Establishing a seamless connection between cloud management and SIM management portals is pivotal for IT teams managing multiple SIMs across a Wireless WAN. In the conventional approach, IT professionals grapple with the complexity of juggling two distinct platforms: the cloud management system, which offers remote control over the network and security, and the Connectivity Management Platform (CMP), designed for monitoring, analyzing, and modifying cellular deployments.
The challenge arises due to the lack of intrinsic communication between CMPs and cloud management services. CMPs lack the ability to identify the precise location of SIMs, such as routers, clients, or applications, while cloud management systems lack visibility into SIM data plans. Consequently, when an issue with a specific SIM arises, IT teams find themselves entangled in a manual process that involves several steps: first obtaining the International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) associated with the problematic SIM from the CMP, then inputting it into the cloud management service for troubleshooting, and finally reverting back to the CMP to resolve the issue.
This manual toggling between the CMP and cloud management service becomes exponentially challenging when dealing with a considerable number of SIMs within an enterprise network. The inefficiency of this process becomes apparent as IT teams grapple with larger-scale WAN deployments, significantly hampering their productivity and efficiency.
The ultimate solution lies in the integration of CMPs and cloud management systems into a unified, all-in-one SIM management platform. This integrated approach simplifies deployments, allowing IT teams to activate SIMs through the cloud management system, confirming their status, and ensuring the correct data plan usage. Moreover, it enhances visibility, enabling detailed tracking of cellular data usage—answering the who, what, when, where, why, and how of data consumption—across the enterprise edge.
One notable example of this integrated approach is Cradlepoint’s SIM Management feature, developed in collaboration with Simetric, a SIM management aggregator of carriers. By establishing clear communication over a single platform, Cradlepoint’s solution empowers IT teams to view SIM data plans without the need for manual navigation between disparate systems. This innovative platform not only simplifies SIM management but also provides IT professionals with the ability to deactivate and suspend lost, stolen, misplaced, and unused SIMs, all from a centralized location.
In addition to these core functionalities, Cradlepoint’s SIM Management feature offers the capability to activate SIMs in wireless edge routers during deployment. This streamlined activation process ensures that the correct data plan is utilized, further enhancing efficiency and accuracy in SIM management.
Furthermore, the platform provides comprehensive data usage insights, presented through user-friendly dashboards. IT teams can remotely identify and understand potential problems related to connectivity and data usage, allowing for proactive troubleshooting and issue resolution.
In essence, Cradlepoint’s integrated SIM Management feature not only simplifies the complexities of managing multiple SIMs but also empowers IT teams with detailed insights and streamlined control, ensuring seamless operations in the ever-evolving landscape of Wireless WAN deployments.