By: Udaya Padmanabhuni, Sr. Principal Product Manager
The number one role of network data is to improve the operational performance of the network and ultimately drive business objectives. Data analytics provide insights on network functionality and user habits that network managers have never had before. With these insights, enterprises can make decisions network infrastructure, uncover answers for hard-to-solve problems and use IT resources more effectively.
Let’s look at how service providers and enterprises are leveraging data and analytics to run and improve different aspects of their business.
For Service Providers, Business Runs on WiFi
Wi-Fi has become critical element for Service Providers world-wide. Five 9’s availability is expected, along with sufficient speeds to support various business critical applications. The demand for Wi-Fi speed is ever increasing. Service Providers are expected to provide affordable Wi-Fi access to businesses and consumers, and to be profitable. Businesses rely on customer satisfaction and maintaining acceptable levels of service. Service Providers are using the data from Wi-Fi networks to monitor the health of the network, and measure the Wi-Fi KPIs and quality of service. If customers experience degraded service, their businesses are impacted immediately. Data from Wi-Fi networks is used as a feedback loop to ensure that Wi-Fi service is up and running and adequate network SLAs are maintained.
Service Providers are also using Wi-Fi data to improve operational efficiency. Service Providers would like to deploy an optimal number of APs to ensure SLAs, but not over provision (or under provision) the network resources. By collecting the Wi-Fi data and analyzing user patterns and behaviors, traffic and volume of data, Service Providers are optimizing the deployment of Wi-Fi access points and other related network infrastructure. This data is also used to configure Tx power levels on access points to minimize the interference and improve the Wi-Fi performance.
When data collection and analysis has to be done manually it is a huge challenge to service providers.
While the market for service providers is robust, the Wi-Fi demand is growing, the number of access points is ever increasing, and new applications are being deployed.
Enterprises Need Increased Efficiency and Reduced Cost
IT departments are tasked to ensure the health of Wi-Fi infrastructure, reduce the IT costs, and maintain the Wi-Fi service, among other things. Wi-Fi has become critical service to run the business. Data is collected from Wi-Fi networks to monitor, maintain health of the network and ensure the availability of Wi-Fi network. Wi-Fi networks are ever growing, while IT staff and budgets are remaining constant or more often, being reduced.
Enterprises are challenged to maintain the health of Wi-Fi infrastructure, while demand for higher SLAs is growing continuously. With fewer IT staff tasked with many projects, IT departments are under tremendous pressure to increase efficiency and reduce costs of Wi-Fi infrastructure. This is creating more and more challenges for IT department.
Enter Ruckus SmartCell Insight (SCI)
SCI is a reporting and analytics engine that provides visible insights into Ruckus Wi-Fi infrastructure. These insights will help drive key business decisions and improve operational efficiency of Ruckus Wi-Fi infrastructure. SCI enables decision makers to make informed and intelligent decisions about Wi-Fi infrastructure. When SCI is deployed in conjunction with Ruckus controllers and access points, businesses will be able to achieve operational efficiency of Wi-Fi infrastructure, reduce Wi-Fi costs and improve the overall profitability of business.
Check it out for yourself. SCI comes with 90-day built-in trial. More information about can be found
here.
