Introduction

An enterprise network, sometimes called a campus network, is a network that spans across multiple buildings. The case study we ll explore in this chapter follows the process of planning, designing, and implementing a wireless network in a hospital and associated medical buildings on the hospital campus. We will also review the advantages and cost savings associated with the implementation of this type of wireless networking versus leased lines.

We will walk through the steps you must complete first, gathering the network requirements and analyzing the current network. At that time, you will perform a site survey to determine the building infrastructure and see first-hand whether there are any line-of-sight issues. Based on the analysis of the current network and the site survey, you then develop a high-level design, and based upon the results, select the wireless equipment and develop the detailed design. Implementation of the network goes forward according to the high-level design. After the equipment is installed and configured, you make sure to perform acceptance testing to verify that the wireless links are working correctly.

Since these buildings are medical in nature, you must take special care when deploying wireless communications. Medical equipment in particular may be sensitive to wireless devices and channels. You must pay special attention to limiting radio frequencies in and around the emergency room area to avoid any interference. When you are writing the design, make sure that you speak to the Information Systems (IS) department to determine any concerns you need...