Just to emphasize on what Dave is saying here - we're already seeing a feature gap between generation 1 and generation 2 802.11n chipsets/APs in regards to power consumption. We know that they'll continue to improve power consumption, IEEE 802.3at will be added to the APs, another spatial stream added to the higher-end models, and beam-forming might happen in 2009, too. We have become used to a relatively stable RF feature set with 802.11b/g chipsets over the last 3-4 years, with the emphasis by WLAN vendors on management, roaming, security, etc and chipset manufactures benefiting from designing smaller dies and greater volumes. But because 802.11n is as nascent as it is, with similar RF work being done for LTE and WiMAX-m, the capabilities of the radios themselves will not remain static and enterprise WLAN vendors with exploit this with every new round of runs.
Frank From: Dave Molta [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Friday, January 11, 2008 11:24 AM To: WIRELESS-LAN@LISTSERV.EDUCAUSE.EDU Subject: Re: [WIRELESS-LAN] 802.11n I think Peter has the right perspective here. The risk that a Draft 2.0/Wi-Fi Certified AP purchased today would be incompatible with the final standard is quite low. However, the likelihood is high that an 11n AP purchased a year from now, based on second or third-generation 11n silicon, will provide better functionality at a lower cost. I realize that this isn't a particularly profound statement from an IT management perspective. I've always lived by the simple rule of avoiding the .0 release. To the extent that you consider current 11n AP's to be version 1.0 - and some might debate that point - it would probably be advisable for most to focus on pilot deployments of 11n and wait a while for large production deployments. Unfortunately, internal build-out pressure and capital budgets sometimes don't afford you to luxury of waiting for the second release. dm _____ From: Peter P Morrissey [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Friday, January 11, 2008 11:47 AM To: WIRELESS-LAN@LISTSERV.EDUCAUSE.EDU Subject: Re: [WIRELESS-LAN] 802.11n I would think you have to separate features from interoperability for this discussion. What do you really want to guarantee? I doubt any vendor is going to guarantee that they will support things like the three spatial streams that were mentioned. I'm not sure what 11n will be in the end, I know discussions of upwards of 600mbps were discussed at one point. However, even now, you buy however much of even the existing features that you want. You can buy different combinations of radios and antennae and turn on different features depending upon what you pay for and how much power you can get to the device. I would think that any guarantee (assuming that it would be legally possible) would only guarantee the existing features are interoperable with later versions of the standard. I would also think that vendors aren't going to let the IEEE come up with a version of the standard that is not backwards compatible with previous versions given the role that the WiFi Alliance has taken in building momentum towards the "interoperability is what really matters especially if it takes the IEEE forever to hammer something out" approach. Peter Morrissey Syracuse University _____ From: Jamie Savage [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Friday, January 11, 2008 11:26 AM To: WIRELESS-LAN@LISTSERV.EDUCAUSE.EDU Subject: Re: [WIRELESS-LAN] 802.11n exactly!...........that's why I doubt any manufacturer would sign an agreement with the appropriate legalese guaranteeing the upgrade at this stage.....the finalization of the standard is justl too far away James Savage York University Senior Communications Tech. 108 Steacie Building [EMAIL PROTECTED] 4700 Keele Street ph: 416-736-2100 ext. 22605 Toronto, Ontario fax: 416-736-5701 M3J 1P3, CANADA Lelio Fulgenzi <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> 01/11/2008 11:12 AM Please respond to The EDUCAUSE Wireless Issues Constituent Group Listserv <WIRELESS-LAN@LISTSERV.EDUCAUSE.EDU> To WIRELESS-LAN@LISTSERV.EDUCAUSE.EDU cc Subject Re: [WIRELESS-LAN] 802.11n Even if they do guarentee in writing, what recourse do you have? I'll bet you'd have to get legal reps involved before anything was drafted in order to be usable in court. Just my two cents. ----- Original Message ----- From: Jamie Savage <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: WIRELESS-LAN@LISTSERV.EDUCAUSE.EDU Sent: Friday, January 11, 2008 11:07 AM Subject: Re: [WIRELESS-LAN] 802.11n .........my thoughts exactly...........guaranteed in writing please! James Savage York University Senior Communications Tech. 108 Steacie Building <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> [EMAIL PROTECTED] 4700 Keele Street ph: 416-736-2100 ext. 22605 Toronto, Ontario fax: 416-736-5701 M3J 1P3, CANADA Lee H Badman <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> 01/11/2008 10:55 AM Please respond to The EDUCAUSE Wireless Issues Constituent Group Listserv <WIRELESS-LAN@LISTSERV.EDUCAUSE.EDU> To WIRELESS-LAN@LISTSERV.EDUCAUSE.EDU cc Subject Re: [WIRELESS-LAN] 802.11n Actually, we did get a verbal commitment to that very notion yesterday from one of the more visible 11n vendors, but would have to see if that would be put in writing if we ever did proceed down that road. Lee _____ From: Jamie Savage [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Friday, January 11, 2008 10:45 AM To: WIRELESS-LAN@LISTSERV.EDUCAUSE.EDU Subject: Re: [WIRELESS-LAN] 802.11n I'd be interested in results being posted on-list...........I've not yet heard of any manufacturer who is guaranteeing free upgrades to the finalized standard.......only,...'should be', 'probably' etc...etc.. I'd be surprised to hear that any of them would commit at this stage. .....thx.........J James Savage York University Senior Communications Tech. 108 Steacie Building [EMAIL PROTECTED] 4700 Keele Street ph: 416-736-2100 ext. 22605 Toronto, Ontario fax: 416-736-5701 M3J 1P3, CANADA Lee H Badman <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> 01/11/2008 10:39 AM Please respond to The EDUCAUSE Wireless Issues Constituent Group Listserv <WIRELESS-LAN@LISTSERV.EDUCAUSE.EDU> To WIRELESS-LAN@LISTSERV.EDUCAUSE.EDU cc Subject [WIRELESS-LAN] 802.11n Wondering who is taking the early plunge on 802.11n, who's system you are going with (beyond small pilots), and if you are requiring commitment from the manufacturer that if the standard does change in ways that make pre-standard hardware incompatible, free replacements would be provided? On list or off is OK- just trying to gather data for our own 11n research. Kind regards- Lee H. Badman Wireless/Network Engineer Information Technology and Services Syracuse University 315 443-3003 ********** Participation and subscription information for this EDUCAUSE Constituent Group discussion list can be found at http://www.educause.edu/groups/. ********** Participation and subscription information for this EDUCAUSE Constituent Group discussion list can be found at http://www.educause.edu/groups/. ********** Participation and subscription information for this EDUCAUSE Constituent Group discussion list can be found at http://www.educause.edu/groups/. ********** Participation and subscription information for this EDUCAUSE Constituent Group discussion list can be found at http://www.educause.edu/groups/. ********** Participation and subscription information for this EDUCAUSE Constituent Group discussion list can be found at http://www.educause.edu/groups/. ********** Participation and subscription information for this EDUCAUSE Constituent Group discussion list can be found at http://www.educause.edu/groups/. ********** Participation and subscription information for this EDUCAUSE Constituent Group discussion list can be found at http://www.educause.edu/groups/. ********** Participation and subscription information for this EDUCAUSE Constituent Group discussion list can be found at http://www.educause.edu/groups/. ********** Participation and subscription information for this EDUCAUSE Constituent Group discussion list can be found at http://www.educause.edu/groups/.
