Cisco Partner eTribeca Provides Manhattan Law Firm with Secure Wireless Access

September 7, 2006

Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP, a full-service Manhattan-based law firm with more than 300 attorneys serving clients in 20-plus distinct practice areas, recently consolidated into 12 floors in a new Manhattan building. The firm considered the move an opportunity to solve an ongoing technology problem: providing wireless network access to visiting clients and prospects, while increasing the productivity of their workforce.

"Previously, when a client wanted network access while in our buildings, we'd have a multi-step procedure," says Robert Scott, associate director of technical infrastructure services at Kramer Levin. "Someone would call IT, and an IT person would hardwire the connection in a conference room." With the relocation Scott wanted to provide easier and better connectivity for clients. Rather than running more wires and installing more jacks, Scott and his staff considered a new wireless solution, which could be incorporated into the firm's move rather than created as a distinct new network.

Since Kramer Levin's core network switches and routers were already Cisco products, and Scott was committed to a Cisco wireless solution to work well with existing equipment, they recommended Cisco Premier Certified Partner eTribeca LLC for the firm's wireless networking needs. With over 10 years WiFi experience, its Premier Partner status and a Cisco specialization in wireless, the company's clients include the Jacob Javitz Convention Center and Brooklyn Public Library.

The Kramer Levin project was the first massive rollout of a law firm of this size for eTribeca, providing 100 percent WiFi coverage of all12 floor of office space. While many firms are deploying wireless solutions in satellite offices and conference rooms, eTribeca CTO and COO Gary Berzack says deploying it in a New York City office space, securely on 12 floors was a challenge. Design needs were tremendous, and the eTribeca team became a trusted partner, helping the firm make key aesthetic decisions.

According to Berzack, wireless is a transport technology that crosses many vertical markets, so eTribeca has become proficient in a diverse area of vertical markets. The company has found that wireless experience gained from one deployment helps with the next. The deployment took just two weeks, which Abdullah Pollard, IT manager for eTribeca, attributes to new building construction where access to cabling and open ceilings was critical to the installation time.

"Customers in existing buildings often don't have a usable floor plan diagram," he says. "A new building provides very accurate blueprints to work from and you're not working around employees. Our challenge with this deployment was the highly polished aesthetic environment that needed to be protected at all times." Scott agrees that preserving the aesthetic quality of the building was critical. "We were devoting resources in design and technology to showcase a professional and state-of-the-art facility. We did not want unsightly antennas coming out of the ceiling." eTribeca provided wireless antennas that Scott compares to the size of a postage stamp.

eTribeca provided a detailed user guide enabling the Kramer Levin IT department to show people how to access the network easily. For wireless security eTribeca used the 802.1x security specification and designed a secure network for contracts and other private documents, and a more open network for visitors to surf the Web or process e-mail. "We were careful about providing secure versus more open access," says Pollard. "In general, the offices where sensitive and private conversations take place have access to the secure portion of the network. In the open areas such as conference rooms and common areas, the network access is more open."

"The wireless access available throughout the new offices is important because clients and prospects now expect that level of access when they come into a firm like Kramer Levin," says Scott. "Now when guests are waiting for a meeting, they appreciate the ability to sit in the lobby or a conference room and be online." The deployment was such a success that a few months after deployment Kramer Levin asked eTribeca to expand the deployment to two additional floors it would be inhabiting.

"More people are buying laptops with wireless capabilities, and guest service is a major driver in wireless access," says Berzack. "As people expect access in places like law firms and hotels, they have higher performance demands. Intel has claimed that wireless laptops in 2005 now exceed the sales of desktops. Wireless is definitely happening on a local and national basis and the enterprise needs to be prepared for this." eTribeca conducts a review of its clients' needs, presents system recommendations and then implements complete solutions, sourcing and installing all services and hardware, equipment and maintenance, allowing clients to realize the freedom of working from home, remote locations or wherever they may be.