Cradlepoint Glossary copy page link

C

Cellular Intelligence — A collection of software features that uniquely visualize and optimize cellular connections, traffic, and data plans for distributed Wireless WANs.

E

Extensibility — The open integration and extensibility capabilities within the NetCloud platform leverage Cradlepoint’s position at the edge and in the cloud to connect to external applications and services.

NetCloud-delivered integrations:

— NetCloud Service Connectors integrate with third-party applications such as CloudShark, Forward Thinking’s Intellihub, Zscaler, and others.

NetCloud IoT ecosystem integrations:

— NetCloud Edge Services (at the router) and NetCloud Service Connectors (for authentication, account provisioning, etc.) allow edge compute, cloud-to-cloud data transfer, and online/offline logic when available. Examples of these integrations includes AWS IoT Greengrass and NetCloud Edge Connector with Microsoft Azure IoT Central.

NetCloud developer tools:

— These tools use the foundational capabilities of NetCloud Edge Services to support software containers and NetCloud SDK at the router level and within the NetCloud API to provide the service connections between cloud-to-cloud applications. NetCloud Container Orchestrator uses service connectors and cloud orchestration to add and manage containers on router(s) where the NetCloud Edge Container service supports Docker containers.

partner technology solutions:

— Cradlepoint Technology Alliance Partners use NetCloud Service Connectors and Edge Services to build custom connections and integrations offered within their own ecosystems to build a more complete solution when combined with Cradlepoint. These include Rigado, NetMotion, Palo Alto, and Nokia solutions.

N

NetCloud Service

[ DEFINITION ]
Cradlepoint’s NetCloud platform delivers the NetCloud Service — and value proposition — to customers. It’s what we sell!

— NetCloud service plan — Customers subscribe to NetCloud service plans. A NetCloud subscription grants an endpoint (router or adapter) a license for a term (subscription period) that enables NetCloud certain services. Today we offer 1-, 3-, and 5-year plans. (NOTE: Customers and partners access services through NetCloud Manager, NetCloud API, mobile apps, reports, and alerts.)

— NetCloud subscription — A Cradlepoint NetCloud subscription grants an endpoint (wireless edge router or adapter) a license that enables a collection of services and features.

— NetCloud Essentials service plans — Required base subscription providing essential NetCloud capabilities, support, and limited lifetime warranty.

— NetCloud Advanced licensing — Advanced capabilities sold as an add-on subscription to a NetCloud Essentials Service Plan.

— NetCloud Package — A NetCloud Essentials service plan plus a purpose-built router or adapter.

— NetCloud OS (NCOS) — The open, Linux-based operating software that runs on all Cradlepoint routers.

— NetCloud Manager (NCM) — Cradlepoint’s cloud-based network management, administration, and orchestration service. An application that runs on our NetCloud platform.

QUICK REFERENCE CAPITALIZATION GUIDE:

NetCloud Private Networks

[ DEFINITION ]

An end-to-end private cellular network solution, tailored to IT environments, that removes the complexities of building a private cellular network. NetCloud Private Networks is a subscription-based, cloud-managed solution including all of the hardware and software needed to build and operate a private cellular network.

Mandatory Cradlepoint components of a NetCloud Private Network:

— Cradlepoint Private SIMs — Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) cards are critically required by every cellular network to authenticate edge endpoints such as cellular routers/adapters and cellular clients such as cell phones, tablets, and barcode scanners.

— Cradlepoint Cellular Access Point — Plug-and-play Cellular Access Points (CAPs) support the 4G LTE CBRS spectrum band 48. Sometimes referred to as small cells, these CAPs form the private Radio Access Network (RAN) that cellular endpoints and clients connect to and are authenticated through the Mobility Gateway. CAPs rated for indoor locations and outdoor environments work together to create contiguous private network connectivity across the entire enterprise location.

— Cradlepoint Mobility Gateway — Built around a converged 4G cellular core, the Mobility Gateway is software deployed atop an on-premises or cloud server, enabling secure access to enterprise data services from authenticated cellular endpoints. This is where policies are set to determine which devices can access the network and how traffic moves throughout the network. On-premises deployment provides the ability to maintain data locally while still benefiting from the power of cloud-based configuration and policy management.

Optional Cradlepoint components of a NetCloud Private Network:

— Cradlepoint endpoints — Any endpoint that incorporates a Cradlepoint Private SIM card can gain controlled access to a NetCloud Private Network — including third-party endpoints and routers. to realize the benefits of a fully converged and centrally managed system, Cradlepoint routers and adapters that support CBRS spectrum are the preferred endpoint for connections to the LAN or to SIM-less edge devices.

— Cradlepoint WAN edge router — Each NetCloud Private Network requires an on-premises backhaul router , or WAN edge router, that connects all on-premises equipment, including the Mobility Gateway and Cellular Access Points (CAPs), to the Internet and remote data centers. The WAN edge router may also connect remote CAPs to a centralized Mobility Gateway in a data center. For the best end-to-end management, policy orchestration, and user experience, the WAN edge router should be a Cradlepoint router, but third-party devices are also compatible with NCPN and may be a better fit for some network architectures.

NetCloud Exchange (NCX)

[ DEFINITION ]

A unified network and security architecture designed on zero trust principles. NCX encompasses a suite of add-on networking services that can be layered atop Cradlepoint routers. The foundation is the NetCloud Exchange Service Gateway. NCX, which augments our current and future Cradlepoint routers with advanced security and SD-WAN services, is purchased as a NetCloud Service add-on and is deployed and managed through NetCloud Manager.

— NCX Service Gateway — A service delivery foundation for NetCloud Exchange (NCX), NCX Service Gateway is a virtual gateway — a head end enabling end-to-end networking — that provides the secure data plane and policy enforcement capabilities between Cradlepoint routers in sites, vehicles, IoT, and remote workers and digital resources in the cloud, datacenter, and external sites. Delivered for a virtual infrastructure or cloud environment, or downloaded onto a physical server, the Service Gateway can be delivered on premises or in a hosted environment. This gateway houses the engines that power NCX SD-WAN, NCX Secure Connect, and NCX ZTNA.

— NCX Secure Connect — A network security service for router-to-cloud and router-to-datacenter communication built upon a foundation of zero trust principles. A simple-to-manage alternative to complex VPN infrastructures. NCX Secure Connect runs on routers and is required for enabling ZTNA remote access to third parties and traffic steering via NCX SD-WAN.

— NCX ZTNA — A network security solution granting 1) internal and third-party people and devices tightly controlled remote access to data and resources based on zero trust principles and 2) organizations control of used-based access policies. NCX ZTNA remote access is deployed via Cradlepoint routers and runs at the router level and/or clients that run on laptops and other third-party devices.

— NCX SD-WAN — A 5G-optimized SD-WAN service built to optimize traffic and enhance WAN resiliency and application Quality of Experience, accommodating both redundant cellular providers, hybrid WANs, and soon network slicing. Based on zero-trust principles, NCX SD-WAN requires NCX Secure Connect.

R

Remote Connect — A suite of functionality providing real-time, secure cloud management of both Cradlepoint endpoints and third-party, LAN-connected devices — allowing them to be centrally managed with no additional setup.

— LAN Manager — A feature within NetCloud Remote Connect that allows LAN-connected third-party devices to be securely cloud managed with no setup. LAN Manager must be enabled to connect to LAN-connected devices and to save LAN profiles.

S

SDK (software development kit) — A software development kit for developing applications written in Python to run on Cradlepoint endpoints.

V

Verify App — Cradlepoint’s installer application that provides step-by-step instructions to assist with setting up and installing a Cradlepoint endpoint.

W

Wi-Fi as WAN — A NetCloud Manager connection type that allows the router to get an Internet connection by attaching to an existing wireless network. It may be used to augment or complement cellular coverage with an existing Wi-Fi infrastructure; load video content with fast data rates without incurring cellular data usage charges; or dedicate predefined or all traffic via traffic steering.

Add a term to this glossary

Request a term to be added to this glossary.