Cisco Partner NetXperts VP Tom Hagin Discusses Trends in Wireless Networking

November 12, 2003

Wireless networking is growing phenomenally within homes and businesses-and Cisco partners are helping fuel this growth. On November 12, 2003, Cisco hosted a Wireless LAN Education Day to discuss the trends occurring in the wireless market. Tom Hagin, vice president, wireless business for NetXperts-a Cisco partner that provides customers with Wireless solutions-participated in a panel during the event. Recently, News@Cisco writer Cindy McDowell sat down with Tom to discuss specialization, selling wireless solutions into specific vertical markets, the Cisco Structured Wireless Aware Network and some of the trends he sees in the wireless space.

NetXperts has had tremendous success in the wireless LAN market. What has contributed to your success?

Tom Hagin: Three main things have contributed to our success in wireless LAN. First, we focus on system engineer and account manager training. Everyone on our technical staff possesses a thorough understanding of wireless networking in general and how it can benefit our clients in particular.

Second, we work to engage new and existing clients early in wireless discussions. We like to help them view wireless networking as an extension of the wired network.

And last, we focus heavily on preparation. For instance, before any wireless devices are deployed, we focus heavily on a pre-deployment site survey.

Which vertical markets is NetXperts focusing on, and why did it choose to pursue these specific markets?

Tom Hagin: While we are not specifically tied to one particular vertical, we've been working with our healthcare clients for many years. As wireless LAN and WAN technology became more secure and affordable, and as healthcare-specific application vendors developed programs designed to run across the wireless medium, we were right there to help our clients carefully plan for these business-enabling technologies.

Which wireless technologies are your customers embracing today?

Tom Hagin: NetXpert clients are mainly looking for LAN technologies with the desire to run a specific application. The added value that we try to convey includes wireless IP phones, IP surveillance video cameras and collection devices, as well as the old standards: e-mail and Web surfing. Building-to-building WANs are hot as well and create some unique challenges.

What are some of the wireless trends you see in the near future?

Tom Hagin: We're expecting to see even higher data rates, less channel conflict, and more robust quality of service (QoS).

What are some of the challenges you face with deploying wireless LAN technology?

Tom Hagin: Our biggest challenge is educating existing and potential customers that wireless isn't as easy as popping down to the local computer store and picking up an access point and a client card and plugging it into an Ethernet port on your enterprise network. This scenario would be an example of the home user's approach, but it's not practical in an enterprise environment. Even the sharpest of our IT customers have had very troublesome deployments that usually trace back to one thing: improper planning. Then, they come to us.

What has Cisco done to help you successfully sell wireless LAN solutions within these vertical markets?

Tom Hagin: Cisco provides a wealth of information on cisco.com via e-learning. There are instructor-led courses that are local and convenient to our engineers and account managers. Also, our local Cisco system engineers and account managers have played an important role by taking full advantage of our wireless expertise to assist their customers in successfully deploying wireless.

Has the Cisco Structured Wireless Aware Network (SWAN) and the integration of wired and wireless technologies for simplified management and deployment of wireless LANs helped you?

Tom Hagin: Yes it has. Many of the Cisco SWAN initiatives were already being done by NetXperts before they were officially announced. Such technologies as Cisco IOS® Software for creating separate wireless VLANs, CiscoWorks Wireless LAN Solution Engine (WLSE) for managing multiple AP deployments; CiscoSecure Access Control Server (ACS) as one component of a layered approach to WLAN security and inline power for tremendous convenience and cost savings.

NetXperts has a Cisco Wireless Specialization what value does that add when pursuing business opportunities?

Tom Hagin: The Cisco Wireless Specialization adds tremendous value. For wireless LAN and WAN deployments to go smoothly, the specialized training given to our system engineers and account managers have not only allowed us to know and understand the radio frequency environment and how it integrates with the wired network, but it also allows us to better explain the technology in layman's terms to our clients many of whom are still very apprehensive about what is perceived as the insecure nature of 802.11 technology. We have the knowledge of and experience with the technology to explain what wireless networking is and show how they can benefit in terms of ROI.