Businesses underestimating the Wi-Fi demand caused by BYOD

Enterprises continue to struggle with Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) as employees continue to demand the freedom that comes with mobility in accordance with new trends. Security has long been discussed as the primary challenge when it comes to BYOD. Yet, other reasons such as network access is fast becoming a key concern for IT departments but also the key frustration for employees.

When it comes to connectivity, employee expectation is that it just works and as such this expectation must not be overlooked when implementing a BYOD roll-out.

Despite its progress over the last 23 years and reliance on organizations across the globe, the current state of Wi-Fi is that it is just not up to scratch. Fact is employee tolerance for poor Wi-Fi connection is zero to none. With improved Wi-Fi access in the home and in the unlikeliest of places including tube stops, trains and even on planes, expectations for Wi-Fi at work are significantly higher.

Fast Wi-Fi requires BYOD management

What must be remembered is that in the workplace, the vast number of simultaneous connections running from multiple servers is causing a strain on the wireless network but at the same time, businesses are underestimating the number of applications being used. Adding to this is the fact that workers aren’t connecting just their corporate-provided computers, but a large number of personal devices too. This presents an extra challenge as many of these devices are designed for consumer use at home and so having a high battery life often overrides the need for a strong Wi-Fi transmission.

To counter this, IT departments need to make sure that they are implementing access points (APs) and routers that have been specifically designed to enhance the Wi-Fi experience for these consumer grade devices.

IT must also implement a process of on-boarding individuals to the network and distinguishing a real difference between different users and their different devices as well as managing and controlling applications that are being used.

By understanding that there are a vast number of devices entering the workplace, and each device has different requirements to corporate provided laptops, organizations can ensure that their employees maintain connectivity. This is what an Enterprise Wireless network needs to deliver.

By Mark Powley, Director, Northern Europe at Aerohive Networks

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