Fujitsu Offers FENICS II Business Wi-Fi Service To Promote Business Use Of Smart Devices

Makes it easy to deploy and operate a secure wireless LAN environment

Fujitsu announces the launch of FUJITSU Managed Infrastructure Service FENICS II Business Wi-Fi Service, which makes it easy for companies to deploy and operate a wireless LAN environment and to use the cloud. The new service will be available from today, in Japan only.

The new service builds the functions that companies need for their wireless LAN environments, such as authentication and management, into Fujitsu's cloud, allowing for centralized management of customer access points, including changing settings and checking signal condition, even after deployment. This reduces the up-front effort and costs that the customer bears when setting up a wireless LAN environment, makes it possible to deploy environments at the level of individual locations or other smaller-scale units, and simplifies maintenance and operations post-deployment.

The service can be used to prevent unauthorized devices or devices that are not permitted from joining a company network, and to provide access to the open Internet to guests. Functions like these support changing office work styles, where customers bring their own smart devices, and facilitate in-store online-to-offline (O2O) business.

Fujitsu plans to expand the products and services it offers as part of the FUJITSU Mobile Initiative, which supports innovation through the use of mobile technologies by customers and society.

Background

The popularity of smart devices has created a sudden need for wireless LANs in offices as a part of a company's business infrastructure. Wireless LANs are not used only in business systems. They can also be used for Internet connectivity in retail stores and commercial facilities, and for tracking and navigation using a device's positioning information. They may also lead to the development of entirely new services.

Connecting to a company's wireless LAN, however, demands a high level of security, as this also may be a connection to the company's internal network. This would require that authentication servers be set up and access points be configured, an added effort and expense that creates a higher barrier to deploying a wireless LAN. Even after deployment, maintaining and operating the wireless LAN equipment, detecting radio-frequency problems with access points, and diagnosing problems with them in order to maintain stable connectivity all create additional burdens for network administrators.

To solve these problems, Fujitsu has incorporated its know-how for administering on-premises equipment into the new FENICS II Business Wi-Fi Service, which lightens the customer's workload from deployment through operations.

Service Features

The new service realizes the robust security that business requires based on authentication certificates that specify the devices allowed to connect to a company's internal network. Furthermore, by allowing Internet connections that visitors can use without any additional work on the existing network, retail stores and commercial facilities gain a new marketing platform.

1. Simple deployment, reduced operational workload

Authentication server and access points needed for a wireless LAN are provided as a service for a monthly fee, cutting customers' up-front costs and labor.

Access points installed on the customer premises can be monitored remotely using Fujitsu's own datacenter-management platform.

The system provides a reliable wireless communications environment by quantifying the noise that can impair communications quality and tracking the effects of radio interference. When problems arise with access points, the situation can be accurately assessed based on consistently configured settings information and log information, and problems can be quickly solved.

2. Safe and secure connectivity environment

In addition to authenticating by ID when attempting to connect, the service also supports device-certificate authentication. Using certificate permission prevents unauthorized third-party devices, or unauthenticated devices, from connecting to the company network. With support for Windows, Android, and iOS, the same level of security is available for multiple platforms.

3. Encourages new uses for wireless LANs

The service can provide connections to the public Internet, so that visitors to stores can access the web. Because this runs over the same access point used for reaching the company network, no extra work is involved in changing the existing network environment.

Future Plans

• Fujitsu plans to enable access to the Business Wi-Fi Service using Windows Active Directory IDs and the company's own IDs for remote-access services, further increasing convenience for users and lightening administrator workloads (due in December 2014).
• Fujitsu plans to capture position-measurement data based on wireless LAN radio signals, for collection in the cloud. This can be used to visualize the paths that customers take through stores and where they pause. It could also be used to provide navigation services to workers in a factory (due in March 2015).

Pricing and Availability

Sales Targets

JPY 3 billion over three years.

About Fujitsu

Fujitsu is the leading Japanese information and communication technology (ICT) company offering a full range of technology products, solutions and services. Approximately 162,000 Fujitsu people support customers in more than 100 countries. We use our experience and the power of ICT to shape the future of society with our customers. Fujitsu Limited reported consolidated revenues of 4.8 trillion yen (US$46B) for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2014. For more information, visit http://www.fujitsu.com.