The Margaret Street headquarters is the embodiment of the Savills brand and client experience, and every last detail matters. Savills wanted its new wireless infrastructure to provide a reliable, secure service over six floors, and visible elements of the deployment needed to look good. “Our clients expect a world-class experience no matter where or how they deal with us,” says Senior Network Engineer Patrick Morrill, “but most of all they expect it when they visit our head office. Our wireless network must provide our team with a fast and dependable connection, so they can deliver the kind of service experience our clients demand.”

The teams at 33 Margaret Street use iPads to scroll through property portfolios with clients. They also need to be able to answer questions and provide additional information on the spot. In these scenarios, the wireless network is an essential sales and service support infrastructure. “When we talk about mobile working, there’s an assumption it means coffee shop hot spots, working at home, or logging on from a client site,” says Patrick. “In fact, the office is now a highly mobile environment. Most people are using laptops and tablets. We have quiet rooms where people can go to focus on a particular task, as well as meeting rooms and other public spaces. People don’t want to be tied to their desks anymore and our wireless must be able to support that freedom of movement.”

Savills selected Aerohive controller-less wireless for its wireless infrastructure, with HiveManager software. The deployment was planned, designed and installed by Codestone and is backed by its Managed Support. “Codestone was really proactive in planning and designing the deployment,” says Patrick. “They spent time in the building conducting RF surveys and other tests, building a clear picture of the wireless landscape. By the time the network was installed, most of the problems were already designed out.”

HiveManager provides real-time network management capabilities, allowing managers to monitor usage patterns and control connections from multiple devices and operating systems. “Most users have company phones and tablets and quite a few bring their own devices as well,” says Patrick. “Aerohive’s architecture and the private PSK makes it very easy to manage the multiple devices and operating systems connecting to the network. “With HiveManager, we get a clear picture of usage patterns and can see immediately if any particular user or team is consuming disproportionate amounts of bandwidth, which helps to maintain service. Users can also roam freely between floors with no interruption of service; the hand-off between access points is seamless.”

Authorising and revoking user credentials on an individual basis is simple with the Aerohive solution as individuals are identified with private pre-share keys, making access more flexible, while reducing the risk of unauthorised access.

For Savills, with a move to flagship headquarters that embodies the company’s world-class brand, the Aerohive network delivers performance worthy of the business vision. International clients do not have to wait while a consultant’s iPad looks for a new connection, or a content-rich file loads slowly via a sluggish signal; the Margaret Street network ensures an outstanding customer experience at all times. “With Aerohive, we’re a more mobile business in the office as well as on the move”.

Like so many projects, the success of the Savills wireless deployment was due in large part to the preparation. Patrick Morrill believes the time taken on-site by Codestone specialists was the key to the smooth roll-out.