Cradlepoint & Celona for App Aware Private LTE Services

Due to the continued proliferation of connected devices and the requirement for always-available network access, enterprise administrators are struggling to deliver reliable wireless connectivity to where it's needed.

In situations where a business calls for the connectivity of widely dispersed surveillance cameras, mobile workstations or IoT infrastructure, physical cabling might end up being cost prohibitive and Wi-Fi might lack the necessary coverage and resiliency that’s demanded. Fortunately, there is now a new enterprise wireless connectivity option on the table with private LTE and 5G – even for the devices that do not support cellular wireless connectivity today.

A solution that leverages Celona's LTE and 5G architecture using the private spectrum options, such as the Citizens BroadbandRadio Service (CBRS) in the United States, and the flexibility of Cradlepoint routers that can seamlessly connect to both private and public carrier networks, opens the door to expand the reach of enterprise connectivity like never before.

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Celona translates cellular wireless to enterprise networks

Many of today’s enterprise technology projects are calling for users and devices to connect to the corporate infrastructure in locations that extend well beyond where the corporate LAN and WLAN currently exist. While it may be possible to run new copper or fiber cabling, in many cases, the cost of installing and maintaining new cabling is too steep. While Wi-Fi has the potential to reach slightly further, in many cases, it’s does not provide the interference- and congestion-free operation that new generation of critical applications demand. This is especially true for enterprise initiatives that involve automation, continuous monitoring and employee / public safety.

Celona’s solution has become that third connectivity option when attempting to extend the ability reach corporate resources beyond areas that were once considered impossible to achieve in a cost effective manner. The Celona solution includes all the ingredients an enterprise IT or OT team needs to get their own cellular wireless system up and running. This includes private SIM cards, indoor/outdoor enterprise ready access points, cellular wireless mobile core optimized for enterprise environments, and a cloud-native networking platform.

Cradlepoint seamlessly bridges the gap to go beyond the corporate LAN

Because private LTE and 5G networks are new to the enterprise, there will undoubtedly be situations where device endpoints such as surveillance cameras and IoT/IIoT sensors are not manufactured with built-in cellular wireless capabilities. This is where Cradlepoint comes into the picture. Cradlepoint's cellular routers let network administrators connect endpoints that only support wired Ethernet or Wi-Fi today. The Cradlepoint router then connects to the Celona network and acts as the onramp to translate critical application traffic to cellular wireless, and then on to the corporate LAN.

Since many, if not all, Cradlepoint routers natively support the necessary spectrum options, installation of the end to end solution becomes a breeze. Deployment is often as easy as installing a Celona SIM card, powering on the Cradlepoint router and walking through the router’s setup wizard. Note that zero-touch implementation options are also possible for a more streamlined implementation process at scale. Once complete, the Cradlepoint router connects to the Celona network – and the endpoint attached to the router functions as if it were connected to the LAN or WLAN via Ethernet or Wi-Fi.

A sample Celona network deployment scenario is provided below: mobile devices with native private cellular support and Cradlepoint routers that translate connectivity for other legacy devices are connected to the same Celona infrastructure. Each of the traffic flows supported by Cradlepoint routers are applied different Quality of Service (QoS) and Service Level Agreement (SLA) policies to ensure end to end quality of experience across the network - which is the topic of discussion for the next section.

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Protecting application quality from client to core

The joint solution between Cradlepoint and Celona isn’t only about wireless connectivity, however. It is possible to offer end to end differentiated services for critical applications via QoS management across the private mobile network, also enforcing previously defined SLAs in real-time.

Cradlepoint routers can be configured to assigned port, device group and application level QoS metrics to specific traffic flows asEthernet and Wi-Fi enabled devices connect. Celona’s MicroSlicing™ technology then translates Cradlepoint QoS assignments to different traffic classes on the LTE / 5G wireless link and the mobile core. Celona MicroSlicing allow administrators to identify mission-critical communications and apply strict service level agreement (SLA) policies that specify bandwidth, latency, packet error rate parameters around the relevant flows.

Celona MicroSlicing is unique in its ability to translateLTE/5G QoS Class Identifier (QCI) markings and QoS DSCP markings within a traditional enterprise LAN. The outcome is preferential treatment of critical and latency-sensitive applications at the Cradlepoint router and across the entire corporate network. In the video below, you can see the joint solution in action - powered by Celona MicroSlicing.

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Achieving the best of both public and private cellular worlds

There are situations where an enterprise not only requires a private mobile network powered by Celona – but also need to access to the nationwide LTE / 5G carrier networks for geographically dispersed digital projects that cover multiple cities or states. The beauty is that not only can Cradlepoint routers be deployed and tightly integrated with a Celona network, with the ability to support multiple SIM cards, the same Cradlepoint router can also be used to connect endpoints via a public carrier networks.

Thus, a combined Celona and Cradlepoint infrastructure serving as the foundation for extending the corporate LAN can also be used to extend the corporate WAN using modern cellular technologies and flexible hardware architectures.

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To see the integration between Cradlepoint and Celona in action, reach out to us for a custom demo. And, to keep in touch with the rest of our community of customers, ecosystem and technology partners, join us at the Frequency Community.