Top five 'performance hungry' apps affecting business networks

Gartner estimates that the average smartphone user is now running over 40 mobile applications per device. Due to the growing BYOD (bring your own device) trend, devices and applications are increasingly connected to company networks and IT managers now face the challenge of how they can maintain decent performance for both employees and customers.

The applications that place most pressure on an organisation's wireless network, according to research from network solutions provider, Aruba Networks:

1 - Video Conferencing

GoToMeeting, Google+ Hangout, WebEx, Lync, Skype
The more users on the video conference, the larger screen size they use on their mobile device, and the more Wi-Fi bandwidth is required. For example, Skype requires 4Mbps download speed for 5-way conferencing, and WebEx bandwidth requirement more than doubles if a laptop is used vs. an iPad to join the conference.

2 - Cloud Storage

Dropbox, Box, iCloud
These are designed to capture as much Wi-Fi bandwidth as they can, unless default settings are modified by the end user - which rarely happens.

3 - AirPlay, AirPrint

IT will typically have to disable these to save the wireless network from collapse. On top of this, each screen mirror requires about ~1Mbps per iPad, iPhone, MacBook.

4 - Audio & Video streaming

Spotify, Pandora, YouTube, Vimeo, Netflix
These are the #1 or #2 bandwidth consumers in higher education, with another contender being video streaming. It is becoming more than common to have users stream audio at work. Each audio stream consumes ~500Kbps, and each video stream consumes 1-2Mbps over the air. This requires high levels of Wi-Fi bandwidth, especially if the mobile devices are not using top 802.11n rates/speeds.

5 - Virtual desktop

For businesses that are built around the usage of the virtual desktop, tablets require 1.5Mbps of constant data rate for each device. In a high density environment, this presents a huge challenge for any Wi-Fi network.