Cloud, IoT and Security Are Driving Enterprise WiFi Investments
July 27, 2017 | IHS MarkitEstimated reading time: 2 minutes
IHS Markit today released findings from its WLAN Strategies North American enterprise survey, which takes an in-depth look at the access networks of medium-to-large companies and their plans for delivering wireless connectivity in the workplace to new types of devices.
The annual survey of network managers shows that investments in WLANs continue unabated, driven by growth in users, a shift toward mobile devices and wireless access, adoption of IoT, and the need for greater security and network performance. Security in particular is the number one network change by a wide margin, and the top reason to invest in new infrastructure as companies must fend off a constant barrage of cyberattacks.
“Our research found that workplaces are changing, and employees will spend a majority of their time away from their primary workstation in the future,” said Matthias Machowinski, senior research director for enterprise networks and video at IHS Markit. “Retailers are at the forefront of this trend, but we expect a broad range of industries to follow suit. As companies adopt mobility-centric processes, it’s crucial that employees keep access to communication tools and information wherever they are, and this requirement is driving the current WiFi investment cycle.”
Respondents are growing their installed base of access points (APs) by 20% per year, and upgrading to newer technologies to address growing coverage and capacity requirements. The not-yet-released 802.11ax standard is the most common type of AP that respondents plan to purchase by 2019.
Tablets are the number one type of device new to the network over the next year, followed by a host of IoT-related devices such as cars, lighting controls, displays, speakers, sensors, thermostats, appliances, drones and ATMs. Also new, but in smaller numbers, are wearables and virtual reality (VR)/augmented reality (AR) devices.
In past years, cloud applications were not a major contributor to WiFi traffic growth, but this changed in 2017, with cloud now among the top three drivers due to the adoption of new IT architectures, public cloud services and devices whose functionality relies on cloud connectivity.
About IHS Markit
IHS Markit is a world leader in critical information, analytics and expertise for the major industries and markets that drive economies worldwide. The company delivers next-generation information, analytics and solutions to customers in business, finance and government, improving their operational efficiency and providing deep insights that lead to well-informed, confident decisions. IHS Markit has more than 50,000 key business and government customers, including 85 percent of the Fortune Global 500 and the world's leading financial institutions. Headquartered in London, IHS Markit is committed to sustainable, profitable growth.
Suggested Items
IDTechEx Examines the Opportunities for Wearables in Digital Health
04/19/2024 | IDTechExIDTechEx’s report, “Digital Health and Artificial Intelligence 2024-2034: Trends, Opportunities, and Outlook”, covers this ongoing trend in the consumer health wearables market and includes analysis of the opportunities and roadmap for biometric monitoring.
Catching Up With Chasom Electronics
04/16/2024 | Dan Beaulieu, D.B. Management GroupI recently met with Chasom Electronics’ founding director Anil Kumar. Chasom offers a unique menu of services for companies looking to extend their technology capabilities on a short- or long-term basis. Read on to learn about this very unique service company.
Renesas Commences Operations of Kofu Factory as Dedicated 300-mm Wafer Fab for Power Semiconductors
04/15/2024 | RenesasRenesas Electronics Corporation, a premier supplier of advanced semiconductor solutions, today announced that it has started operations at its Kofu Factory, located in Kai City, Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan.
MacroFab Announces Addition of Gordon Rapkin to Board of Directors
04/10/2024 | PRNewswireMacroFab Inc., the operator of North America's largest technology platform for electronics manufacturing, has announced today the appointment of Gordon Rapkin to its Board of Directors as Chairman.
The Need for a Holistic Global Sustainability Standard
04/10/2024 | Michael Ford, Aegis SoftwareNo one can deny that the resources of our fragile planet are finite. The environment seems like a third party, subject to constant degradation. We’re acutely aware of the effects of pollution on our climate, and despite our “throw-away” culture, recycling and recovery of materials has remained relatively expensive, even as we use more energy just to survive.