Case Study by Cradlepoint: Imcon Uses Cradlepoint’s Cloud-Managed Solution to Provide Information & Communication for Students, First Responders & More
IoT-Enabled Backpacks Spread Internet Access Everywhere with Multi-WAN Functionality
Imcon Uses Cradlepoint’s Cloud-Managed Solution to Provide Information & Communication for Students, First Responders & More.
Summary
Imcon International’s self-contained Internet Backpacks offer the mobility and flexibility to connect students, first responders, and many others in remote areas across the globe. To successfully manage their customers’ Internet access beyond the wired world, Imcon relies on edge networking solutions that are just as agile, reliable, and robust as their own proprietary services.
Imcon leverages Cradlepoint’s cloud-delivered mobile networking solutions— including cellular-enabled, multi-WAN routers, NetCloud Manager, and 24×7 support—in all of its Internet Backpacks. It’s the best, most cost-efficient way for them to help users keep the lines of communication and information open from just about anywhere on earth.
Company Profile
Imcon International, Inc., is a connectivity solutions provider that builds mobile platforms that connect team members and their devices in stressed environments and remote locations.
Imcon’s edgeware services and device solutions include the Internet Backpack, a remote connectivity solution that includes a wide range of IoT devices.
Company Needs
Imcon’s self-powered and self-contained Internet Backpacks come with a variety of technology tools, including:
- High-powered Lithium Ion battery
- 50-watt foldable solar panel that allows the battery to recharge when standard AC recharging is unavailable
- Off-grid communication devices
- Power adapters, AC adapters, USB cables, and international converters
- At least two smart devices such as a cell phone or tablet
- Small satellite connectivity device
To bring all of these pieces together, and to keep a variety of key apps always connected, Imcon needed an all-in-one edge routing solution that supports cellular- based broadband, satellite, WiFi, and GPS.
Perhaps most importantly, Imcon knew the global distribution of these Internet Backpacks required a robust network management system that would allow its IT team, or its customers’ in-house teams, to monitor and troubleshoot connectivity challenges remotely.
“We needed a solution that we could pull out of the box and would be straightforward, do exactly what we need it to do, and have a whole cloud management system behind it,” said J. Rob Loud, CEO, Imcon International.
Solution
After trying many wireless solutions to provide network access in its Internet Backpacks, Imcon determined that Cradlepoint’s NetCloud Solution Packages for Mobile Networks—which include mobile routers, NetCloud Manager, and 24×7 support—provide the multi-WAN functionality and ease of use they need to confidently send students, emergency specialists, and others out into the field with expectations of instant Internet access that always works.
“The core of our Internet Backpacks is Cradlepoint’s mobile routers and cloud management, which enable us to control everything in one solution. It allows us to build out a network from any source, and to provide WiFi for our end users.”
– J. Rob Loud, CEO, Imcon International
In Imcon’s expanded EMS backpack, Cradlepoint’s COR Extensibility Dock provides the dual-modem functionality necessary for wireless-to-wireless failover and SD-WAN features such as intelligent traffic steering.
“The ability to use two modems, each of which has two SIM slots, allows our customers to have access to as many cellular carriers as possible, which is extremely helpful during emergencies,” Loud said.
Benefits
FLEXIBLE MULTI-WAN CAPABILITIES FOR ALWAYS-ON CONNECTIVITY
Cradlepoint’s all-in-one edge routers enable a network architecture that prioritizes cellular broadband as the primary connection, WiFi-as-WAN as a secondary link, and satellite as the third WAN option—with automatic and instant failover between links.
“Constant connectivity allows us to ensure our customers can get the data and information they need at any time, whether it’s children accessing educational tools or first responders using technology to save lives.”
–J. Rob Loud, CEO, Imcon International
CLOUD MANAGEMENT FOR EASY REMOTE MONITORING & TROUBLESHOOTING
Neither Imcon nor its customers can afford to put IT personnel in the field with the Internet Backpacks. NetCloud Manager’s single-pane-of-glass platform provides extensive analytics and control features that make remote management easy.
“Cradlepoint solutions do what other solutions can’t do: provide the ability to remotely monitor and manage systems from the forests of Liberia to the heartland of Costa Rica or South America,” said Loud.
When something at the edge goes wrong, NetCloud Manager makes it possible for Imcon’s IT specialists to diagnose and fix the issue within a few minutes— without having to fly there or pay for a third-party truck roll.
“NetCloud Manager is a built-in and ready-made management solution that saved us about a year’s worth of back-end work by reducing development time and costs,” said Loud.
Tasks such as renaming an SSID, updating firmware, deploying security patches, and changing a password for an Access Point can be done with point-and-click ease.
“NetCloud Manager has a vast array of features, all of which can be used remotely, which helps us provide the most efficient use of data and improve the overall customer experience,” said Loud.
GPS FOR VISIBILITY INTO BACKPACK LOCATION & DATA USAGE PATTERNS
Cradlepoint’s mobile routers provide GPS data that can be viewed through NetCloud Manager. Thus, Imcon’s IT staff can easily track the location of Internet Backpacks all over the world.
“The GPS functionality of Cradlepoint’s routers allows both Imcon and our Internet Backpack customers to track the location of each backpack and the data usage patterns of each user,” Loud said.
24×7 SUPPORT FOR IMMEDIATE RESPONSE WHEN CHALLENGES ARISE
When a challenge regarding connectivity or Imcon’s edge solution arises, the company trusts Cradlepoint’s 24×7 support services, which include phone and online support, as well as Cradlepoint Connect, a collaborative community that includes how-to guides, best practices, and collaborative interaction with Cradlepoint experts and industry peers.
To learn more, go to: cradlepoint.com