Georgia Resort Expands Network during Renovation
Lake Lanier Islands Resort in Georgia now connects its facilities with a high performing wireless mesh network from Firetide Inc., a developer of wireless mesh and access networks. As part of the $300 million renovation project, the resort is deploying fiber connectivity among the four main hotel properties to take advantage of the construction project under way. Designed and deployed by systems integrator AireWire Inc., the wireless network promises to ensure uninterrupted communications during the resort's expansion, which includes construction of two new hotels and renovation of two existing hotels.
"The Firetide wireless solution saved us at least six months of network buildout," says Jonathan Reich, director of technology, Lake Lanier Islands Resort. "Any cabling or trenching would have required two to four months to secure building permits alone. The Firetide wireless network was completed in just three weeks with no trenching or permits required. Now I am able to deliver uninterrupted connectivity for internal operations and guest services while we are under full-scale construction."
When new construction and expansion at the resort began in 2007, the IT team was tasked with increasing the efficiency of their IT services, including deploying connectivity to new locations on the property for improved effectiveness of business operations. The Firetide wireless mesh network connects resort properties and internal departments to the IT operations center. The network also spans the resort's popular attractions
-two golf clubs, houseboat rentals facility, an equestrian center, hotels, and a water park. The network delivers several new capabilities to the resort -including electronic point-of-sale for temporary events and transmitting security video from the guard gates in real time -enabling an immediate response to incidents by security personnel.Although the resort is deploying the network to take advantage of the construction project under way, that does not mean that the Firetide network is temporary. "The Firetide mesh network is an integral part of our IT infrastructure now. When constructions completes in 2010, the network will continue to serve our remote facilities. We plan to extend connectivity to other areas not served by the fiber infrastructure," says Reich.