Network Resilience: Cellular Solutions to Prevent Downtime

Network Resilience in today’s fast-paced business environment is a must, as downtime can spell disaster, leading to lost revenue and frustrated customers. But with the advent of 5G technology, you have the power to transform your operations and safeguard against costly interruptions. Imagine seamless connectivity that enhances communication, boosts productivity, and ensures your systems run smoothly.

Whether you’re managing bustling retail spaces or dynamic office environments, leveraging 5G can be your secret weapon against unexpected outages. Embrace this innovative solution and stay ahead of the competition, ensuring your business remains resilient and thriving in every moment!

Using 5G IoT Solutions to prevent any expensive downtime

Discover how to seamlessly incorporate cellular broadband to enhance resilience and ensure continuous uptime in your offices, retail spaces, and other fixed locations.

Network outages can create significant turmoil for businesses, leading to operational interruptions, decreased efficiency, and possible financial losses. As numerous organizations rely on cloud storage and utilize a growing array of cloud services, dependable wide-area network (WAN) connectivity becomes essential—just a brief disruption can result in extensive repercussions.

Establishing a plan for WAN failover can reduce these risks by ensuring a smooth and automatic switch to backup connectivity when the main link is disrupted. Implementing 5G and LTE for network redundancy and failover in various locations such as stores and offices allows organizations to enhance uptime, boost application performance, and maintain business continuity. If network interruptions are affecting your operations, it’s time to seek the appropriate failover solution for your organization.

Link diversity: By utilizing an Ericsson Cradlepoint 5G or LTE adapter as a backup for your main router, any interruptions in wired connections will trigger a smooth and automatic switch to cellular broadband, ensuring your organization’s essential data and applications remain accessible.

Dual-carrier failover: An Ericsson Cradlepoint hybrid WAN router equipped with dual cellular modems enhances network reliability by facilitating automatic switching between two separate network providers.

Out-of-band management (OOBM): By utilizing an Ericsson Cradlepoint 5G or LTE adapter to support a main router, the IT team retains remote access and oversight of the primary router along with the devices linked to the LAN.

Hardware redundancy with VRRP: When two Ericsson Cradlepoint hybrid WAN routers are linked together, the Virtual Router Redundancy Protocol (VRRP) facilitates automatic failover, routing, and all other network operations if the main router fails.

Protection against network spikes: Ericsson Cradlepoint routers equipped with SD-WAN capabilities direct various types of data over distinct connections according to established guidelines.

Cellular as primary connectivity in fixed sites

Organizations that have numerous current and upcoming sites, like retail outlets and dining establishments, require prompt network access that can be rapidly implemented and replicated globally. They can conserve both time and costs by completely avoiding wired connections; however, this necessitates a different kind of WAN link that offers sufficient reliability and performance to accommodate an entire location.

Utilizing an Ericsson Cradlepoint router equipped with SD-WAN capabilities and security measures like zero trust and IDS/IPS—taking advantage of 5G for primary and potentially backup connectivity. Over a wide network of stores, overseeing a limited number of cellular providers instead of numerous regionally focused ISPs results in significant time and cost savings.

Reasons and methods for utilizing cellular technology in stationary sites

Cellular goes where wires can’t: Rural areas or newly developed regions might lack access to fiber, T1 lines, or other wired connections, resulting in pockets of disconnection even within urban and suburban areas. Networks that prioritize cellular or rely solely on wireless technology offer broad coverage and connectivity through advanced 5G and LTE networks. Companies can benefit from WAN link diversity by utilizing Ericsson Cradlepoint hybrid WAN routers, which accommodate multiple modems and carriers. If one carrier experiences a signal loss or decreased performance, another can automatically take over, ensuring seamless wireless-to-wireless WAN failover.

Connect on day 1 and avoid delays: Wired networks necessitate careful planning and implementation, often leading to delays as companies and their staff await delayed installation services. In contrast, wireless connectivity via an Ericsson Cradlepoint router allows businesses to adapt, shift, and grow quickly. Instead of enduring the expenses and setup associated with cable installations, 5G and LTE networks can be activated immediately upon unboxing.

Manage performance and security from anywhere: Branch offices do not have in-person IT specialists available. Rather than relying on external truck visits or corporate travel for network modifications and problem-solving, streamlined IT teams utilize Ericsson NetCloud Manager to enable, oversee, and diagnose hundreds of wireless routers from a unified interface—encompassing SD-WAN and enhanced security measures.

Pop-up connectivity for temporary locations

Temporary locations enable organizations to engage with customers and conduct business in creative ways, including seasonal shops, tax preparation offices, election polling sites, and emergency response tents. However, wired internet access is frequently either unavailable or prohibitively costly for these pop-up scenarios.

Utilize Ericsson’s enterprise wireless offerings — including cellular routers equipped with scalable security features like zero trust networking and hybrid mesh firewall — to quickly establish cellular connections as the main WAN link at temporary sites, particularly in scenarios where wired connectivity is prohibitively costly or unreliable.

Key factors for pop-up networks at temporary sites

On-demand connectivity and security anywhere: Organizations can quickly establish adaptable and secure cellular WAN connections and deploy Wi-Fi on demand using plug-and-play cellular routers, eliminating the need for IT personnel to be present on-site. The flexibility of cellular technology enables businesses to relocate their temporary solutions as required, while scalable security measures can be modified at any moment.

Ensure predictable costs, no matter the area: Utilizing mobile connectivity for temporary networking standardizes wide area network (WAN) expenses nationwide, allowing reliance on one or two network carriers rather than needing a separate wired internet service provider in each city.

Zero-touch deployment with centralized management; Ericsson’s offerings feature zero-touch deployment, as every router is registered in Ericsson NetCloud prior to shipment. This allows organizations to establish pop-up connectivity swiftly and without the need to dispatch an IT expert to the location. After deployment, the oversight and administration of all connection and security settings can be managed remotely via NetCloud Manager.

Cellular failover and out-of-band management

Gartner approximates that each hour of internet outage results in an average loss of $300,000 for enterprise organizations. Such downtime can bring business operations to a standstill by disrupting access to essential devices and applications, including point of sale systems, inventory management, data storage, and communication tools.

Harness the power of an Ericsson Cradlepoint adapter or router to enhance the reliability of your primary wired router located in a fixed position. This innovative solution not only offers cellular failover but also enables seamless wireless out-of-band management. With smart policies in place, traffic can swiftly reroute through the wireless connection whenever the primary wired link faces interruptions. When the wired connection is back online, the traffic flow effortlessly resumes to normal — often without users or customers even realizing it. 

Benefitting from cellular failover and out-of-band management

Seamless automatic cellular failover: While traditional wired failover relies on the same last-mile trenches and backhaul routes, a Wireless WAN connection opens up exciting new possibilities by utilizing diverse air pathways. This innovative approach enables policies to swiftly route traffic over a 5G or LTE link at a moment’s notice. With automatic failover and WAN redundancy, you can enjoy dependable uptime for networks where constant connectivity is essential. 

Remote visibility into primary hardware failure: By establishing a direct link from the adapter’s console port to the main router, administrators gain the ability to access the router wirelessly, regardless of whether the IP and Ethernet are operational. This innovative approach allows for efficient remote troubleshooting, eliminating the need for costly truck rolls or sluggish, expensive POTS lines.

Manage and monitor connections from anywhere: Rather than depending on external visits or business travel for network repairs, streamlined IT teams can utilize Ericsson NetCloud Manager to enable, oversee, and diagnose routers and adapters. These remote management features are consolidated into one interface, ensuring connections remain active and minimizing the workload for staff.

Cellular for day-1 connectivity in long-term locations

Organizations that frequently launch sites with tight timelines—driven by revenue targets and business objectives—often cannot afford to delay the installation of wired connections. They require immediate secure access so that their staff can get ready and operations can start on the scheduled opening day.

Utilizing Ericsson’s enterprise wireless offerings—comprising cellular-enabled routers and adapters integrated with SD-WAN services—to enhance the effective use of various WAN connections and security measures like zero trust networking and IDS/IPS. This enables you to quickly establish cellular connectivity as the main WAN link at a new or relocated site, particularly during the interim period before wired connections are installed. Once wired connectivity becomes available, you can modify the setup (switching cellular to failover, primary, etc.) as required.

Key factors for a successful day-1 connectivity solution

Immediate connectivity through cellular: Ericsson Cradlepoint’s all-in-one routers come with integrated high-performance 5G or LTE modems, removing the necessity to wait for wired connections. These routers create a secure cellular link as the main connection, ensuring immediate connectivity at new sites. Companies can launch on time, free from network-related delays.

Support of multiple types of WAN and LAN connections: Ericsson’s wireless solutions for enterprises are designed with adaptability as a key focus. The routers accommodate a range of WAN and LAN connection types, such as cellular, wired broadband, fiber, and satellite. This flexibility enables companies to choose the most appropriate option tailored to their unique requirements. The multi-WAN functionalities and SD-WAN capabilities allow organizations to manage network traffic across various WAN connections, ensuring enhanced performance, redundancy, and increased bandwidth.

Scalable security: With Ericsson NetCloud, companies can enhance their network security by utilizing a unified platform. Organizations can establish a zero trust network by implementing Ericsson NetCloud SASE, which eliminates the need for outdated VPNs by offering perimeterless, “invitation-only” access. Name-based routing minimizes the potential attack surface, while cloud-based orchestration simplifies management. Additionally, incorporating a hybrid mesh firewall with web filtering and IDS/IPS safeguards against online threats.

Using Secure 5G and SD-WAN Through a Hybrid WAN Solution in Fixed Sites

In retail locations, workplaces, and various permanent sites, the ongoing introduction of IoT devices, remote employees, cloud applications, and direct Internet connectivity has heightened the need for dependable and flexible networks. Companies frequently require branch routers capable of utilizing various WAN and LAN resources, offering enhanced network security and performance capabilities than ever before.

Benefits of hybrid WAN solutions