For robust network connectivity, where there is often a seamless transition from a fixed line to a cellular network in the event of an outage, a high level of sophistication, visibility and control is required behind the scenes. Richard Taylor, IoT Business Development Manager with CKHIOD, explains how a cellular backup network with granular control is transforming the service resellers can provide to their customers.
In this digital age where critical business functions have been digitised and migrated to the cloud, an enterprise's connection to the outside world has become more important than ever. But what happens if there's disruption on the, typically fixed line, network? Downtime, even for a short period, can be catastrophic for any business.
Backup network needs to be fit for purpose
This is where the backup network plays such a key role. It may rarely be required, but when it is, it needs to perform at the same level as the primary network to ensure business continuity. As cellular networks have advanced and the cost reduced, they have become the common back-up to most critical fixed line services.
Continuity of service between fixed and cellular is further enhanced by the use of fixed line technology, or protocols, over cellular. This enables corporate IP addresses to remain active. For example, a London office IP address remains the same so that an enterprise’s Manchester, Rome and Vienna offices can communicate with London even if London’s fixed line goes down. The particular technology that enables this is L2TP ( Layer 2 Tunneling Protocol).
Visibility and control are key to network performance
For increased management and visibility, CKHIOD has wrapped its cellular backup service with its IoT SIM Management platform. The platform offers a portal through which users can oversee the flow of data, the health of the network and SIMs, data usage and real-time billing.
Being able to offer customers an end to end solution means resellers can position themselves as strategic partners. Rather than just selling airtime they can play a key role in their end users' digital transformation plans. We've written at length about how important a reliable communications network is to a successful digital transformation project. That reliable network compromises a primary and secondary connection with seamless failover, and the ability to switch back to the main network just as easily.
But the successful transition from primary to backup network requires ongoing management. Understanding the network and its capabilities is a crucial part of ensuring its performance. This is what makes the CKHIOD cellular backup and IoT SIM Management solution so unique.
