Wi-Fi Networking News reported here that Icomera, a Swedish company is rolling out Wi-Fi in UK Train Operator GNER's trains. I called up the Icomera people and spoke with a nice gentleman named Jan Lindberg who said he was in charge of International Business. I asked him whether Icomera was interested in coming to India to roll out Wi-Fi in Indian trains. His answer completely blew me off! He said very apologetically that Icomera was a very small company (about 20 people) and did not have enough bandwidth to go out of Europe. So they don't have any business anywhere except Europe in the "foreseeable future" as he put it.
I really wish some Indian giant takes cognizance of this and goes out and buys these guys out so that we can benefit from their technology. We have after all bought out Corus and Arcelor havent we?
Sunday, August 19, 2007
Saturday, August 4, 2007
Campus WiFi Tenders: Realistically Speaking..
The other day, a prominent government lab put up a notice inviting tenders for Wi-Fi connectivity at their residential colony. We promptly downloaded the tender specs from their website. The tender appeared to be well written with a lot of care taken to ensure that only the best solution gets selected. On closer look, I was appalled to see some of the so-called specifications! It indicated an absolute lack of expertise in Wi-Fi network capabilities, and technologies. The most damaging spec read as follows:-
" Only one site (also called base station) to be used to install all access points/repeaters and antennae and provide access throughout the campus."
The campus consists of 50 odd buildings, each of 2-4 stories height and medium vegetation. The campus itself is about 1 sq km in size. I decided that the place was worth a visit and some discussions with the concerned people was definitely in order.
The laboratory (like most Indian government institutions) had an antiquated IT department. They even had a fancy name for it: "Computer Facility Center". We couldnt meet with the Head and instead two subordinate "Scientists" met with us.
I basically asked to be shown around the colony where coverage was desired. One of the gentlemen accompanied us to the Residential colony which was across the road from the lab. On seeing the largest building there (about 12 floors), I went up to the roof of this building to get a Bird's Eye view of the entire campus. What I saw wasnt very encouraging. The building was at one corner of the campus and there was thick tree cover all over. I quickly realized that there was no way that anyone could provide coverage to the entire area with just one "base station". We then went back to the IT department for discussions. I explained to the two people that they must release an addendum to the tender notification doing away with the requirement for a single base station. The explanation given by them for this totally blew me away! They said that they didnt want to be bothered with the maintenance of the Wi-Fi network and hence if a single base station were used, only one point would be required for maintaining the equipment.
This even after another requirement in the tender that the prospective bidder had to provide support services for 3 years!
I tried explaining to them the fallacy of the logic. Moreover, I tried to tell him that there was no technology that could provide access to laptops and PCs in the colony with just one base station mounted on one building at one corner of the area.
They just refused to listen to reason! They said that it was too late to change the tender and it would only involve additional paperwork and too much trouble and other such blah blah. They had not even heard of Mesh networking. They kept insisting that there were some experts who had assured them that they were in possession of such equipment which could fulfill this requirement.
After all this, I am left with the thought that woe be to the poor guy who does win the bid. How would he go about providing access?
All of the above just goes to say that the people/end users who have the grave responsibility of ensuring that the organisation gets the best solution based on sound technological inputs choose to behave immaturely. I really wish people would take the trouble of reading up on technologies instead of designing it for the system integrator! What they dont seem to understand is that every Wi-Fi vendor has his own architecture/philosophy of designing a wireless network. By specifying a particular approach, they have effectively ensured that only a couple of vendors can qualify. The least that could have been done was to have appoint a consulting organisation which would have helped the Laboratory make a technologically sound RFP which can be realistically delivered by the industry.
I'm off to hunt for a solution that can do all that they're asking for at the lowest cost!!
" Only one site (also called base station) to be used to install all access points/repeaters and antennae and provide access throughout the campus."
The campus consists of 50 odd buildings, each of 2-4 stories height and medium vegetation. The campus itself is about 1 sq km in size. I decided that the place was worth a visit and some discussions with the concerned people was definitely in order.
The laboratory (like most Indian government institutions) had an antiquated IT department. They even had a fancy name for it: "Computer Facility Center". We couldnt meet with the Head and instead two subordinate "Scientists" met with us.
I basically asked to be shown around the colony where coverage was desired. One of the gentlemen accompanied us to the Residential colony which was across the road from the lab. On seeing the largest building there (about 12 floors), I went up to the roof of this building to get a Bird's Eye view of the entire campus. What I saw wasnt very encouraging. The building was at one corner of the campus and there was thick tree cover all over. I quickly realized that there was no way that anyone could provide coverage to the entire area with just one "base station". We then went back to the IT department for discussions. I explained to the two people that they must release an addendum to the tender notification doing away with the requirement for a single base station. The explanation given by them for this totally blew me away! They said that they didnt want to be bothered with the maintenance of the Wi-Fi network and hence if a single base station were used, only one point would be required for maintaining the equipment.
This even after another requirement in the tender that the prospective bidder had to provide support services for 3 years!
I tried explaining to them the fallacy of the logic. Moreover, I tried to tell him that there was no technology that could provide access to laptops and PCs in the colony with just one base station mounted on one building at one corner of the area.
They just refused to listen to reason! They said that it was too late to change the tender and it would only involve additional paperwork and too much trouble and other such blah blah. They had not even heard of Mesh networking. They kept insisting that there were some experts who had assured them that they were in possession of such equipment which could fulfill this requirement.
After all this, I am left with the thought that woe be to the poor guy who does win the bid. How would he go about providing access?
All of the above just goes to say that the people/end users who have the grave responsibility of ensuring that the organisation gets the best solution based on sound technological inputs choose to behave immaturely. I really wish people would take the trouble of reading up on technologies instead of designing it for the system integrator! What they dont seem to understand is that every Wi-Fi vendor has his own architecture/philosophy of designing a wireless network. By specifying a particular approach, they have effectively ensured that only a couple of vendors can qualify. The least that could have been done was to have appoint a consulting organisation which would have helped the Laboratory make a technologically sound RFP which can be realistically delivered by the industry.
I'm off to hunt for a solution that can do all that they're asking for at the lowest cost!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
