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May 2008 | |
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Looking for past editions of Wireless NETworks? View them now in the Resource Center » |
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Going forward with Wireless – The Choice is Yours Every industrial plant has a choice to make when implementing wireless. Do you install proprietary wireless products, everything from one vendor? Or do you go the point solution route, which will solve one problem at a time, or… do you choose to implement an open, standards-based, scalable, secure, reliable wireless network? As the list of wireless applications grows, so do the number of wireless devices and systems that support these applications, adding complexity that arises from using multiple wireless technologies to address each applications’ requirements coverage, latency and throughput. Most of these systems have been designed to use unlicensed frequencies, which are shared across the different technologies and applications. The sharing of these frequencies is made easier by the emergence of robust standards for communications, but standards alone are not enough. Standards assure the proper function of the systems with a given set of cost/performance characteristics, and a basis for interoperability - but no single wireless technology or standard is capable of being the single solution for every application. This diversity of cost/performance trade-offs among these and the dozens of other available industrialized wireless networking technologies dictates that users choose the most effective technology and devices for a given application. There is not a “one-size-fits-all” wireless networking technology that adequately supports the diverse and demanding requirements of industrial applications and environments. Choice #1 Propriety Wireless Sensors, Products & Networks Choosing all of your wireless networking applications from a single vendor gives you the advantage of an engineered system that is designed to integrate various wireless technologies into a single seamless system. This lets you take advantage of shared wireless infrastructure and achieve economies of both scale and scope. Unfortunately, this also locks you into a limited set of lowest-common-denominator proprietary “standards” that will leave you vulnerable to being held hostage by a single vendor. As new applications emerge and wireless technologies evolve, your dependence on a single vendor will limit your options, lock you into the preferences of a single vendor, and hold you back while your competitors move forward. Choice #2 Wireless Best-of-Breed, Point Solutions Another option is to review the unique needs of your operations, facilities, and desired applications and choose the best wireless technology for you. This best-of-breed, point solution approach will have a better chance of delivering the performance and reliability you require. But each best-of-breed point solution you deploy will demand its own infrastructure and management system – requiring an investment in technology and manpower. Each point-solution wireless technology and application will also require its own wireless infrastructure, network management, and security. There will be no re-use of a common infrastructure. Each wireless application will be much more expensive to deploy and manage – making it difficult to establish a positive return on your investment in any single wireless technology or application. It is important to consider the future of wireless technology. It is obvious that wireless technologies are not standing still. There will be new wireless technologies, tools, devices and applications becoming available over the next decade. Locking yourself into a single vendor or an inflexible dedicated network won’t let you easily take advantage of new technologies as they become available. Choice #3 Turn your Wireless On – with an Open, Scalable Wireless Network The answer is to have a single shared wireless network that allows “plug and play” interoperability, management, and security of any wireless devices and applications – regardless of their radio frequency, protocol, or application. Option #3 is a truly open wireless infrastructure that will allow you to choose exactly the right wireless device and application for your plant. In addition, because there is no single wireless network technology, application or vendor capable of delivering the full range of industrial wireless products and applications, you will want to manage the cost of ownership of a multi-application, multi-vendor infrastructure. Achieving a greater degree of application flexibility and cost certainty requires an engineered approach that creates a network of systems based on open standards, best practices and vendor neutrality across applications. The choice should be easy. The financial and operations benefits of industrial wireless are most effectively realized with an open solution architecture that is capable of utilizing the best technologies and applications available – from any vendor. By using the best tools for the job and an open wireless infrastructure, you will avoid the limitations of a single vendor solution and the constraints imposed by previous deployments of wireless applications and instead enjoy the full breadth of benefits of wireless in all areas of plant operations. Choose the open, scalable, reliable and secure wireless network and Your Wireless is On. » Read more about Open Wireless Networks – Download the free white paper  |
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