4. Case study

Implementation of Authentication Process

Learning Objectives and Outcomes

• Design and document a secure wireless local area network (WLAN) authentication process.

Assignment RequirementsOther than the Internet, probably no aspect of technology will have more impact on the classroom than the wireless local area network (WLAN), which may soon become as indispensable to the educational mission as chalkboards and textbooks. In the 21st century, technological literacy will be a primary determinant of whether a student succeeds or fails later in life. The ability to access and work with a wide range of information technology (IT) applications will be critical to ensuring this literacy. The benefits of a pervasive wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) deployment in primary and secondary education include:

• Infrastructure Flexibility: School districts’ learning technology needs can be as unpredictable as class sizes. A WLAN can be quickly rolled out virtually anywhere, without the need for extensive retrofitting of existing infrastructure.
• Speed: Classroom productivity is measured in terms of how much can be taught in a short period of time. Students can access a WLAN-enabled learning environment in a matter of seconds, without special connections, transmission control protocol/Internet protocol (TCP/IP) changes, or a tangle of cables. Teachers can focus on teaching and students can focus on learning.
• Resource Mobility: A WLAN allows technology-learning tools such as laptops to be moved to wherever students are, rather than vice-versa. This makes the concentration of mobile computing resources possible in a single classroom while maximizing hardware utilization and a return on the investment.