Is Your Guest Wireless Network Ready for Big Data?

Industry insiders are toting 2015 to be the year when the concept “big data” goes mainstream, thanks to growing acknowledgement as to its value as a business asset, and the continued adoption of cloud computing, which facilitates the analysis and interpretation of vast quantities of data.The question is whether wireless networks already established in businesses will be able to handle the volume of data defining this trend?

What is Big Data?

Big data is a term coined to describe the large quantities of data generated and collected as more and more devices beginning connecting to the internet.

But What Does This Mean for Your Guest Wireless Network?

The key to ensuring your company takes full advantage of the IoE and big data is to ensure that it can handle the massive influx of data as well as efficient utilising analytical tools to interpret this data.

Key Preparations to Ensure Your Wireless Network is Big Data Ready

1. Secure Your Network

Data is an extremely valuable asset that needs to be protected. In the same breath, your network also needs protecting against threats arising from the influx of data and devices using its services. Consider taking security measures such as an inventory of authorised and unauthorised software and devices, ensuring devices have compliant security configurations (as well as network devices), and maintaining controlled access to your network.

2. Consider Investing in the Cloud

Cloud computing and big data analytics are an ideal match. The cloud offers flexibility and scalability regarding the processing capacity an enterprise may require when processing large data volumes, it’s faster and easier to deploy, and ultimately more affordable than the traditional route of acquiring the necessary hardware to handle data processing.

3. Get a Great Analytics Solution

Well-executed data analysis courtesy of data analytics tools gives your business insight into possible opportunities, threats and real-time information that all works together to help improve your company and help ensure outcomes are met faster and more efficiently than ever before. Analytics solutions also boost network security, as they provide valuable insight into irregular behaviour on the network, spotting it sooner and analysing it so that notifications can be made and brought to the attention of the relevant security professionals in charge.

Ask yourself whether your company’s guest wireless network is ready for big data? If not, perhaps it’s time you looked at investing in a network upgrade.