Considerations for selecting in-vehicle network solutions

/in , , , , , , /by

In our increasingly mobile-first world, wireless access is also viewed as a vital component of everyday life. In fact, according to a 2016 wireless study by Deloitte, four out of five Americans consider wireless service indispensable. (Source: Deloitte). With the explosive growth of Cloud Applications, it has changed the way companies do business.  The Cloud can leverage real-time management and 3rd party applications pushing the need for In-Vehicle Networks. It’s no surprise that businesses and transportation providers are looking for smarter and more cost-effective ways to deliver secure wireless accesses to their customers, partners, and employees. In-vehicle or fleet vehicle Wi-Fi services can be used for several different applications, such as courtesy Wi-Fi services, processing credit card payments remotely, accessing databases securely from the road, powering in-vehicle command centers for safety and policing operations or to actively monitor vehicle locations via GPS.

Organizations relying on in-vehicle networks have special considerations when shopping providers and evaluating network solutions. These mobile networks need to be ruggedized and extremely reliable, even in remote areas and in challenging conditions. Powering the equipment is also a consideration, and it should be thoughtfully considered. When deploying mobile connectivity solutions, the organization should also consider these factors:  

  • Consider cloud options to fit the mobile-network model – For fleet vehicles, transit services, emergency response or mobile businesses; it’s imperative that wireless routers do not need to be physically linked to a corporate network or headquarters to receive updates, configuration, maintenance or troubleshooting.  Those vehicles need to be on the move to be working efficiently. A software-defined cloud-managed routing platform eliminates this burden because software/firmware updates and maintenance of wireless devices can be done remotely, and much more efficiently. Cloud security software and remote cloud management also help IT managers to customize content rules and traffic settings, blocking specific sites or traffic to keep the network secure.  Not only that, transit teams should ask providers if using a non-cellular WAN connection is an option as well. This is particularly important when video capture or surveillance is used in or around the vehicles because users can send large files quickly and securely to minimize vehicle downtime.
  • Look for multi-carrier network solutions to provide reliable broadband everywhere-  When wireless service is offered on a high-speed train or on a fleet vehicle that travels across vast distances, it’s extremely important that the wireless router can support carrier aggregation with LTE and SIM-based auto-carrier selection. Not only that, but the mobile router should also support carrier switching so that vehicles can stay connected during their route. When working with broadband providers, it’s also critical that they offer reliable coverage and multiple carriers options to ensure that regardless of where vehicles are traveling, they will be connected. The right combination of a wireless router that supports carrier aggregation and carrier switching, with multi-carrier 4G LTE broadband coverage will deliver the most secure and reliable network connectivity. Ultimately, this will help users keep mission-critical vehicles and solutions connected and moving.
  • Ensuring network reliability and security- Keeping data secure and accessible on the go can be a challenge for first responders, police officers or professional drivers. Traditionally a Virtual Private Network (VPNs) is used in these situations to give employees access to important data and applications that are housed at the corporate office, headquarters or data center, where ever they are working from.  However, a VPN can sometimes have a slow connection because it must reconnect every time the LTE signal temporarily drops. For that reason, teams should consider deploying a software-defined virtual overlay network instead of a VPN. This can function as a mobile LAN, and it will keep information and applications secure and users connected even when an LTE signal is temporarily interrupted during transit.

If your organization needs in-vehicle or mobile wireless connectivity that provides instant, reliable networks that can be managed and secured remotely, talk to us. Broad Sky Networks and advanced mobile router options from Cradlepoint can help. Email us sales@broadskynetworks.net or give us a call at (877) 291-9575.

Harness the power of 4G/LTE while eliminating risks with a cloud-based security architecture!

/in , , , , , , /by

The proliferation of mobile computing devices in the workplace opens up a significant opportunity for organizations and individuals to innovate and improve productivity in today’s ‘always-on’ connected world. On the flip side, ensuring ‘always on’ access to web resources can also open companies up to significant risk when it comes to keeping web resources, corporate data and networks secure. Companies need to find the right balance between providing unfettered access to those productivity-enhancing cloud-based apps employees need, and protecting corporate assets from the malicious content or suspicious activity.

To get there, companies should first consider that traditional, perimeter-based security appliances are flawed when used in today’s network environment. That’s basically because users (i.e., employees and partners) are no longer working from inside the perimeter of corporate headquarters, safely behind a firewall. You’re most productive employees who used to be hard at work down the hall are now, more than likely, working remotely from customer sites, airports or coffee shops. Also, today’s most prominent apps like Salesforce.com, Office 365, AWS, etc.− all reside offsite in the cloud and are accessed through an internet connection. This highly-mobile and decentralized corporate environment call for a new focus on fast, extremely reliable internet and a modern corporate security architecture. Today’s top companies are finding smarter ways to leverage cloud security options to help bridge this gap. Consider a cloud-based security architecture and the reliability of 4G/LTE internet to keep employees connected and to keep corporate networks secure regardless of where work is being done.

  • Airtight web and email security– Email spam messages account for almost 57% of the total email traffic worldwide today. Not only that in 2016, but the United States also accounted for most of the unsolicited spam e-mails with over 12% of global spam volume. (Source: Statista). That means you need an email and web content filtering solution that can scale and keep pace protecting the organization. The organization should also look for options that provide granular control of mail flow and prevent data loss over email. Look for in-line content filtering technology that inspects each outbound and inbound byte, even including SSL traffic. When evaluating content filtering solutions look for those that are hosted in the cloud. By eliminating the cost and complexity of traditional secure web gateway appliances, your company can scale protection to all mobile users or offices via internet connections and minimize hardware and appliance infrastructure investments. When filtering policies can be managed and administrated in the cloud for a centralized console, mobile assets and the on-the-go workforce will be protected.
  • Controlled connections– When it comes to mission-critical enterprise apps, losing an internet connection− even for one hour−can mean a drain on productivity. While costs vary by industry, a 2014 Gartner study tells us the cost of downtime is as much as $5600 per minute (Source: Gartner). It also helps explain why the wide area network (WAN) is so critical in the enterprise today and why companies require reliable wireless connections like 4G/LTE to be productive and efficient. Reliable failover options are key to client connectivity, but security regarding cloud options and content filtering must be of paramount concern. When evaluating enterprise-grade internet and security options, look for cloud-based solutions that let you control connections and prioritize business-critical traffic, like Office 365. With more control over connections, companies can ensure business critical apps are the top priority.
  • Ease of Deployment – The beauty of a cloud-based security architecture is that deployment is simplified. The systems can be configured in minutes, and they can filter domains for all internet connection requests immediately. Look for those that can intelligently route traffic to permissible internet sites while also blocking access to known malicious websites. Not only that with a cloud-managed security solution, but managers can even centrally manage corporate policies and set tolerance settings as needed, without hesitation because 4G/LTE connectivity is ideal for running mission-critical networks as well as a backup.
  • Device agnostic – When moving away from appliance-based security, be sure that cloud-based options are genuinely device agnostic and they function across multiple hardware and operating systems. It’s also essential that they can perform regardless of the type of network components used, user devices or operating systems selected. This kind of security solution will deliver the highest ROI over time, and it will provide peace of mind that users are protected wherever they are working from, as long as they are going through the cloud network.

If your business needs to harness the power of 4G/LTE connectivity but wants a more reliable and modern approach to enterprise security that includes antivirus, firewalls, sandboxes, URL filters, SSL inspection, it’s time to consider the benefits of adopting a cloud-based security architecture. If you’d like to learn more about how Broad Sky Networks and Zscaler can help, email Partners@Broadskynetworks.net or give us a call at (877) 291-9575.