The IT Nerd

Cradlepoint, the global leader in cloud-delivered LTE and 5G wireless network edge solutions, today announced its phased rollout strategy for the industry’s first 5G-optimized Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) solution designed for the enterprise and purpose-built for Wireless Wide Area Network (WAN) deployments. With unique cellular capabilities and the simplicity of Cradlepoint’s cloud-based management platform, NetCloud Manager, Cradlepoint 5G SASE features zero trust, cellular intelligence along with cloud and SIM-based security to address the challenges and threats faced by today’s extended enterprise.

As enterprises evolve beyond fixed sites to include mobile and IoT, they are looking to the flexibility and agility of Wireless WAN and 5G. These geographically dispersed networks, combined with the proliferation of connected devices and ill-fitting network security solutions, can significantly increase security vulnerability. With IoT device deployments projected to reach 30 billion by 2027, and the perennial IT talent shortage, the seamless integration of 5G-centric SASE solutions to manage Wireless WAN infrastructure is critical.

As an industry leader in Wireless WANs and with the recent acquisition of Ericom, Cradlepoint is uniquely positioned to deliver a comprehensive 5G-optimized SASE solution that enables organizations to seamlessly match the security challenges of extended networks. Cradlepoint 5G SASE will be delivered in phases over the next 12 months:

• Cradlepoint Cellular Intelligence: Available today, cellular telemetries, such as signal strength and data plan usage, can be leveraged for SD-WAN traffic steering. As 5G StandAlone (SA) networks become mainstream, Cradlepoint’s network slicing capabilities will work with carriers’ services to offer prioritization and slice-based isolation.
  
• SIM-based Security: Cradlepoint offers SIM management and GPS tracking to secure the physical devices and to detect rogue movement. Cradlepoint’s vision for the future is to work with carriers for tighter SIM-based security using SIMs as the basis for authentication, regardless of the connecting hardware. 
  
• Connect-and-Go Zero Trust Security: Creating WANs in just a few clicks, 5G SASE replaces complex VPNs. Zero trust shrinks the lateral attack surface—devices connected to a Cradlepoint router are immediately dark to the outside world and other sites. Soon, this capability will be delivered from the cloud, offering an easier deployment option.
  
• Cloud-Delivered Security: Ericom’s full suite of SSE solutions, including SWG, CASB, RBI and DLP, protects users browsing in fixed and mobile environments from threats such as phishing and ransomware. Cradlepoint will integrate these capabilities with existing zero trust and SD-WAN solutions into Cradlepoint NetCloud for a single pane of glass user experience for IT teams.

Cradlepoint’s security portfolio is augmented by leading industry security solutions through Cradlepoint Technical Alliance Partners.

To learn more about Cradlepoint security capabilities, please visit their Security Solutions page.

Cradlepoint, the global leader in cloud-delivered LTE and 5G wireless network edge solutions, today announced the launch of the S700, a multipurpose IoT router designed to provide a rich zero trust security service to enterprise customers. Coupled with Cradlepoint NetCloud Exchange Secure Connect, the S700 provides a comprehensive cloud-managed network solution to safeguard IoT devices as today’s attack surface expands and adversaries increasingly target connected devices.  

There are an estimated 41.76 billion IoT devices that exist globally in 2023. With shipments of these devices expected to grow at 18 per cent annually, IoT solutions are driving device sprawl despite not being equipped to use modern security methods. As today’s attack surface expands and cybercriminals become more sophisticated, it’s clear that many organizations are not prepared to address IoT security needs. For IT teams to effectively manage distributed IoT networks, organizations need an efficient zero trust approach to security. This includes easing the setup and maintenance of IoT solutions, while enabling advanced fine-grained policies to allow access for third-party management of devices.  

The S700 and NetCloud Exchange from Cradlepoint delivers a robust zero trust solution for IoT that removes deployment complexity and is ideal for enterprise lean IT scenarios. Key benefits include:  

• Connect-and-go ZeroTrust: Any IoT device connected to the router is immediately dark to public scans and other internal sites. Access policies are easily defined so IoT devices communicate only with their authorized resources on a least-privilege basis.  
• Efficient WAN creation: Orchestrated with only a few clicks through a cloud-based management system, the S700 removes deployment and management complexity and easily builds effective zero trust encrypted tunnels over cellular and wired links. 
• Small Router with Big Security: IoT devices connected to a small router can still have access to full modern security services including zero trust. The S700 adds simplicity by offloading the security processes to a services gateway, which holds the security policies, manages router updates (including security patches), and orchestrates processes.  
• Third-party access protection: Over 60 per cent of WANs are now serving outside customers and suppliers, so protecting third-party access to IoT equipment has broad implications. With the Cradlepoint solution, fine-grained policies can be added to the zero-trust services gateway allowing third-party access to all or part of the management system of an IoT device behind the Cradlepoint router. 

As a multipurpose IoT router designed for the enterprise, the S700 connects light industrial, smart city, IoT and portable devices over cellular, Wi-Fi and wired links. Offering a wide variety of connectivity options through LTE, two Gigabit Ethernet ports for wired connections and dual band Wi-Fi 6 options, the S700 also adds advanced features, such as active GNSS/GPS for asset tracking, GPIO pins to control and monitor external sensors. 

The Cradlepoint S700 will be available for purchase widely on July 12, 2023. For more information, please visit https://cradlepoint.com/product/endpoints/s700-series/.  

 Cradlepoint, the global leader in cloud-delivered LTE and 5G wireless network edge solutions, has published findings from its The State of Connectivity survey in cooperation with Censuswide. According to the report, Canadian businesses have faced significant impacts from connectivity issues; 73 per cent of Canadian organizations reported at least one hour of downtime per week, and half of Canadian businesses faced higher operational costs as a result of connectivity issues in the last 12 months. One third of Canadian businesses noted loss of earnings and loss of potential business. 

Businesses indicated that improved connectivity would better prepare them for future shocks with 92 per cent of Canadian respondents agreeing that good connectivity would make their company more resilient to unexpected changes (e.g. economic, political, global pandemic). This highlights how connectivity is paramount to business resilience, as well as how key decision makers are considering it a high priority for the modern enterprise. Three-quarters (74%) of Canadian organizations have made changes in the last six months to ensure their business will not be significantly affected by a major, prolonged network outage.

Adequate connectivity isn’t just crucial for organization resilience but also for addressing access inequalities across industries. The State of Connectivity survey found that more than 88 per cent of Canadian organizations think improving free connectivity will address the digital divide and eliminate disparities between poorer and richer students.  Of those surveyed, 82 per cent of respondents agree that poor connectivity is holding students back from developing the skills required for the modern economy. In addition to this, 76 per cent of respondents agree that rural areas are currently being negatively impacted by lack of connectivity when it comes to medical innovation. 

Sustainability initiatives have been impacted with six out of 10 Canadian organizations saying poor connectivity held back their sustainability projects in the last 12 months. More than 40 per cent of Canadian respondents agreed that 5G will ensure greater environmental sustainability through improved energy efficiency and real-time control of consumption (domestic, business and smart city), improve bandwidth (40%), and improve security (40%).

Additional findings:

• Sustainability is an important topic that is becoming a higher priority for many Canadian executives and business decision makers.
  • Two-thirds (66%) of Canadian organizations believe cellular connectivity is a more sustainable alternative compared to fibre
  • Three-quarters (76%) of Canadian organizations are considering using IoT devices to make their office more energy efficient
    • This jumped to 100 per cent for first responders and public transportation respondents
  • 85 per cent of Canadians agree the current energy crisis has increased the need for smart buildings
    
• Connectivity for rural areas and key industries lagging.
  • Three-quarters (73%) of Canadians believe the Canadian government is doing enough to ensure connectivity is extended to rural areas across the country 
  • Among them, 41 per cent believe the government is moving at an acceptable pace, and 32 per cent believe they are not
  • Canadians believe greater investment should be made for faster internet (41%) and for faster roll-out of 5G/advanced wireless networks (39%) in rural communities
  • Canadians believe the following sectors will benefit most from improved connectivity: Emergency services – 21 per cent; Healthcare – 18 per cent; Retail/Quick Food Services – 16 per cent

Survey Methodology   

The State of Connectivity is based on the findings of Censuswide research of over 5,000 respondents across Canada*, U.S., Mexico, Australia, U.K., France, Germany, The Netherlands, Spain and Italy. Respondents were business owners, C-level executives or senior managers at businesses with over 250 employees; all were technology decision-makers.

Vertical sectors polled in this report included: Building, Arts & Culture, Education, Finance, Healthcare, HR, IT & Telecoms, Legal, Manufacturing & Utilities, Retail, Catering & Leisure, Travel and Transport, Government, First Responders, Public Transportation, Automotive, Building Management, Supply Chain & Logistics, Maritime, and Agriculture.

*503 respondents in Canada

Cradlepoint, the global leader in cloud-delivered LTE and 5G wireless network solutions, has been named as a Leader and Outperformer in GigaOm’s Radar Report for SD-WAN for its 5G-optimized solution. GigaOm rated Cradlepoint’s SD-WAN offerings “exceptional” in the categories of scalability, manageability, and vendor support.  

The report specifically highlights Cradlepoint’s NetCloud Exchange (NCX) as one of the company’s strengths. An extension of Cradlepoint’s NetCloud Service, NetCloud Exchange allows enterprises to enhance the benefits of 5G with advanced SD-WAN and zero trust capabilities. As more enterprises take advantage of the ability to connect from anywhere using 5G, providing modern security and application assurance features will enhance the overall quality of experience while reducing the overall attack surface. 

5G is rapidly becoming an essential WAN infrastructure technology, enabling agile connectivity for use cases such as vehicles, IoT devices, sites, and remote work. With 5G standalone deployments on the horizon, Cradlepoint’s 5G-optimized SD-WAN solution is also a nod to the future of connectivity, due to its ability to support application-based traffic steering into network slices. This critical functionality will help carriers make network slicing a reality in the enterprise. It will also enable enterprises to take advantage of differentiated services over 5G networks, facilitating the transition of wired to wireless WANs.   

Earlier this month, Cradlepoint furthered its SD-WAN and security ambitions with the acquisition of Ericom and its cloud-based security solution, ZTEdge. The move solidifies Cradlepoint’s SASE, zero trust, and cloud-based security strategies for hybrid 5G and wireline environments. The Ericom acquisition is a key part of Cradlepoint’s strategy of building a full-stack enterprise security service optimized for 5G. 

For further insights into GigaOm’s SD-WAN Radar Report and a look into the future of the intersection of SD-WAN and 5G, Cradlepoint will host a webinar on Wednesday, May 3^rd, 2023 at 1:00 p.m. EST, co-presented with Howard Holton, CTO of GigaOm.  

Cradlepoint, the global leader in cloud-delivered LTE and 5G wireless network solutions, today announced the first individual to achieve ‘Pioneer Partner’ status globally is Joe Myatt, Solutions Consultant from Melbourne, Australia-based network delivery and managed services provider, OneStep Group. The Pioneer Partner status is given to those partners that successfully complete Cradlepoint technical training and deliver technical presentations that demonstrate expertise and deep understanding, as part of Cradlepoint’s Partner Mountaineer Program.

The Cradlepoint Mountaineer Program, which is open to all partners, provides training and certifications designed to accelerate technical users and encourage creative applications of Cradlepoint solutions.

Partners that become ‘Mountaineers’ can progress up three levels — Discoverer, Explorer, and Pioneer ­­­­— with each level requiring partners to complete virtual courses in Cradlepoint University and demonstrate increasingly advanced competencies. At the final stage of completion, Pioneer Mountaineers are required to perform a live, virtual customer scenario presentation to a panel of Cradlepoint SEs, SAs, and leadership. 

OneStep provides a managed service with Cradlepoint solutions to Cleanaway, Australia’s leading total waste management organization. One of the key operations Cleanaway uses is connected weighbridges, which enable the organization to weigh waste and charge customers accordingly, however, connectivity in some areas was unreliable. To mitigate connectivity dropouts and provide network visibility, OneStep demonstrated deep technical knowledge of Cradlepoint solutions capability and designed and implemented a vigorous network transformation in Cleanaway. OneStep Group deployed an edge network solution that leverages both wired and mobile networks through Cradlepoint’s hybrid WAN routers at dozens of fixed sites. At almost every location, a cellular broadband service is configured as the primary WAN link.

Cradlepoint was identified as the vendor of choice because of its leadership in LTE and 5G connectivity, as well as the company’s ability to configure and enable management of all devices from a single pane of glass.  

OneStep Group provides a managed service for Cleanaway, in which both teams can use Cradlepoint NetCloud Manager to easily monitor uptime and manage configurations centrally, with little need for in-person, on-site evaluation. 

The Partner Mountaineer Program includes partner incentives, from branded merchandise to solution demo kits. For those that achieve Pioneer level, there is an opportunity for an invitation to the Cradlepoint Tech Summit, which provides engagement with Cradlepoint’s solution engineering global leadership team, as well as in-person training.

Partners interested in joining Cradlepoint Mountaineers can register via Cradlepoint’s Partner Portal or enquire with their Partner Account Manager. 

Cradlepoint, the global leader in cloud-delivered LTE and 5G wireless network solutions, today announced significant updates for Managed Service Providers (MSPs) at this year’s North American Partner Summit in Austin, Texas, March 7-8. To bolster the managed service provider (MSP) experience, Cradlepoint will expand its current offerings as part of the existing Cradlepoint Partner Program, including enhancing NetCloud functionality and licensing benefits, specialized support, and the development of an “MSP Playbook.”

Organizations across industries increasingly turn to wireless solutions, such as 5G, to deliver agile, secure, and reliable wide-area network (WAN) connectivity. Gartner believes that the year of “wireless value realization” is upon us, with 50 per cent of enterprise wireless endpointsexpected to use networking services that deliver additional capabilities beyond communication by 2025. This rapidly growing market underscores a significant opportunity for Cradlepoint and its partners to expand their Wireless WAN leadership, particularly regarding MSPs leveraging Cradlepoint’s NetCloud Service and portfolio of fixed sites, mobile, and IoT cellular routers.

Customers leverage managed services to cut IT costs and stay current with new technologies. In response, MSP customers rely on Cradlepoint solutions, managed by NetCloud Manager, to meet growing needs. Cradlepoint is introducing a new flexible subscription model, allowing MSPs to control their customer lifecycle and bolstering profitability while rewarding partners for their performance and loyalty through future lead generation capabilities.

Specific new enhancements include: 

●  Updated Benefits and Requirements that align with the MSP practice 

●  Cradlepoint University Training targeted specifically for the MSP practice

●  New MSP-only subscription model and pricelist

●  Planned NetCloud Manager enhancements exclusively for MSPs

●  “White glove” logistics support

In addition to these enhancements, Cradlepoint will develop an “MSP Playbook,” set to launch in the second half of this year. As part of the playbook, partners will receive guidance on their market opportunity, use cases & success stories, marketing, sales, training support, and a full program review. The Playbook is designed to support MSPs further as they work with Cradlepoint to create and deliver managed networking and cloud-based services as key components in their offerings.

To learn more about the Cradlepoint Partner Program with the new MSP entitlements that will launch in Q3 2023, please visit Cascade or https://cradlepoint.com/partners/for-partners/resell-partners/.

Cradlepoint today presented a real-world implementation of 5G Standalone (SA) network slicing. The demonstration highlights how 5G network slicing will allow enterprises to take advantage of end-to-end performance guarantees over 5G Wireless WANs, similar to the SLAs available with MPLS. This will entice more enterprises to adopt wireless as critical WAN infrastructure for their business-critical applications. 

Cradlepoint performed the demonstration at the Ericsson D-15 Labs, a state-of-the-art innovation centre located in the heart of Silicon Valley. Leveraging Ericsson’s 5G SA core and Radio Access Network (RAN), combined with Cradlepoint’s NetCloud Exchange Service Gateway and E3000 Series Enterprise Routers, the demonstration shows how video applications are protected from congestion when steered across an ultra-reliable low latency slice. Using such a high-priority slice ensures an optimal quality of experience across distributed sites, vehicles, IoT and remote work environments. 

With an estimated 30 per cent of potential 5G use cases requiring network slicing as an enabler, 5G Standalone networks represent a significant inflection point for the next generation of wireless. As 5G SA deployments accelerate, cellular-optimized SD-WAN will play a key role in enterprises adopting network slicing as part of their essential Wireless WAN infrastructure, allowing organizations to recognize, classify, and steer applications to the appropriate slice.  

Cradlepoint’s NetCloud Exchange is the industry’s first 5G-optimized SD-WAN solution. It is uniquely designed to optimize traffic over LTE, 5G non-standalone networks, 5G SA network slices, broadband, and Wi-Fi as WAN. NetCloud Exchange, an extension of the Cradlepoint NetCloud Service, allows for integrated 5G SD-WAN and zero-trust security services to be deployed across Wireless WANs, enhancing resiliency, security, and quality of experience. For more information on Cradlepoint’s NetCloud Exchange SD-WAN solution, please visit: https://cradlepoint.com/products/sd-wan/.     

The network slicing demonstration will also be on display at Mobile World Congress Barcelona from February 27 – March 2, 2023, at booth 2L20. For more information on the event, visit: https://www.mwcbarcelona.com/exhibitors/cradlepoint

Cradlepoint, the global leader in cloud-delivered LTE and 5G wireless network solutions, announces the R2100 Series 5G Ruggedized Router, adding to Cradlepoint’s growing 5G Wireless WAN portfolio. Built for vehicle and IoT networks, the sleek exterior-mounted solution provides mass transit, public safety, and other organizations that require a high-bandwidth IoT or mobile router with the latest cellular performance in a uniquely flexible and simplified form factor. 

As in-vehicle applications have rapidly advanced, more use cases have emerged, along with diverse deployment requirements. Designed to be mounted on the rooftop of a vehicle or attached to IoT cabinet enclosures, the R2100 integrates the modem, antennas, and router into a single aerodynamic, IP67-rated casing that guards against weather, vibration, and shock. The R2100 is sold with or without Wi-Fi 6 and can be deployed as a self-contained router or to supplement an existing router as a 5G adapter. Key benefits include:

• Simplified router installation: Since antenna cables are no longer needed, many vehicle installations will only require one power cable and a single small hole to the router on the roof. Organizations with large fleets can significantly reduce installation complexity and cost.
  
• Seamless 5G extension: Customers can add 5G to a current installation by deploying the R2100 in Captive Modem mode as an adapter that is controlled by an attached Cradlepoint router. The NetCloud management system treats the R2100 as an internal modem, eliminating the need for a separate license (saving the customer money).
  
• Streamlined Wi-Fi addition: Similar to Cradlepoint’s unique Captive Modem capability, the R2100 Series can serve as an additional Wi-Fi source in captive mode to expand coverage for applications such as video offload, enhanced customer broadband, Computer Aided Dispatch connectivity while in the station, and more. Adding this Wi-Fi capability won’t incur an additional expense as all control and licensing is attributed to the incumbent router.
  
• Straightforward third party 5G add-on: The R2100 can take the form of a 5G adapter that can be added to a third-party in-vehicle router via the WAN port.  
  
• Easy edge computing with integrated containers: The R2100 is designed to support local containers for edge computing functionality. NetCloud handles container creation as well as container and workload distribution and connectivity, making deploying edge computing applications a simple and secure process.

The R2100 Series 5G Ruggedized Router is powered by Cradlepoint NetCloud, providing an enterprise-class, unified edge security solution for in-vehicle and IoT networks. For example, NetCloud gives vital public service agencies end-to-end encryption, industry-leading threat detection, and defence functionality to enable secure direct cloud and internet access for applications and IoT devices, with or without Wi-Fi. The R2100 can also support the NetCloud Exchange services which provide Zero Trust Network Access and 5G Optimized SD-WAN.

For more information on Cradlepoint’s R2100 Series 5G Ruggedized Router, please visit: https://cradlepoint.com/product/endpoints/r2100-series.

A broad range of enterprises and industries are set to benefit from a significant expansion in the Ericsson Private Network portfolio with the addition of a new IT-focused offering from the Ericsson subsidiary, Cradlepoint. 

Called NetCloud Private Networks, the software-defined solution is a complete subscription-based offering with an initial focus on traditionally lean IT-oriented enterprises, including the logistics, light manufacturing, government, large retail, healthcare, and hospitality sectors.

NetCloud Private Networks will be available from January 11, 2023, initially targeting the United States market via CBRS spectrum.

The addition of NetCloud Private Networks means that Ericsson has the most comprehensive Private Network portfolio in the industry as enterprises and industries worldwide embrace digitalization and the fourth industrial revolution.

With the addition of NetCloud Private Networks, the Ericsson Private Network portfolio now consists of:

• Cradlepoint NetCloud Private Networks: Available through select Cradlepoint channel partners, the solution includes everything needed to build and operate a private cellular network. It includes: simplified and cloud-native operations via NetCloud Manager, scalability, plug-and-play deployment, and zero-trust access. For further details, read the related press release: Cradlepoint Announces NetCloud Private Networks – Offering Private Cellular Performance and Enterprise IT Simplicity 
• Ericsson Private 5G: Available since 2021 through Ericsson channels, with deployments across several industrial sectors including manufacturing, ports, mining, energy, airports, oil and gas, Ericsson Private 5G is a next-generation private cellular 4G and 5G networking solution tailored to drive Industry 4.0 and business transformation for enterprise and industrial companies. 
• Cradlepoint Private Network Endpoints: Cradlepoint provides a comprehensive selection of private network-compatible cellular endpoints that allow enterprises to connect devices to any 4G or 5G network, including Ericsson Private Network solutions.
• Ecosystem partners: Ericsson and Cradlepoint have a dynamic ecosystem with easy-to-integrate solutions that facilitate digitalization, such as devices to connect and automate operations, sensors for data capture and analytics, and smart tools to augment the workforce to become more productive – purpose-built for industry verticals.
  

International Data Corporation (IDC) research forecasts the worldwide private LTE/5G market to top US$8.3 billion in revenue in 2026 — with a five-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 35.7 per cent across 2022-2026.

Such predicted growth will be driven by innovation shifts across enterprises and industries. Private mobile network solutions enable companies to easily enhance existing applications and introduce new augmented reality/virtual reality (AR/VR)-enhanced, security-dependent, and low latency applications.

Cradlepoint, the global leader in cloud-delivered LTE and 5G wireless network solutions, is today announcing the availability of its third NetCloud Exchange (NCX) solution, Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA). NCX ZTNA ensures a native ZTNA experience that offers simplicity, efficiency, and granularity for Cradlepoint deployments. 

While cellular connectivity delivers agility and the freedom to connect anyone from anywhere, this extended WAN edge—encompassing resources in sites, vehicles, and remote locations—creates a broader network attack surface. This, along with the need for an extended workforce to access resources in a secure way, requires an innovative approach to network security. Zero trust is emerging as the technology of choice to address these challenges. 

With a focus on enterprises who are looking to leverage 5G, Cradlepoint’s NCX ZTNA solution will offer differentiated capabilities to support the expanded edge and extended workforce. Key capabilities include:

• Simplified administration through an integrated policy engine: A single, attribute-based policy engine for NCX SD-WAN and ZTNA allows administrators to create both network- and user-based policies, reducing operational complexity and accelerating time to service.
• Deployment flexibility with multiple forms of network access: NCX ZTNA provides a variety of different access models including a client, Cradlepoint router, and a browser-based option (with browser-based available in 2023).  
• Isolated user-to-resource access through fine-grained policies: With NCX ZTNA, users, such as third-party vendors, can be permitted access to only a specific resource such as an IP camera, digital sign, or Point of Sale system. 

Cradlepoint NCX ZTNA adds to the previously announced Secure Connect and SD-WAN Services. All services are based on the same zero-trust foundation and are enabled through the NetCloud Exchange Service Gateway—a scalable solution that aggregates traffic, provides flow-level visibility, and acts as the policy-enforcement point in the network. 

For more information on Cradlepoint’s NetCloud Exchange solution, Zero Trust Network Access, please visit https://cradlepoint.com/products/ztna/.