IT teams simplify IoT deployment, management & security with cloud-managed, software-defined LTE solutions
The Internet of Things (IoT) has gone from an intriguing option to a “must have” in enterprise networking — across virtually every industry. The ability to gather, analyze, and respond to data from devices all over the world is an enticing opportunity for organizations of all sizes.
The seemingly infinite potential for IoT to streamline operations, improve customer service, and reduce costs also comes with major IT challenges, including:
- Complexity, costs, and management limitations when dealing with hundreds or thousands of widely distributed IoT devices
- Security concerns related to an ever-expanding attack surface
- Inefficient data flow at the edge of the network
In industries ranging from retail and restaurants to healthcare, education, and public safety, organizations are deploying cloud-managed, software-defined IoT solutions over cellular 4G LTE networks — and achieving the flexibility, scalability, security, and overall cost-effectiveness they need amid the ongoing Digital Transformation.
Providing Flexible Wireless WAN at the Edge
Because IoT deployments come in all shapes and sizes, organizations need the ability to choose the right modem for their throughput, coverage, and cost requirements. Cradlepoint’s IoT-specific network solutions — based on compact, semi-ruggedized COR Series routers — support a wide range of LTE modems that span from Cat 1 (narrowband) up to LTE Advanced (broadband). These solutions are ideal for many IoT and M2M use cases, including kiosks, ATMs, digital signage, remote monitoring, remote sensors and control systems, and Smart City infrastructure automation.
Cradlepoint's software-defined modem and dual-SIM technologies enable automatic selection of carrier-certified firmware and configuration settings on the fly, providing true zero-touch deployment capabilities and cellular network diversity. In the future, look to Cradlepoint to bring Gigabit LTE and 5G — with benefits of massive scale, low cost, and long battery life — to IoT networking.
Monitoring & Managing Distributed IoT From Anywhere
The ability to centrally monitor, manage, and troubleshoot distributed IoT enables lean IT teams to oversee the whole network without constantly traveling to each location or hiring third-party support. Cradlepoint’s NetCloud Manager provides a single pane of glass through which IT professionals can control their cellular and local device networks — accessing and acting upon advanced analytics.
Deploying Perimeter-Based IoT Security in Minutes
Amid constantly evolving IoT attacks — 2016’s Mirai botnet comes to mind — cybersecurity has become the No. 1 concern for enterprises preparing to implement IoT, according to Cradlepoint’s State of IoT 2018 report. Enterprises need huge amounts of data to be securely and directly connected to the cloud.
For policy-based, highly scalable security over any WAN source, enterprises use Cradlepoint’s NetCloud Perimeter service to spin up perimeter-secured overlay networks that are easily deployed via the cloud in just minutes. These invitation-only networks are invisible to the outside world and use microsegmentation to isolate IoT devices from other enterprise resources using virtual networks with their own private IP address space.
Improving Efficiency Through Edge Computing
With so much more IoT data than ever before, enterprises need flexibility in data storage and processing so they can minimize bandwidth consumption, latency, and costs. Whenever possible, computing needs to be done at the edge device itself instead of in the cloud.
Cradlepoint delivers the ability to run edge applications in NetCloud OS on IoT routers. Using NetCloud SDK and API tools, organizations build and deploy custom applications that support localized IoT data collection, parsing, and processing requirements.
The Future of IoT Networking
Cradlepoint’s Elastic EdgeTM vision provides a blueprint for next-generation Edge Networks that deliver pervasive broadband connectivity, cloud-like agility, and software extensibility — all while ensuring enterprise-class visibility, security, and control. All-inclusive NetCloud Solution Packages for IoT Networks, based on COR Series routers, are cloud-managed and deployable anywhere in days instead of months.
Explore NetCloud Solution Packages for IoT Networks
Learn more about Cradlepoint NetCloud Solution Packages for IoT Networks.