In today’s world, it’s a given that businesses depend on the WiFi network. WiFi automation is becoming essential as WiFi is everywhere, from communicating with a remote office across town or even across the world to monitoring manufacturing equipment and responding to customers’ questions and complaints. As this dependency only shows signs of growing, the health and performance of the network are now critical factors in determining overall business performance and operational efficiency. Safeguarding the business now requires safeguarding the network.
Table of Contents
Optimization is key
With hundreds or thousands of different connected devices to monitor, IT teams are outnumbered. It’s no longer possible for humans to monitor and analyze network data in real time, not with thousands of data packets sent every second. WiFi automation is necessary here.
Optimization becomes even more difficult when you factor in the intermittent nature of most WiFi issues and the fact that many IT teams are responsible for multiple locations. If an issue occurs at a site where IT isn’t currently working, problem resolution is delayed until IT can either get onsite or contact someone onsite and try to talk them through identifying and resolving the issue. When a delay in resolution is less than ideal for business operations, businesses need to have WiFi automation.
What is WiFi Automation?
WiFi Automation platforms automate the monitoring and management of the WiFi network. They work alongside WiFi infrastructure, complementing the monitoring provided by AP management platforms. While these platforms focus on a business’s network, WiFi Automation platforms provide a holistic view of the entire RF environment.
This includes the network and all connected devices and infrastructure. Still, it also includes any nearby networks operating in the same airspace and non-WiFi sources of interference. WiFi Automation platforms can be counted on by monitoring the entire environment in which the network operates to significantly reduce the mean time-to-resolution and the number of WiFi problem tickets submitted to IT.
Here are a few things to think about when choosing a platform.
How does it alert IT?
Automation platforms are in place to identify any issues before end users are affected. This proactive response allows IT to resolve issues faster – but only if the platform alerts them of a problem. Find out when and where a platform posts issue alerts and what information is included with the alert. The best case scenario is working with a platform that will identify the root cause of the issue and provide suggestions for resolution so that IT can address the issue immediately. This makes WiFi automation essential for efficient problem solving.
Does it provide non-stop monitoring?
WiFi issues can occur at any time, day or night, and are often intermittent. While debates over WiFi Extender vs Booster highlight consumer-grade fixes, enterprise environments demand holistic network optimization powered by platforms that monitor the RF environment 24/7—including periods with no onsite activity or during automated tasks like network testing. IT teams require complete visibility to maintain reliable connectivity for critical business processes, as even hardware upgrades falter without data-driven insights. This underscores why WiFi automation, paired with granular environmental analysis, is indispensable for preempting disruptions and aligning network performance with organizational demands.
Is it vendor-agnostic?
You want to work with a platform that will keep working no matter how your business changes. Not only does this provide continuity with uninterrupted network analytics, but agnostic devices are also great if your business has different locations that work with different AP and internet vendors. With vendor-agnostic support, IT teams must only learn to use one WiFi Automation platform.
Does it provide remote access?
IT teams aren’t always on site. This can be because they are responsible for multiple locations or something has made travel impossible. Solutions like remote network access allow IT to troubleshoot and resolve issues from anywhere, even during flights with services like United WiFi in the Airplane. This reduces travel costs and ensures faster issue resolution, keeping operations on track with minimal downtime. Remote access capabilities emphasize the value of WiFi automation.
Simplify the Complex
WiFi networks are much more complex than older wired networks thanks to the explosion of IoT devices, BYOD policies, and networks’ mobile nature. To stay ahead of the challenges of managing such a critical resource, work with a WiFi Automation platform and introduce simplicity to the optimization process.
