Network Case Questions

Case 8-1 Your employer, XelPharm, is a large manufacturer and distributor of generic, over- the-counter healthcare products. Its main campus consists of three buildings within two blocks of each other. Each building houses approximately 200 employees, including those in the following departments: Administration, Accounting, Research, Legal, Quality Control, Order Fulfillment, and Production. In addition, XelPharm owns a large distribution warehouse approximately 4 miles away from the headquarters. Until now, its networks have relied entirely on wired connections. The company’s CIO (chief information officer) decided long ago that he would wait until wireless technology “settled down” before investing in it. What can you tell him about the wireless standards that might convince him that now is the time to adopt wireless technology? Also, what can you tell him to convince him that wireless networking could improve the company’s productivity? Which employees could make best use of wireless connections and how? In what type of situations would all employees benefit from wireless networking?