I recently did something for the first time – not something that I get to say often! I’ve mentioned on these pages before about the new office that one of our clients was opening and how they took the opportunity to upgrade their LAN room equipment. One thing I briefly touched on was the installation of a secure wireless network. Well, that network is now up and running and everyone is pretty pleased with the results.

Implemented with SonicWall SonicPoint technology, the wireless network consists of 3 access points distributed around the office. Each access point is capable of transmitting 802.11 A/B/G/N signals and can have multiple SSID’s on separate networks. Additionally, the entire thing is managed through the familiar and friendly SonicWall interface. The company needed Corporate private network access (to bring their laptop into the conference room with ease) and Guest access (to allow any office visitors to have access). We decided to publish two SSID’s for each network, one for 802.11 G connections and another for 802.11 N connections so users whose computers support 802.11 N are able to take advantage of the faster speeds. This is where the fun starts. While the Guest network uses the standard wireless passphrase, the Corporate network has been integrated with Active Directory for authentication.

Integrating with Active Directory does a few fantastic things for wireless network security:

1. You are not relying on a pre-shared key that everyone knows and has to be changed often enough to protect the network from disgruntled former employees.
2. It adds a layer of protection as users are not likely to share network passwords with other users or visitors – forcing them to go get the Guest network password.
3. It allows network administrators to decide which user accounts can access the wireless – maybe desktop users don’t get to connect but laptop users do?
4. It uses a certificate based authentication – that means that, if deployed correctly, computers must be configured as local domain members to connect. This restricts access to the network to devices that are managed to the corporate standard. Unsecure home laptops, iPhones and mobile devices need not apply – that’s what the guest network is for!
5. The certificate authentication also allows for an encrypted session, meaning that the login and connection is just about as secure as connecting to the network through a cable. Granted, wireless goes through walls, so it’s not 100% the same, but it’s as close as you’ll be able to get.

In addition to the added security features, Active Directory integration also allows for a seamless login experience for network users. You simply find the network and hit connect. The authentication happens in the background and within a few seconds you’re connected!

While SonicWall SonicPoints are far from the only device that provides this level of integration, it is quickly becoming our preferred device. It’s easy to use, quick to deploy and meets the needs of our customers.

If you’re struggling with how to provide secure wireless access to the private network, let me know and we can talk about how to incorporate some of this technology.

During any given year, we are certain to see at least four of our customers move into a new space. This could be a new branch office opening, moving the whole office to a new location or even merging two offices into a single new large office. Each of these has their own challenges, but they all have one thing in common – it becomes a great time to look at all of the forgotten devices in the network closet and make some upgrades.

Let’s face it, the network switch is the unsung hero of the network. Without it, you can’t get to the server or the Internet. Printing doesn’t happen, email won’t send, and forget about iTunes or Pandora. Being so vital, its funny that switches tend to be ignored and forgotten about. They sit in the LAN room, usually unseen and get cursed at when they break. Therein lies the rub, this switch is probably the most reliable piece of IT equipment in the entire office. I’ve seen 10 year old switches still working well. Great, right?

No, not great. Think of the network switch as a highway. Ten years ago, when you first built a network in the office, you probably built a one lane highway. Speeds were good then, but now with gigabit networking and Fiber based Internet connections that one lane highway just isn’t enough. Changing out that 10 year old workhorse for something new may seem like frivolous spending, but using the highway analogy, you’ll actually be adding some lanes on the beltway and giving yourself some more speed.

What else is back in that network closet? Firewalls? Wireless network devices? KVM switches? UPS batteries? Voicemail computers? The list could go on and on and is different for everyone. The result, however, is the same. These are workhorses that run well seemingly forever.

I am working with a client on a large move project right now. We are replacing almost everything except for the servers. The expense was minimal (in comparison to everything else they are buying) but they will get a huge gain in performance, capability and even some old equipment to use as shelf spares in the event something bad happens.

All this begs the question, what’s the single most forgotten item in your LAN closet?  And is it time to upgrade them?  If so, give us a call to discuss how you might be able to improve network performance by spring-cleaning your data closet.