Deployment and Implementation
To facilitate the deployment, Cisco IT assembled a global
program management team under the direction of a global program manager.
Representatives were selected from each of the four regions worldwide: Americas,
APAC (Asia Pacific), EMEA (Europe, Middle East, Africa), and SJ (San Jose
Headquarters).
Responsibility for deployment within each region was delegated
to a regional project manager and local team. Region-specific project managers
determined and managed an implementation schedule within their own region. Local
teams communicated progress at a weekly global deployment meeting. Several sites
were deployed concurrently across and within regions. Serial installation by one
global team might have taken years. Instead, almost all sites were deployed
within a four-month timeframe in 2000, with the exception of India, which was
delayed because of local regulatory issues with 802.11 standards.
The global program management team recognized that using Cisco
employees exclusively to perform WLAN installation tasks was not the most
cost-effective use of resources. Instead, where possible, vendors were hired for
the bulk of the work. These vendors had to meet a minimum set of requirements established by the global program management
team. The local contractors had to have a previous trusted relationship with
Cisco and had to have wireless certified engineers. An emphasis on competitive
bidding helped to minimize capital investment. Each local team selected their
contractors based on their familiarity with the local market.
Site Survey
The global program management team established a guideline for
the deployment process to be followed worldwide. The first step in deployment
was the site survey. A formal and well-defined site survey was undertaken at
each site, or on large campuses with several buildings with identical
floorplans, at one building only, with the same results being applied to each
identical building.
In many locations, trusted vendors performed the site surveys,
while in some locations, such as San Jose, Cisco IT employees undertook the
process themselves.
Cabling
After the site survey was complete, local contractors
(different from the site survey firm) installed the cabling and physically
placed, secured, and connected the Cisco Aironet access points. Each access
point was provided with two cables: one for data connectivity and one for
console access.
Access Point Configuration
After the access points were cabled and powered (via PoE), they
were configured. Before distribution to each site, the access points were
preconfigured with a "generic" configuration that allowed Cisco IT to connect
and push the final production configuration. This was known as the staging
phase, and it allowed Cisco IT to preconfigure and update firmware before
shipping equipment to each site. This configuration was in compliance with the
global design specifications established by the architecture team. Most critical
were the IP address, channel assignment, and transmit power settings. Using
generic and standardized access-point configurations helped to ensure consistent
access-point settings across the entire deployment, simplified troubleshooting,
and provided Cisco IT with greater control of individual access points.
Testing
Following configuration, the same contractor who performed the
site surveys returned to conduct post-installation acceptance tests in each
building. Dummy user accounts with limited access rights were provided, which
enabled the contractors to test basic WLAN authentication and services. The
globally consistent and clearly defined acceptance tests included the ability to
roam from access point to access point and transfer a file at a minimum
designated speed. Tests also helped to ensure the correct overlap between access
point cells and verified that there were no dead spots.
Distribution of Wireless Network
Cards and Instructions
At the time of the global WLAN deployment, distribution of
Cisco Aironet 802.11b WLAN client adapters (wireless cards) presented a
significant challenge. Cisco had to smoothly distribute more than 35,000
wireless cards in a timely and controlled manner across 400 sites in
approximately 100 countries. Not only did the cards represent a significant
percentage of the total program cost, but Cisco IT also needed to update each
card with the latest firmware before delivering it to each user. Furthermore, it
was important that the cards were not distributed to users until their sites
were completed and had successfully passed the post-installation acceptance
test.
In most locations, the task of inventorying, verifying firmware
level, and distributing cards and operating instructions to users was performed
during the staging phase and assigned to the same vendor that performed
acceptance tests. Cards were shipped to the local vendor's distribution center
where the correct firmware level would be verified or updated as appropriate.
When vendors carried out the post-installation acceptance tests, they
distributed the cards to local users, along with user instructions, FAQs
(Frequently Asked Questions), and introductory collateral from Cisco IT. Setting
user expectations and providing comprehensive information were critical to
minimizing support calls.
Today, Cisco uses both Cisco Aironet access points and Cisco
compatible client devices in its network. Using these devices provides Cisco
employees with a variety of licensed Cisco infrastructure innovations and
enhancements for its WLANs, including advanced enterprise-class security,
extended air RF management, and enhanced interoperability.
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