Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 802.11n draft 2.0 driving enterprise adoption of next-generation Wi-Fi technology

AUSTIN, TEXAS - 19 May 2008 - With enterprises increasingly upgrading their wireless networks to 802.11n draft 2.0, the Wi-Fi Alliance today released a new white paper addressing deployment considerations for the new technology in enterprise networks. The report is written by Burton Group, a research firm focused on in-depth analysis of enterprise technologies, and provides a look at such considerations as frequency band selection, power management, security, and network management solutions for next-generation Wi-Fi deployments.

"The uptake of 802.11n draft 2.0 has been unprecedented. We are pleased to have joined with Burton Group to deliver this report designed to help enterprise decision makers with their next generation Wi-Fi deployments," said Wi-Fi Alliance executive director Edgar Figueroa. "The report addresses 802.11n WLAN migration strategies and can help enterprises get the most benefit out of this high-throughput, high-range, new generation of Wi-Fi."

Enterprise IT managers have begun piloting and deploying Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 802.11n draft 2.0 in earnest, and with good reason. This advanced Wi-Fi standard delivers substantial improvements to throughput and range compared to previous generations of Wi-Fi, enabling enterprises to leverage Wi-Fi networks for a widening array of applications and increasing number of users. Moreover, with more than 35 enterprise-grade infrastructure products from a variety of vendors now Wi-Fi CERTIFIED, network administrators have a broad selection of interoperable products from which to choose.

"Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 802.11n will eventually surpass wired Ethernet as the dominant enterprise LAN access technology," said Paul DeBeasi, senior analyst at the Burton Group. "Enterprises should begin 802.11n migration planning now by thoroughly understanding the deployment considerations presented in this new white paper."

The Wi-Fi Alliance has certified numerous products based upon 802.11n draft 2.0 since it began testing in June of 2007. Consumers and enterprise users are embracing the technology because of the performance gains it offers. Analyst firm ABI Research forecasts that 47% of all 2008 Wi-Fi chipset shipments will be 802.11n draft 2.0.

To download the white paper and a podcast featuring Wi-Fi Alliance executive director Edgar Figueroa and Burton Group analyst Paul DeBeasi, or to find Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 802.11n products for the enterprise, visit www.wi-fi.org.