Imagine a busy retail store during peak hours. Suddenly, the primary WAN connection fails. But the store has just the right 4G LTE router in place, which enables point-of-sale systems to switch to a cellular network, ensuring that sales and customer service continue without a hiccup.
Network issues are nothing new. But in this scenario, cellular failover kicks in when when disruptions happen, whether from configuration errors, incorrect DNS settings, damaged cables, network congestion, or for any other reason.
Yes, cellular failover can save the day.
But failover is just one leg of the connectivity stool. This post will explore why a backup plan is so important, especially for businesses using Ethernet to connect M2M devices – and how the right cellular IoT device (e.g., the max aware) can provide additional benefits like Wi-Fi functionality and multi-device connectivity.
A cellular failover strategy is good for business
Today, a reliable Internet connection is critical – whether it’s for a mom-and-pop business or a top enterprise. The more stable the connectivity, the better the revenue.
On the flip side, even short periods of downtime can drain operational resources. Depending on the industry, just an hour of downtime can cost large enterprises up to $400,000 in revenue, productivity, and repair efforts – not to mention soft costs arising from a damaged reputation. By protecting the connection, cellular failover also protects the bottom line.
A wireless failover solution can be cost effective in terms of setup since it works within the current network infrastructure. It’s also easy to scale since it can cover larger areas and allow businesses to connect remotely – a definite advantage for pop-up shops or businesses that operate remotely.
Not all networks can handle a spike in traffic or a large amount of unusual activity. If the system goes down due to high traffic, using cellular WAN as a backup can divert some of that traffic and preserve uptime for the entire ecosystem.
Then there’s the flexibility to troubleshoot issues remotely. Truck rolls are expensive. With a superior wireless IoT solution, enterprises can take advantage of Out-of-Band Management (OOBM) to run diagnostics and fix problems from anywhere.
