WIFI OUTLOOK
PROTECTING BUSINESS WITH OPTIMIZED WIFI NETWORKS
by By Roger Sands, CEO and Co-Founder of Wyebot, Inc.
A wireless network is no longer something niceto-have, but a competitive necessity and a critical resource in the manufacturing industry. Many manufacturers use wirelessly connected devices and applications to improve the efficiency of operations and increase customer satisfaction. This can include automated robots, Voice over Internet (VoIP) phones, wireless printing, wireless inventory scanners, IoT devices that monitor energy consumption or that track and monitor machine performance, and many others. None of these devices supply manufacturers with the data and insights they were purchased to provide without an optimized wireless network. Therefore, if manufacturers want to improve business outcomes, they need the right wireless optimization solution in place. Network Optimization The goal of network optimization is to design and maintain a WiFi network that is reliably consistent, fast, and secure. This is an ongoing process that
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Manufacturing Outlook / June 2020
involves monitoring and analyzing a network to understand its current health, performance, and usage; reviewing past analytics to determine how network health, performance, and usage have changed over time; and planning the necessary upgrades and infrastructure changes to maintain an optimized network into the future. Because networks are dynamic, changing constantly throughout the day and night, network monitoring must be 24/7/365. In order to best provide IT with the analytics that they need to maintain the network, the use of an AI-based analytics solution is recommended. These solutions keep “eyes� on the network at all times, and can instantly alert IT to any perceived or ongoing issues. This supports network optimization, while also allowing IT to focus on other mission-critical responsibilities. When you are deciding on an analytics solution, keep in mind the following requirements:
