About the Author
Mitch is a defender of wrongly accused Wi-Fi and senior network engineer at a very large and fast-growing public K-12 in northern Virginia. He enjoys sports, the outdoors, amateur radio and spending time...
Full bio就像生活中的任何东西一样，当我们看到一些闪亮和新的时，我们必须拥有它。无论是新的游戏控制台，新车还是新的手机，我们通常都会努力努力弄清楚花钱的方式拥有最新和最伟大的。
Just like its Wi-Fi predecessors,Wi-Fi 6 has many new features and enhancementsthat can immediately grab the attention of enterprise decision-makers. Multigigabit (theoretical) speeds, better battery efficiency on client devices, as well as alleviating network congestion with OFDMA are just a few features that make Wi-Fi 6 look like a must-have to would be early adopters.
If you are in the public sector like I am, you know that budget constraints can often be a major factor when it is decision time for upgrades. This can be particularly challenging in small school districts and municipalities. How many times have your recommendations been met with the question, “Our current equipment still works, why do we need to upgrade now?” It is very important to weigh your options and be educated on the technology before any decision can be made.
以下是一些问题要考虑：
- Will our current wireless devices be able to take advantage of any of the new features with Wi-Fi 6?
- 将升级适合我们的基础架构刷新时间表吗？
- Will upgrading require us to upgrade our switching infrastructure?
- POE budget
- 切换端口密度
- mGig
- What is the refresh cycle for wireless devices within the enterprise?
- Are there certain features that I am specifically looking for?
Should you jump on board right away?
The simple answer to this question is a favorite phrase among colleagues in the Wi-Fi industry,“It depends.”
At the time of writing, there are a limited number of devices that support Wi-Fi 6. We are only now starting to see manufacturers, such as Samsung and Apple, include 802.11ax chips in their latest phone offerings.
This reason aloneshould notdeter you from upgrading, as with previous Wi-Fi standards, Wi-Fi 6 is backward compatible. There are also other benefits that stretch beyond new features and enhancements that come along with new hardware. Often overlooked, organic advancement in chipset and radio technology will also be part of any new Wi-Fi equipment.
When is a good time to upgrade?
The answer, taken directly froman Aruba whitepaper,is perfectly stated here:
Timing upgrades
新的物理层Wi-Fi标准需要新的硬件，因此Aruba经常被我们的客户提出的升级时间何时才能升级？从802.11n到802.11ac Wave 1和802.11ac波2没有变化的答案是在准备就绪时升级。在地平线上总会有一个新的，更好的Wi-Fi接入点，大约每两年，作为标准推进，硅变得更强大，设备供应商添加功能。在阅读这样的论文之后，一些客户能够识别他们需要的特定功能，并决定等待802.11索赔的出货量，以便他们可以利用 - 但大多数人将由预算和建设截止日期和其他事件驱动, and our advice is to use the best technology available when it’s time to make the purchase decision.
As with any upgrade, it is very important to be educated on potential suitors making their way into your organization. It is also very important to understand the current needs of your organization. Know your coverage and capacity requirements, and whether or not they have changed. Making sure your current deployment is in good working order while addressing lingering issues, prior to upgrade should also be a top priority.
Upgrades and budgets can be very stressful and overwhelming. Combine in funding programs, such as E-rate, and the complexity can increase greatly.Do your homework.Understand the new technology before presenting it to decision-makers. Weigh the pros and cons. Education will go a long way to a successful decision being made that will also fit your budget.
Learn More
网络计算：Wi-Fi采用：这一切都在时机。
Packet Pushers: Wi-Fi 6 is Knocking. Are You Ready To Let It In?
Packet Pushers: Upgrade Now or Wait? The Business Case For Wi-Fi 6
Read My Other Blogs
Wi-Fi 6: Should You Believe the Hype?
