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The challenges also are notable and include cost, security,
interoperability and scalability. Vendors will need to educate
prospective customers on all these issues. For example, while device
cost is likely to be higher than traditional WLAN systems, the true cost
of deployment needs to factor in both savings on cable installation
costs and user benefits associated with rapid deployment. Scalability
and security issues are likely to be manageable, but they will add to
overall system complexity. Interoperability will need to wait for
standards, but as long as the systems are compatible with 802.11 at the
access layer, many IT professionals may be willing to accept proprietary
mesh implementations.
While most of today's products use the mesh to provide backhaul between
APs and into the Internet or intranet, in the future, the meshes
themselves are likely to extend out to client devices. In fact, a number
of universities are actively involved in designing wireless grid
networks, which allow heterogeneous client devices to dynamically join
wireless networks, acting as both client devices and routers for other
devices. Wireless grids may not be practical for many years, but mesh
networks are here today.
-- Dave Molta, [email protected]
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