8. Design and Deployment. The cost of implementing an enterprise WLAN involves not only the cost of network hardware and software, but also staff time required to design and implement the system. To address these challenges, most vendors provide capabilities to facilitate site surveys and/or develop a logical model of the WLAN prior to installation, either using integrated tools or by relying on integration with a partner's offering. Describe the design and deployment capabilities of your system and provide an example of an installation where a customer has benefited from these services.
9. Monitoring and Management. As enterprise WLANs expand from tactical hotspot installations to pervasive deployments, monitoring and management capabilities become increasingly important for facilitating deployment, enforcing policy and compliance, solving service problems, as well as proactively addressing capacity and performance issues. Describe your monitoring and management capabilities, making explicit reference to how your system meets the management and operational needs of users, helpdesk staff, network engineers and IT managers.
10. Advanced Services. While all enterprise WLAN systems are expected to provide basic network access services, some vendors are developing specialized capabilities, including location services and asset tracking, to enhance their offerings. Describe any unique capabilities or services that your customers have found important in making their system purchase decisions.
11. Distribution Model and Partnerships. Describe your business model for delivering solutions to customers. You should describe the role of direct sales and sales-support staff as well as any distribution channels through which you operate. If a significant proportion of sales come through partners, describe your strategy for ensuring that partners are knowledgeable enough to sell, deploy and support your systems. Also, if you have other industry partnerships that you feel are relevant to our readers, briefly describe them.
12. Cost. While true cost of deployment and ownership is often related to the underlying system architecture, the cost of software and hardware components often represents a significant proportion of those costs. Provide manufacturer suggested retail pricing for the most common elements of your solution, including access points, switches/controllers, management systems and software service modules. Also, describe the hardware and software maintenance costs associated with your solution.
