Benefits of a Cloud-Based Infrastructure Network
Benefits of a Cloud-Based Infrastructure Network
Remote assets have been connecting to a central location for control and monitoring by different means over the last century. These include leased line, PSTN, and most common of all, radio or RF communications.
These types of communication technologies face numerous challenges in the 21st century. These include high maintenance costs, operational reliability, reduced data security, and limited bandwidth that restricts the amount of information that can be obtained from the remote assets. These limitations affect the overall performance and efficiency of the system.
The solution? A highly reliable, simple, secure, and managed cloud-based infrastructure network.
It is highly likely that OT (Operational Technology) and IT (Information Technology) will be involved in deciding if a cloud-based infrastructure network is the right remote connectivity network solution for your system. Therefore, the solution has to be OT-easy and IT-secure.
Some of the OT factors to consider are:
- Simplicity – Is the service easy to install and maintain?
- Reliability – What is the service-level guarantee from the service provider? What internal resources are required to maintain the service?
- Affordability – What is the initial cost? What are the ongoing costs? What is the total cost of operation over a five-year period?
- Usability – is this service easy to use? Is it scalable?
Some of the IT factors to consider are:
- Security – Does the service deploy defense-in-depth (multiple-level) security measures?
- Reliability – How is the cloud-based network deployed? Is it redundant?
- Diagnostics – How easy is it to diagnose issues?
The advantages of a cloud-based infrastructure network are many.
- Security – A cloud-based infrastructure network is significantly more secure with features like 256-bit AES encryption, advanced two-factor authentication, and secure tunneling protocol.
- Simplicity – imagine not having to rely on line of sight or interference before putting up a new site or having to worry about existing sites. Imagine not having to worry about towers to ensure the signal will get to the master location or lightning strikes taking out the system.
- Bandwidth – Bring back more than just the status information. Additional data can provide a more thorough insight into remote asset operations, and provide data for predictive maintenance. This will help with increasing site efficiency and reducing costs.
- Managed network – Cloud-based infrastructure networks are managed services that allow you to focus on what is most important – ensuring reliable service to your customers.
- Reliability – With integrated redundancy, advanced diagnostics, and service-level guarantees, a cloud-based infrastructure network is extremely reliable.
Reliable remote control and monitoring is important in today’s always-connected world. Traditional 20th century types of remote communications, in many cases, are not viable options. A cloud-based infrastructure network is reliable, secure, high-speed, and managed, which allows you to focus on what is most important – providing efficient and reliable service to your customers.
How will you benefit from a cloud-based infrastructure network?