July 2016

Inf luence and insight

through social media

Multigigabit Networks Enable the

MOBILE
ENTERPRISE
W H I T E PA P E R
Prepared by

Zeus Kerravala

ZK Research

A Division of
Kerravala Consulting
2016 ZK Research

ZK RESEARCH | MultigigabitZK
Networks
RESEARCH
Enable
| Report
the Mobile
Title Goes
Enterprise
Here

INTRODUCTION: THE ERA OF LAN-SPEED WIFI IS HERE

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Zeus Kerravala is
the founder and
principal analyst with
ZK Research. Kerravala
provides tactical advice
and strategic guidance
to help his clients in both
the current business
climate and the long
term. He delivers
research and insight
to the following
constituents: end-user
IT and network

Historically, the speed of a wired connection at the access edge has always been faster than
that of a wireless connection. This means workers had to choose between the performance of
wired connectivity and the convenience of a wireless connection. Consequently, workers often had
to modify the way they workedfirst, finding a wired port to use for high-bandwidth applications,
such as video or streaming media, and then shifting to wireless connections when the need to be
mobile was more important than having the performance of wired.
Today, though, the industry sits on the precipice of the biggest innovation in the history of
wireless LAN: the release of 802.11ac Wave 2. Wave 1 of 802.11ac brought network speeds
that were 1.3 gigabits per second (Gbps), which is on par with wired networking speeds. However,
802.11ac Wave 2 shatters the gigabit barrier with speeds of up to 6.8 Gbps (Exhibit 1).
Wave 2 of 802.11ac also introduces a new feature called multi-user multiple-input, multipleoutput (MU-MIMO), which utilizes beamforming. With MU-MIMO, a Wave 2 802.11ac access
point (AP) can send and receive data from up to four radio clients simultaneously. Juxtapose this
with a three-stream 802.11n AP or an 802.11ac Wave 1 AP, where each AP can talk to only one
client at a time, one after the other. MU-MIMO makes the wireless network much more efficient.
The evolution of WiFi to 802.11ac Wave 2 is a significant step forward for wireless networks.
Historically, the wireless network acted very much like a network hub where all of the clients accessing the network shared the available bandwidth. If one of the devices happened to access a

managers; vendors
of IT hardware,

Exhibit 1: Wireless LAN Evolution

software and services;

and members of the

RICH APPLICA
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MEDIA
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financial community
looking to invest in
the companies that

VE

2010

20
0

802.11n
450 Mbps

2004

NETWORK
SPEEDS

802.11ac
Wave 1
1 Gbps

802.11ac
Wave 2
3.5 - 6.8 Gbps

2016

802.11g
54 Mbps

1999

NICE TO HAVE

201

14
20

8
200

CAL
CRITI
ON
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he covers.

802.11a, 802.11b
11 Mbps

Future
10 Gbps+

ZK Research, 2016

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ZK RESEARCH | Multigigabit Networks Enable the Mobile Enterprise

bandwidth-consuming application, such as videoconferencing, it would degrade the performance

of the network for all users.
The combination of increased speed and MU-MIMO enables 802.11ac Wave 2 APs to deliver performance similar to that of a network switch (Exhibit 2), where bandwidth can be dedicated
to individual users. Now, workers can use any application on any device and be assured of consistent application performance.
Another important point to understand regarding 802.11ac Wave 2 is that its the first wireless technology that will dictate the architecture of the wired network. Historically, the reliability and
speed of the wired network greatly exceeded that of the wireless network, so wireless activity or architecture had very little impact on the wired network. Businesses looking to transition to 802.11ac
Wave 2 should fully understand the new technologys requirements for the wired network and
choose a solution provider that can minimize the disruption to the business.

SECTION II: THE IMPACT OF 802.11AC WAVE 2 ON THE WIRED NETWORK

A WiFi standard has never had as big an impact on the wired network as 802.11ac Wave 2
has now. Wave 2 speeds will evolve from being on par with wired connections to being almost a

Exhibit 2: 802.11ac Wave 2 Brings Switch-Like Performance to Wireless

Prior versions of WiFi

802.11ac
11ac W
Wave 2

Hub

Switch

ZK Research, 2016

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RESEARCH
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ZK
Enable
Research
the Mobile
| TitleEnterprise
of Report
ZK RESEARCH | The Top 10 Reasons Healthcare ZK
Organizations
Should
Deploy NewNetworks
IP Network

full order of magnitude faster. This poses a number of problems for the wired network, including the
following:

Cisco, the market

leader in both
wired and wireless
networking
technology, has
introduced a
unique solution
to the challenges
of migrating to
802.11ac Wave 2.

 he wired backhaul becomes a choke point. Every wireless access point is connected to the
T
wired network via a Category (Cat) 5E or 6 Ethernet cable. This connection typically provides
speeds of 1 Gbps. Given that wireless speeds will reach up to 6.8 Gbps with 802.11ac Wave 2,
the backhaul connection between the AP and the switch will become a significant choke point
for the network.
 ower requirements will change. Almost all versions of WiFi before 802.11ac Wave 2 could
P
be powered with a standard 15-watt power-over-Ethernet (PoE) connection, though more power
was required in a few situations. This enables the AP to be powered over the Ethernet cable.
Wave 2 of 802.11ac requires a 30-watt connection, or Power over Ethernet Plus (PoE+), to
power the AP. The ZK Research 2016 Network Purchase Intention Study revealed that fewer
than 30% of the access switches deployed today are PoE+ capable.
 etwork infrastructure upgrades follow different cycles. Typically, wired network infrastrucN
ture and wireless infrastructure are purchased on separate buying cycles. Wired equipment,
such as switches and routers, has a lifespan of about five to seven years, while WiFi technology is
replaced every two to three years. Given the different upgrade cycles, the wired network may not
be ready to be upgraded with the deployment of 802.11ac Wave 2 access points.
Any business planning to deploy 802.11ac Wave 2 access points should be prepared to
upgrade the Ethernet switches at the access layer. Given the different upgrade cycles of wired and
wireless infrastructure, it will not be cost effective for an organization to rip and replace the current
access switches. Organizations should seek out a solution provider that can provide a migration to
802.11ac Wave 2 without requiring the replacement of existing infrastructure that may not be at
the end of its lifespan yet. Also, IT leaders should seek solutions that do not require an upgrade of the
Category 5E/6 cable infrastructure. This can be as expensive as the equipment upgrade.

SECTION III: CISCOS MULTIGIGABIT TECHNOLOGY PROVIDES A COSTEFFECTIVE PATH TO 802.11AC WAVE 2
Cisco, the market leader in both wired and wireless networking technology, has introduced a
unique solution to the challenges of migrating to 802.11ac Wave 2. The company has developed
multigigabit switches that can provide the necessary wired speeds and power requirements for
802.11ac Wave 2 APs. Details of the multigigabit solution are as follows:

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The Cisco Catalyst

solution offers the
widest range of
PoE options in the
industry.

I nfrastructure investment protection: Upgrading cable infrastructure from existing copper

cables to higher-speed copper or fiber-optic cables can be a very expensive undertaking. Based
on ongoing research, ZK Research estimates the cost of pulling new cables to be in the range of
US$300 to US$350 per cable pull. Ciscos Catalyst multigigabit solution operates at a distance
of 100 meters using Cat 5E or Cat 6a cables, which constitute more than 95% of the installed
cable today. The ability to run over Cat 5E/6a not only will save businesses a substantial amount
of labor and cable costs, but also will limit the business disruption from upgrading the cables.
 aintain switch-to-AP reach at higher speeds: Ciscos multigigabit solution enables
M
802.11ac Wave 2 APs to be connected at 100 Mbps, 1 Gbps, 2.5 Gbps, 5 Gbps or 10 Gbps.
The switch also has an autosense feature called adaptive rate technology that automatically
sets the speed of the connection based on bandwidth needs. This makes the deployment of
multigigabit technology almost plug and play for network managers and offers outstanding
investment protection.
 elivers a breadth of PoE options: The Cisco Catalyst solution offers the widest range of
D
PoE options in the industry. Customers that use the multigigabit solution can connect devices to
the network using standards-based 15-watt PoE and standards-based 30-watt PoE+ as well as
Ciscos proprietary 60-watt Universal PoE (Cisco UPOE). Although the Wave 2 APs will connect
using PoE+, the UPOE option gives customers the ability to connect a variety of other devices in
the future. This may include end points such as digital signs, security cameras or even computers
(Exhibit 3).
 tandards-based solution: Adhering to industry standards is extremely important for ecoS
system support. Ciscos multigigabit technology is fully standards compliant with 1000BASE-T
and 10GBASE-T IEEE standards. Compliance with IEEE 802.3bz 2/2.5GBASE-T is currently
in progress.
Ciscos multigigabit technology also offers existing customers outstanding investment protection
because the solution will be compatible with existing Cisco switching technology. The multigigabit
products interoperate with three of Ciscos most widely used access switches: the Catalyst 4500E
modular switch and the Catalyst 3850 and 3650 stackable switches.
For the Catalyst 4500E, Cisco offers a 48-port multigigabit line card for the modular converged
access switch. The line card has 12 ports that are multigigabit capable with a total capacity of 96
multigigabit ports per system. The Catalyst 3850 stackable converged access switch with multigigabit capabilities comes in either a 24-port form factor (in which all 24 ports are multigigabit capable)
or a 48-port form factor (in which 12 ports are multigigabit capable). The Catalyst 3850s also have
40 Gbps uplinks to connect the switch to the wired core. Customers with non-multigigabit Catalyst

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Exhibit 3: Ciscos Universal PoE Can Power a Wide Variety of Devices

Computer 1
Computer 2
Wiring Closet
Enterprise
Switch
Indoor WiFi/
Small Cell

Security
Camera

Signage

Outdoor WiFi/
Small Cell

Wiring Closet
Enterprise
Switch

ZK Research and Cisco Systems

3850s can add these products to the existing stack. The Cisco Catalyst 3650 Series Switches support full IEEE 802.3at PoE+ and offer modular and field-replaceable redundant fans and power
supplies. They also come in a 12-inch lower-depth form factor so that they can be deployed in tight
wiring closets in remote branches and offices where space is limited.
In addition to the upgrades to existing products, Cisco offers a compact Ethernet switch: the
3560-CX eight-port switch with two multigigabit-capable ports. This switch is ideal for smaller
businesses or organizations looking to instantly add 802.11ac Wave 2 APs to the network. It is also
suitable for enterprises looking to deploy quiet switches outside of the wiring closet closer to end
users in collaborative workspaces, retail checkout stations, hotel rooms and more.
Lastly, the Cisco Aironet 3800 Series wireless access point is an 802.11ac Wave 2 AP with an
industry-leading 4x4 MIMO and three spatial streams with a combined data rate of 5.2 Gbps.
The flexible radio assignment lets the AP operate in both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz. The product supports multigigabit Ethernet speeds of 1, 2.5 and 5 Gbps.
To help businesses make the transition to a predominantly wireless access edge (Exhibit 4),
Cisco co-founded the NBASE-T Alliance in late 2014. The alliance has multiple goals including
promoting solutions for more speed over Cat 5E/6 cabling, building momentum for multigigabit

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Exhibit 4: The Access Edge Has Become Predominantly Wireless

Any Application
Any Device

Email

Pervasive Wireless
Tablet

Wired Edge

Laptop

Wired
Core
Video

Vertical
Devices

Smartphone

Unified Features
M2M
Voice
Social Networking

ZK Research, 2016

technology and making the solution an industry standard by coordinating with standards bodies,
such as the IEEE. Cisco initially founded the alliance with Aquantia, Freescale Semiconductor and
Xilinx. However, since then, several other companies have joined the alliance including Cavium,
Tehuti Networks, Vitesse, GLGNET, Intel, Brocade and Aruba Networks.
Ciscos multigigabit technology will help organizations avoid both costly network equipment
upgrades and expensive cabling upgrades. Multigigabit technology should be a consideration for
any business looking to leverage the speed and quality of 802.11ac Wave 2.

SECTION IV: CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

The era of LAN-like wireless is finally here. The next WiFi standard, 802.11ac Wave 2, will
bring speeds of 6.8 Gbps to wireless, which is substantially faster than the existing 1 Gbps wired
standard most commonly found at the access edge today. The release of 802.11ac Wave 2
means that workers no longer must make performance trade-offs when connecting over wireless.
Now, users can have the flexibility and agility of using wireless with the best connectivity speeds.
802.11ac Wave 2 is the no-compromise wireless technology, and shifting to this technology
should be at the top of every business and IT leaders priority list.
However, there is no such thing as an all wireless network. The WiFi infrastructure must
connect back to a rock-solid, high-performance, secure wired network. Maximizing the benefit of
Gigabit WiFi requires a network that can support speeds of more than 1 gigabit.
Multigigabit networks offer organizations a cost-effective migration path to becoming a mobilefirst organization without having to spend thousands of dollars on running new cables to support
the higher speeds.

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ZK
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| TitleEnterprise
of Report
ZK RESEARCH | The Top 10 Reasons Healthcare ZK
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Should
Deploy NewNetworks
IP Network

Some organizations might consider the journey to multigigabit networks to be a daunting task, but
that is not the case. Ciscos multigigabit portfolio is designed to enable customers to migrate to the new
technology while preserving the existing infrastructure. Any organization can accomplish this now. Evolving to multigigabit should be a top priority of any organization that wants to leverage the power and
flexibility of mobility. To help businesses get started, ZK Research recommends the following:
 e aggressive with 802.11ac Wave 2. ZK Research believes this version of WiFi to be a
B
game-changing technology because it enables businesses to run any application wirelessly
including those that may not have run well on older versions, such as 4K video, Internet of
Things (IoT)based applications and telepresence. By leveraging 802.11ac Wave 2 speeds,
businesses can create new, unique mobile applications to serve their customers and workers
better and create a competitive advantage. For example, health care providers can conduct
medical imaging and transmit images wirelessly, or school systems can use real-time video
streaming to create new ways of educating students.
 hoose a partner that can deliver a complete wired and wireless solution. 802.11ac
C
Wave 2 is the first WiFi standard that will dictate wired architecture. Its important to choose a
solution provider that can deliver a complete wired and wireless solution. This includes not only
the APs and wired switches, but also features such as multigigabit networking, unified management and integrated security. At the time of publication, ZK Research believes Cisco to be
the only vendor that can deliver an end-to-end solution.

CONTACT

 mbrace consumerization inside the enterprise. The value of 802.11ac Wave 2 will be
E
fully realized when Wave 2compatible clients are connected to the network. Enterprise IT
upgrade cycles are typically three to five years, and they are too slow to catch the flood of
Wave 2 devices that will hit the market. Consumers, however, upgrade devices much more
rapidlyannually in many cases. By embracing consumerization, businesses can ensure that
workers will have the best device to connect to the best network, which is a key to creating new,
mobile experiences.

zeus@zkresearch.com
Cell: 301-775-7447
Office: 978-252-5314

2016 ZK Research:
A Division of Kerravala Consulting
All rights reserved. Reproduction
or redistribution in any form without
the express prior permission of
ZK Research is expressly prohibited.
For questions, comments or further
information, email zeus@zkresearch.com.

ZK Research: A Division of Kerravala Consulting 2016 ZK Research