new technologies

Editor's Corner

Sun, 25 Mar 2007 20:01:39 -0400

If you ran the world...

It's one of those games that starts early. "If I ran the world," it begins, and you move on to describe the wonderful solutions to problems grave or trivial that would be implemented under your wise and magnificent reign. In the world of high technology, we get to play that game out in real life more often than do the inhabitants of most other commercial realms. Scientists and engineers push forward with new technologies, we talk to vendors about what we want to buy, and the vendors rush (or crawl, in some cases) to put our desires into product form. With new technologies coming rapidly in the wireless space, now is a good time to be playing the "If I ran the world" game. Talk to your users and staff about what they need in a wireless platform and push the vendors hard to get your needed features into a product that you want to buy. Now is the right time to have the conversations--not later, after products that only sort-of meet your needs have come to market. It starts, of course, with figuring out exactly what you need--and if I ran the world that would be a far easier process than it already is. -Curtis

Symbol's box switches on lots of new features

Sun, 05 Nov 2006 19:01:37 -0500

The latest wireless switch from Symbol Technologies could be the panacea tech leaders have been searching for in the quest to integrate a few new technologies into the network. The RFS7000 offers up support for Layer 3 roaming and up to 256 access points. It also can support radio frequency identification technologies, boasts a 16-core network processor (which allows for parallel processing capabilities for high traffic volume) and supports the in-development 802.11n standard. The vendor has also shored up the management tool for the switch, with RF Management Suite. Article

How to keep security strong as data speeds spike

Sun, 20 Nov 2005 19:01:38 -0500

The security issues with mobile computing and wireless devices aren't anywhere near as high as desktop and network woes, but as analysts explained at a recent conference, it won't stay that way for long given the growing population of users and increasing deployments of handheld devices. The best way to grow security as adoption grows is to understand where the initial threats will be coming from and which technologies and devices seem to be the easiest to protect or offer more security features.

The first step is mimicking the same rules you have in place for PC and laptop users--ensuring data backup, strong password policies--and educating users on new issues, such as not using or accessing unsecured WiFi networks. As one pundit explains, it's really about good common sense and deploying security as you deploy new technologies in order to keep up with the threats that are bound to grow once more files are being downloaded and more data is being shared via mobile devices.

For more on growing wireless security efforts:
- read this article at eWeek

PLUS: Only one-third of devices are secured. Article

Going truly mobile courtesy of VoWLAN devices

Sun, 20 Nov 2005 19:01:36 -0500

First it was wireless wide area networks, then Voice over Internet Protocol, and now, not surprisingly, VoWLAN has arrived. The technology is sure to be embraced by those seeking true mobility in and out of the office network. The dual-mode cellular/WiFi system provides extreme flexibility in terms of remaining connected everywhere and anywhere and lower telco costs to boot. Research studies predict that VoWLAN phones will hit 17 million by 2009--not a huge number when compared to today's cell phone numbers (700 million last year alone), but then again VoWLAN has only been around a few years. Like most new technologies, VoWLAN devices aren't cheap--they still hover in the $500-$700 range--but that will drop as improved technologies and greater adoption takes place.

For more on VoWLAN devices:
- read this article at Network Computing