing features.

By providing IT departments with the ability to identify and fix network configuration issues remotely, Motorola said its solution can help reduce wireless network help desk support costs and related on-site troubleshooting expenses.

"Minimizing operating expense is always important to network operations teams and especially so as wireless becomes the primary access for so many in the enterprise," Craig Mathias, a principal with the wireless and mobile advisory firm Farpoint Group, said in a statement. "It's therefore critical that automation be applied to management tasks wherever possible."

Motorola AirDefense's Advanced Troubleshooting tool proactively identifies wireless LAN configuration issues, helping IT managers reduce or eliminate bottlenecks and minimize downtime across the entire network. The tool set includes an Access Point Connectivity Testing module to identify connectivity problems with periodic end-to-end wireless network testing initiated over the air by a wireless sensor emulating a client.

The Connectivity Troubleshooting tool allows help desk personnel to perform analysis on wireless client connectivity issues and resolve or escalate trouble tickets without requiring extensive wireless expertise.

According to Motorola, its Smart RF (radio frequency) technology puts the wireless LAN RF environment on autopilot to reduce network monitoring costs by letting the wireless LAN adapt to changing RF conditions. In addition, Smart RF allows for the dynamic adjustment of the access point power and channels, automatically eliminating the gaps in wireless coverage.

"As more and more enterprises turn to wireless LAN as their primary network, IT departments are looking for innovative solutions that will help them maximize performance while keeping down costs associated with on-site network maintenance and troubleshooting," said Sujai Hajela, vice president and general manager of Motorola's Enterprise Wireless LAN.