Tag: cloud

Transforming Networks with Digi Remote Manager

In the ever-evolving landscape of network management, Digi Remote Manager (Digi RM) stands out as a transformative technology platform that takes networks to the next level, enabling smarter operations for both networks and the individuals tasked with managing them. By seamlessly bringing together a myriad of dispersed Internet of Things (IoT) devices, Digi RM evolves them into a dynamic, intelligent network. 

Features of Digi Remote Manager

1. Effortless Device Management

Digi RM simplifies the configuration, deployment, monitoring, and management of hundreds or even thousands of mission-critical devices from a single point of command. The platform’s exclusive drag-and-drop grouping technology facilitates the auto-assimilation, updating, and deployment of devices with ease.

2. Insightful Dashboard and Reporting

The flexible Digi RM dashboard allows users to customize and position crucial information as needed. Pre-built reports with critical device health metrics can be tailored to include specific data, and alerts can be configured for specified conditions. This allows for a deeper understanding of network performance and facilitates informed decision-making.

3. Security and Compliance

Digi RM ensures an always-on, always-secure network with software-defined protection. It automatically scans and fixes any out-of-compliance device configurations in the group, maintaining the integrity of the network and alerting administrators if key settings deviate.

4. Cloud Integration

Digi RM provides pre-configured APIs that streamline the access, connection, and analysis of data collected from devices. Cloud connectors enable seamless integration with third-party analytics and visualization dashboard applications. For custom integrations, the platform offers a rich web service API.

5. Digi Containers

Digi Containers, an add-on service to Digi Remote Manager, simplifies the deployment of custom applications via containers. These containers streamline the process of building, deploying, and running custom applications on devices managed with Digi RM. Lightweight Linux Containers (LXC) tools enable developers to package custom applications, complete with dependencies, into a portable bundle.

6. WAN Bonding

Digi WAN Bonding combines multiple connections into a resilient connectivity solution, ensuring optimal performance and maximum uptime globally. Features such as Digi SureLink®, policy-based routing, and interface bonding prevent external network failures from causing downtime, providing a robust and reliable network connection.

7. Mobile VPN

Digi Mobile VPN offers a secure connection between data centers and Digi routers, including connected edge devices. Orchestrated through Digi Remote Manager, this service provides persistent, secure connectivity—a crucial feature for applications in public sectors, emergency response, and mass transit.

8. Digi Remote Manager Mobile App

The Digi RM mobile app enhances user convenience by enabling device registration via QR codes. The Configuration Manager feature allows for the automatic application of custom configurations. Users can monitor the overall health of their network and individual device statuses through the app.

5Gstore’s Utilization of Digi Remote Manager

5Gstore harnesses the power of Digi Remote Manager across various aspects of network management.

  • Configuration Management
    • 5Gstore utilizes Digi RM’s Configuration Manager for both individual devices and bulk configurations, streamlining the process of setting up and managing devices across the network.
  • Firmware Management
    • Digi RM facilitates firmware management for 5Gstore, allowing them to update firmware on individual devices or in bulk, ensuring that all devices are running the latest and most secure versions.
  • Monitoring Data Usage
    • Leveraging Digi IntelliFlow, a key feature of Digi Remote Manager, 5Gstore actively monitors data usage via alarms and network traffic visualization tools. This provides actionable insights into the network’s application data, focusing on the top 10 users or destinations.
  • WAN Bonding for Network Redundancy
    • 5Gstore employs Digi WAN Bonding to achieve resilient connectivity and maximum performance across multiple connections. This ensures that our employees’ networks remain robust and operational even in the face of connection failures.

In conclusion, Digi Remote Manager serves as a cornerstone in modern network management, empowering organizations like 5Gstore to achieve efficiency, security, and resilience in their networks. As technology continues to advance, Digi RM remains at the forefront, providing a comprehensive solution for managing the complexities of IoT devices and ensuring the seamless operation of intelligent networks.

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SASE: Revolutionizing Network Security for the Modern Era

The digital landscape is rapidly changing. The traditional approach to network security is facing new challenges because of this. With the proliferation of cloud services, mobile devices, and the Internet of Things (IoT), enterprises are grappling with the complexities of securing their networks while ensuring seamless connectivity and performance. This is where SASE comes in, but what exactly is this? How does SASE work and why is it important? 

What is SASE?

SASE (pronounced “sass-E”), which stands for Secure Access Service Edge, is an architectural framework that combines network security and wide-area networking (WAN) capabilities into a single, cloud-native solution. This concept was coined by Gartner in 2019 to address the evolving needs of modern digital enterprises. SASE integrates the functions of secure web gateways (SWG), secure sockets layer (SSL) inspection, firewall as a service (FWaaS), cloud access security broker (CASB), and software-defined WAN (SD-WAN) under one umbrella.

At its core, SASE aims to provide secure and optimized access to applications, data, and services regardless of the user’s location, device, or network. It is an identity-driven approach to network security that follows users and devices rather than forcing them to access traditional data centers.

How Does SASE Work? 

Let’s take a closer look at SASE in more simple terms. Imagine you and your friends are planning a big trip to a theme park. You need to get there from your homes, and you also need to have fun once you arrive. In this scenario, think of your journey to the theme park as data traveling from different devices (like phones or computers) to a central server, and having fun at the theme park as accessing different services or resources on the internet.

In the traditional way, when you access the internet or online services, your data takes a long journey, just like having to drive a long distance to the theme park. It goes from your device to your home’s internet router, then through various networks (like your internet provider, other service providers, and the website’s server) before reaching the final destination.

Now, imagine if you had a magical shortcut that instantly teleports you and your friends directly inside the theme park, without going through all the traffic and stops. That’s what SASE does for your data. Instead of following the traditional long route, it takes a super-fast and secure shortcut, so your data can reach its destination (the internet or specific services) quicker and safer.

Key Components of SASE

  • Cloud-Native Architecture: SASE operates as a cloud-native service, taking advantage of the scalability, flexibility, and global reach of cloud infrastructure. This allows for rapid deployment, easy updates, and efficient management.
  • Security as a Service: SASE combines multiple security services, such as secure web gateways, firewalls, and threat detection, into a unified, cloud-delivered model. This approach ensures that all network traffic is inspected and secured, regardless of the user’s location.
  • Software-Defined Networking: SD-WAN is a critical component of SASE, enabling intelligent routing and dynamic traffic management across the network. This ensures that data takes the most efficient and secure path to its destination.
  • Zero Trust Model: SASE adopts the zero-trust security model, assuming that no user or device should be inherently trusted. Instead, every user and device must continuously verify their identity and comply with security policies before accessing resources.
  • Identity-Centric Security: User identity becomes a central element of SASE’s security framework. It allows for granular access controls, based on user context and behavior, ensuring that access is granted only to authorized individuals and devices.

Benefits of SASE

  • Enhanced Security: By consolidating various security functions into a single cloud-delivered service, SASE minimizes security gaps and provides consistent protection across the entire network.
  • Improved Performance: SASE’s intelligent routing capabilities and SD-WAN technology optimize network traffic, leading to improved application performance and reduced latency.
  • Simplified Management: With a cloud-native architecture, organizations can easily deploy and manage SASE, streamlining administrative tasks and reducing operational complexity.
  • Scalability and Flexibility: SASE’s cloud-based nature allows for effortless scaling to accommodate the changing needs of an organization, whether it’s expanding globally or handling varying workloads.
  • Cost-Effective: By eliminating the need for on-premises security hardware and appliances, SASE can potentially reduce infrastructure costs, making it an attractive option for organizations of all sizes.

Challenges and Considerations

While SASE offers numerous benefits, there are some challenges and considerations to be aware of. Firstly, SASE relies heavily on consistent and secure internet connectivity. Organizations must prioritize establishing and maintaining reliable connections to ensure uninterrupted service delivery. Additionally, integrating SASE with existing legacy systems or reshaping current security strategies to align with the zero-trust model can present significant hurdles in terms of both technical implementation and organizational adaptation. With the increasing routing of data through cloud services, organizations must meticulously address concerns surrounding data privacy, compliance with regulations, and adherence to data residency requirements in different regions. 

Another pivotal aspect involves vendor selection; making the right choice among SASE vendors is of paramount importance. Organizations must thoroughly assess potential vendors based on their security capabilities, global presence, and their capacity to effectively fulfill specific and unique business prerequisites. In navigating these challenges and considerations, organizations can harness the true potential of SASE while proactively managing its complexities.

Last Thoughts

SASE represents a paradigm shift in network security and connectivity, offering a comprehensive, cloud-native solution to meet the demands of the modern digital era. As enterprises continue to embrace cloud services and distributed workforces, SASE can provide the necessary tools to secure and optimize access to applications and data, thereby enabling organizations to thrive in an increasingly interconnected world. However, successful implementation requires careful planning, vendor selection, and an in-depth understanding of an organization’s specific needs and goals.

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What Cradlepoint NetCloud License Do I Need?

There are so many different models of Cradlepoint routers available. There’s even more model numbers for their NetCloud Manager licenses. If you’re like most, you might be confused about which one you need when your device is unlicensed.  

In effort to help with this, we’ve outlined the categories of routers and which models fall under which category. The license model number is also listed for your reference.

  • Branch 5G Adapters (BE**-NCESS)
    • W4005
    • W2005
    • W1850
  • Branch Adapters (BB*-NCESS)
    • L950
    • CBA550
    • CBA850
  • Branch Performance Routers (BD*-NCESS)
    • E3000
    • CR4250
  • Branch Routers (BA*-NCESS)
    • AER1600/ 1650
    • AER2100
    • AER2200
  • Enterprise Branch Routers (BF**-NCESS)
    • E300
  • IoT Routers (TB*-NCESS)
    • IBR900
    • IBR200
    • IBR600C
  • Mobile Performance Routers (MB**-NCESS)
    • R1900
  • Mobile Routers (MA*-NCESS)
    • IBR1100
    • IBR1700
  • Pre-2018 IoT Routers (TA*-NCESS)
    • IBR600
    • IBR600B

*Refers to 1, 3, or 5 year licenses

If you still aren’t sure what you need, please reach out to the 5Gstore team via chat, phone or email.

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How Can Peplink SpeedFusion Connect VPN Help Me?

As Peplink experts, 5Gstore receives questions everyday about SpeedFusion. What is it? How does it work? How can it help my business? We’ve put this information all in one place to answer some of the most commonly asked questions about this exciting technology. Do you need to know more or want to discuss if a SpeedFusion deployment is right for you? Contact the experts at 5Gstore and we’ll come up with a solution for your business’s unique needs.

What is SpeedFusion?

SpeedFusion is Peplink’s patented technology that powers enterprise grade VPNs. By tapping into the bandwidth of any WAN link – cable, DSL, cellular, etc – SpeedFusion turns your multiple connections into a single bonded connection.

What can SpeedFusion be used for?

SpeedFusion has three technologies designed to address specific problems.

SpeedFusion Hot Failover

In the event of a WAN disconnection, Hot failover will transfer your traffic to another connection while maintaining session persistence. For example, if a WAN connection breaks during a video conference, the video conference can still continue without having to hang up or call again.

5Gstore utilizes SpeedFusion Hot Failover in our day to day operations at our warehouse. Our primary internet connection is a wired Comcast connection, and we use Verizon LTE as our backup connection. We’ve created a SpeedFusion Hot Failover connection and run all of our traffic through that connection. All of our data flows over the wired connection first so we don’t use any unnecessary cellular data, but the instant that the wired connection fails, Hot Failover seamlessly switches all of our traffic to the LTE connection.

A traditional failover or load balancing router would lose all of the network traffic on the internet connection that fails dropping calls with our customers, interfering with our ability to ship products, and preventing us from running our business. Thanks to SpeedFusion Hot Failover, if an internet connection fails, no customer or employee is even aware there was an outage. 5Gstore holds quarterly ‘fire drills’ where we’ll purposely disconnect our primary connection to ensure our systems all function in the event of a real outage.

SpeedFusion WAN Smoothing

WAN Smoothing utilizes intelligent algorithms to fill in connectivity gaps, trading bandwidth for greater connection resiliency. WAN Smoothing minimizes latency and reduces the impact of packet loss. This is useful for times when you need connection reliability and responsiveness more than speed.

WAN Smoothing uses two or more internet connections simultaneously for the purpose of increasing reliability and consistency of a connection. If you can’t afford dropped packets or need minimal latency for applications such as live streaming audio/video, WAN Smoothing makes that possible.

SpeedFusion Bandwidth Bonding

Bandwidth bonding combines data at the packet level, enabling you to combine the speed of more than 18 connections (dependent upon which router model you’re using). This is useful for situations where bandwidth is scarce, such as at a remote site or in a moving vehicle. This technology also enables branch offices to connect to the head office at greater connection speeds.

If you are opening a branch office in a location where internet connectivity is slow or unreliable, Bandwidth Bonding can save the day. By bonding the speeds of multiple DSL lines, offices can experience increased reliability by utilizing multiple connections at once, and aggregate the bandwidth of multiple connections into one faster pipe.

What makes SpeedFusion different from Load Balancing?

Load balancing allows a single router to have multiple active internet connections, however load balancing has its limitations. First, load balancing doesn’t allow a single user to take advantage of the speeds of multiple connections. If you have three 10Mbps DSL lines, all a single user would ever see is 10Mbps. If the internet connection that user is being balanced to drops, that user would lose connectivity completely while the router fails them over to another available connection. VoIP phones would be disconnected, web sessions would sign out, and any downloads in progress would be dropped. Load balancing provides more bandwidth across an entire network, but does NOT combine the speeds of multiple connections or allow for session persistent unbreakable internet connectivity. Only SpeedFusion can provide this!

For some users session persistence is not required and failover between multiple links of a load balancing router is enough. Peplink provides 7 incredibly powerful load balancing algorithms and customizable rules that put you in complete control of network data priorities. Just set your traffic priorities, including VoIP and custom application traffic with a few clicks and let Peplink take care of the load-balancing and optimization details. Peplink load balancing routers support PepVPN instead of SpeedFusion. PepVPN allows a simple VPN connection to other Peplink routers, although without the benefits of SpeedFusion. Branch offices that don’t require SpeedFusion performance can still connect up to a SpeedFusion capable router at the headquarters and still participate in the larger mesh network for remote connectivity.

What is required to create SpeedFusion Connections?

In order to create a SpeedFusion connection you’ll need a minimum of two pieces of Peplink technology with SpeedFusion capabilities. This typically consists of a primary unit, installed at a headquarters or data center location with access to a high speed internet connection, and a second unit that is mobile (in the case of cellular bonding) or installed at a remote or branch office. A SpeedFusion VPN tunnel is created between the two locations, and using the powerful outbound policy settings on the Peplink router, all or specific traffic is routed over the bonded connection.

Let’s use the diagram above to show how SpeedFusion can make VoIP calls unbreakable for a business. The headquarters location has a Balance 710 router installed. Each branch office for the business located across the country gets a Balance router with SpeedFusion capability, spec’d based on the office size and throughput requirements. The remote office routers are easily set up to route all VoIP traffic over the SpeedFusion connection to the main headquarters router. Because each remote office has at least two internet connections, if one connection were to fail, VoIP traffic would seamlessly continue on the second internet connection uninterrupted!

This sounds great, but is SpeedFusion easy to set up?

Yes! SpeedFusion setup takes minutes, compared to the time and effort it takes to configure a typical VPN between multiple sites. Just check out our setup videos here. The Peplink user interface is graphical with easy to understand options. Helpful icons provide more information where it is needed without making deployment a burden.

SpeedFusion deployments are even easier when leveraging InControl 2, Peplink’s cloud based management tool. InControl 2 can automate SpeedFusion deployments for hundreds of sites simultaneously in just a few minutes meaning you don’t have to configure each router individually! InControl 2 is free for the first year with every Peplink router, included with the extended warranty, or a low yearly cost per device.

SpeedFusion and InControl 2 are part of a larger concept called SD-WAN (Software-Defined Wide Area Network), a revolutionary way to approach the simplification of branch office networking and assure optimal application performance by using centrally controlled and managed WAN virtualization. SD-WAN is WAN virtualization, which allows for intelligent, secure, and centrally managed and monitored connectivity. Read more about SD-WAN here.

VPN Feature Comparison

What if I want to take advantage of SpeedFusion but don’t have a second location for a second router?

Simply Bonding

5Gstore has created SimplyBonding for exactly those situations. SimplyBonding uses Speedfusion technology to bond multiple 3G, 4G, DSL, or cable connections into one fast/reliable/unbreakable connection. Utilizing Speedfusion typically requires a Peplink router on both ends of the connection – one at the location where you need the bonded connection, and another at another location with a high-speed internet connection to bond the connections and send the data back to the primary location via VPN. SimplyBonding eliminates the need for this dual-router setup. SimplyBonding requires just ONE router, which will be configured to connect to our hosted service – WE handle the bonding and VPN for you!

SpeedFusion Connect – SpeedFusion Cloud

SpeedFusion Cloud is Peplink’s infrastructure that provides access to a global network of SpeedFusion endpoints and technology without requiring additional hardware. Leverage the global reach of public clouds to ensure that you get the fastest response time and the most reliable connection. Enjoy Bandwidth Bonding, WAN Smoothing, and unbreakable connectivity from any compatible router. There’s no need to invest in core hardware, setting up, or even maintenance. 

FusionHub

Peplink’s FusionHub virtual appliance is much like a virtual router. It is used as an alternative to running SpeedFusion on router hardware. It’s also an alternative to Peplink’s SpeedFusion Cloud service. It’s important to note that unlike a hardware only SpeedFusion connection, a public IP address is not needed. This is because a public IP address can be supplied from the cloud service running the FusionHub appliance. Of the supported cloud services, Amazon Web Services seems to be the most popular, but Peplink supports multiple services.

SpeedFusion Considerations

SpeedFusion Bonding does have limitations that are important to understand before considering a deployment. First, you must have enough bandwidth at the headquarters site, to support the total bandwidth of the remote site(s).

Consider The Speeds On Both Sides of Your SpeedFusion Connection

Example: You have a headquarters location with 50Mbps download, and 10Mbps upload speed. Your remote site has three 10/5 connections. 5 + 5 + 5 = 15 Mbps – 19% = 12.15 Mbps maximum upload speed. The headquarters only has 10 Mbps of upload speed available, so that is your upload capacity for the remote site if you are sending traffic to the internet. You still have the benefits of bonding for reliability, session persistence, and speed, you just can’t use the full capacity of the remote site links due to the bottleneck on the headquarters router connection.

Cellular users should note that bonded cellular connections suffer from “flow control” of TCP traffic at the carrier level, and 5Gstore cannot guarantee that bonding multiple cellular connections will result in faster speeds (however, the other benefits of SpeedFusion bonding remain, such as unbreakable VPN, session persistence, and 100% uptime as long as you have 1 healthy WAN). Cellular users must also consider tower capacity if bonding multiple connections from a single carrier. For the best results, we recommend bonding no more than two of the same carrier’s connections together, favoring bonding multiple networks together instead to ensure the highest availability of bandwidth.

What if I need support or have more questions?

5Gstore provides one year of technical support by phone on every purchase. We also have an extensive online support portal which includes manufacturer user manuals and documentation, along with 5Gstore created tip-sheets that go over specific features and troubleshooting. We have multiple Peplink Certified Engineers on staff who can help you with every step of your SpeedFusion solution from concept to deployment, and assist with any questions you may have before and after the sale. Contact 5Gstore for more information – give us a call, send an email, or reach out on our chat!

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What Are AT&T and its Partners Doing to Improve 5G Networking

As 5G coverage and usage continues to grow, AT&T is focusing on partnering with some companies like Rakuten Symphony, Nokia, and IBM to help address the ever changing needs of service providers and the way in which different industries operate. 

Rakuten Symphony, a comms platform provider, has something called Rakuten Symworld. This platform is designed to offer one-touch access to a suite of next-gen network software apps, which can update and automate any mobile network.  Industrialized automation and data-driven solutions are available for planning, designing, deploying, operating, securing and maintaining new and existing networks – all at the speed and scale of the cloud. 

Together, they will utilize experience and expertise from technologies currently being used by AT&T in the US and Rakuten Mobile in Japan. Efforts will be focussed on accelerating network planning and deployment in greenfield and brownfield environments. They eventually plan to develop new capabilities and offer additional solutions to mobile network operators across the globe to simplify, digitize and automate their mobile network deployments.

AT&T’s deal with Rakuten comes just days after it was announced they had entered into a partnership with Microsoft. A world with smarter, simpler private 5G networks with more flexibility for businesses is their focus.

In another major partnership, AT&T extends its relationship with IBM to help enterprise users navigate the transitioning of their industry along with new technologies. The partnership has lasted more than 20 years at this point and they’ve done quite a bit together in that time. At this time however, the two companies plan on showing the digital transformation potential of 5G wireless networking and edge computing. 

Edge computing has proven to be capable of enabling faster, improved data analysis, along with creating an opportunity for deeper insights, faster response times and enhanced customer experience.  

“Together, AT&T and IBM have created simulated environments for enterprise clients to physically experience the power of AT&T’s connectivity with hybrid cloud and AI technology from IBM. Businesses across all industries—including the public sector, manufacturing, and financial services — can tap into this collaboration to quickly and securely innovate and tackle challenges gripping several industries today – from supply chain disruptions to cyber threats and ransomware to demand for frictionless services in the world of 5G,” said the AT&T announcement.

AT&T noticed there was demand from new users requiring greater uplink performance from 5G networks, which led them to a partnership with Nokia’s Bell Labs. They have been working to develop distributed massive multiple input, multiple output (DmMIMO) technology. This can significantly increase uplink capacity and speeds in 5G networks without requiring an overly complex solution.

Per the announcement from Nokia, “DmMIMO allows devices to leverage signal propagation to multiple cells or antenna panels in a network when establishing a link, thereby turning noise into a useful signal and increasing the uplink throughput. The data transmission is pieced together from multiple antenna panels and cell sites through distributed baseband processing. The processing load between the cell site radio units and the central processing unit is split in a novel way, reducing the fronthaul capacity to cell sites and hence lowering the cost.”

Testing the proof-of-concept technology is being done by Nokia in AT&T’s labs. The simulations were shown to have “demonstrated increases in 5G uplink capacity between 60% and 90% compared to similarly configured systems with a single panel.” Together, the partners have also determined that while other techniques come at the expense of downlink capacity, DmMIMO produces sizable increases in uplink capacity without sacrificing performance.

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What Impacts Does 5G Have on Data Storage

5G holds a lot of promise, some of which we’ve already seen in new technology and services.  It’s expected to have a big impact on enterprise IT, which includes storage. Just think about how much we as personal users rely on data storage, then imagine that multiplied by ten and it’s likely what most enterprises deal with in the same time frame.  

Almost any business process where there are sensors and data collection, or where data will be delivered to endpoints, will likely be enabled by 5G at some point. Together with artificial intelligence/machine learning (AI/ML), 5G can allow enterprises to gain insight and value from all this data.

Put simply, the impact on storage is that there will be more of it, to handle much increased (largely unstructured) data volumes, with bulk storage scattered in new network locations at the edge. Meanwhile, security and durability needs will increase in these locations, and performance requirements will dictate use of flash and NVMe.

What is 5G? 

This is defined as the fifth generation mobile network. It is a network that runs on several new frequencies, as well as old, and means that our bandwidth speeds and latency should be well improved (at least in some cases).  

5G mainly operates across the following frequency bands:

Low-band 5G operates between 600-850 MHz. This is similar to what 4G networks currently use and is only moderately faster than 4G, between 50-250 Mbps offering similar coverage areas for each cell tower. 

Mid-band 5G operates in the 2.5-3.7 GHz range and delivers speeds between 100-900 Mbps. While offering less range per cell tower, this type of 5G is going to be the most common implementation of 5G networks for many years to come. 

High-band 5G is the band that is most commonly associated with 5G. Operating at 25-39 GHz, this is known as the “millimeter wave” spectrum and delivers gigabit speeds (some tests have shown as high as 3 Gbps). The tradeoff is that millimeter wave transmitters have very limited range and require the deployment of many small transmitters, so it’s only viable in urban areas where transmitters can be near closely spaced homes and buildings.

While the full capability of 5G won’t be achieved for a while (full maturity has been estimated to be three or four years away), 5G is suggested to be the first mobile technology that’s truly suited to use in enterprise applications.

At the same time, the changes needed bring implications for hardware infrastructure, including storage. This is mainly because 5G’s millimeter wave delivery mechanism demands a much higher density of hardware infrastructure in terms of base stations, but also in local processing and storage capacity.

5G for Enterprises

5G can potentially make dramatic changes as a transport for enterprise applications. That could include internet of things-driven deployments in vehicles and retail systems, advances in manufacturing and distribution, and consumer-facing delivery of content.

It is true that 5G can provide significantly faster cellular bandwidth rates. This could just mean new bottlenecks in un-deployed parts of the topology, because the increased volumes of data will not suddenly flow from core to edge, unimpeded by network economics.

All of which means the private enterprise and public sector deployment of 5G will likely be very significant – and with its own characteristics – in terms of total data volumes and in its impacts on the architecture of that delivery. 

5G WAN architecture

There’s quite a bit available on 5G and how it works. When talking about the impacts of data storage, we want to address the variations of 5G-enabled wide-area networking architecture. They are likely to include:

Endpoints: These could be consumer-facing or with the enterprise, including industrial, vehicle, retail, personal, receiving and collecting and transmitting data. Endpoint storage capacities, as well as performance, will increase.

Cell-site and street locations: Some local processing and storage will be needed to maximize throughput and minimize latency. At these locations, data would be retained either as part of the delivery process or collection, governed by the fact that a direct route between core and edge may not always be desirable from an economics or performance perspective. These could be sites from which local content is delivered, which could mean sizable files being delivered to consumers. 

Campus or “edge cloud”: In private 5G networks, there are likely to be campus- or location-level sites where data needs to be staged. This means data staging, up and down, but perhaps the environmental concerns are lower. This is more like a local cloud data center.

Cloud, the core of the network: This is of course, the most economical place to store and process data. The cloud core will be pretty much the same, but there will be an increase in storage capacity, of the required performance and for unstructured data, to service downstream demand and upstream data collection.

5G Storage

To sum up, storage for 5G will include:

  • Increased capacity, at the core and edge.
  • High-performance for streaming and analytics.
  • Ability to handle unstructured data.
  • Storage and processing in new locations, such as street cell-sites.
  • The “edge cloud” as a new location for storage and processing.
  • Possible form factor changes; environmental durability and security needed. 
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