Subject: [NEXTEL-1] No WiFi @ Olympic Games 2004

From: [email-masked]
Date: Wed, 16 Jul 2003 18:04:12 -0400

-------- Original Message --------
From: "Jon Baer" <[email-masked]>
Subject: No WiFi @ Olympic Games 2004

Wi-Fi does not qualify for 2004 Olympic Games
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) concluded that wireless security
was not good enough for their IT set-up at Athens in 2004. Schlumberger, the
group which has the contract to design and implement IT infrastructure for
the 2004 Olympic Games will, therefore, not be incorporating Wi-Fi into the
networks it is building. In an interview with CNET, Claude Philipps, chief
technology integrator for Schlumberger, explained that the decision not to
use 802.11b has been taken because those involved believe the technology is
not secure enough. "The IOC thinks -- and we agree -- that the security is
not major enough to be used for such an event. I think the trend is in favor
of wireless, and we'll be able to do that at some future games, but not
now," said Philipps. He said that security is a top priority for the Games
organizers, as the networks will be carrying very sensitive information
about both athletes and VIPs attending the competition. Wi-Fi was also
excluded from the IT network at the 2002 winter games in Salt Lake City for
the same reason. Despite that decision, it was still used by one group of
competitors -- the biathletes, whose split times were detected and relayed
to their coaches by wireless. The IT system for the Athens games will
include some 10,000 desktop PCs and 850 servers. To avoid the possibility of
chaos caused by a glitch in the Greek electricity network, diesel generators
are being deployed to complement uninterruptible power supplies. There
appears to be no place for open-source software either. Instead, Sun's
Solaris operating system is being deployed.

- jon

------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor ---------------------~-->
Buy Ink Cartridges or Refill Kits for Your HP, Epson, Canon or Lexmark
Printer at Myinks.com. Free s/h on orders $50 or more to the US & Canada.
http://www.c1tracking.com/l.asp?cid=5511
http://us.click.yahoo.com/sOykFB/k9VGAA/ySSFAA/61FxlB/TM
---------------------------------------------------------------------~->

Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/