6 Reasons Why You Should Use Cloud Managed Routers for Wireless WAN

Short answer: Cloud-managed routers let you configure, monitor, secure and upgrade every 4G/5G wireless WAN site from one web console instead of sending engineers on site. The six benefits are simpler operations, predictable subscription costs, easy scaling, centrally managed security, real-time reporting and a ready path to SD-WAN.

Wireless Wide Area Networks (WWANs) have become increasingly popular over the years as they provide businesses with a flexible and mobile networking solution. With the rise of remote work and the need for employees to access company resources from anywhere, wireless WANs have become an essential tool for businesses of all sizes and industries.

However, managing a wireless WAN can be complex and resource-intensive, especially when dealing with issues such as deployment, troubleshooting, and effective monitoring. The complexity of managing a wireless WAN is due to several factors, such as the variety of devices that need to be connected, the potential for interference, and the need for network security. These challenges make it difficult for businesses to effectively manage their wireless WANs and can result in costly downtime and security breaches.

This is where cloud-managed routers come in, offering a range of benefits that can simplify the management of a wireless WAN. By leveraging cloud-based management platforms, businesses can reduce costs, increase flexibility, and improve network performance, while also benefiting from enhanced security features and comprehensive insights and reporting capabilities. As the importance of wireless WANs continues to grow, cloud-managed routers are becoming an essential tool for businesses looking to simplify, secure, and scale their networks.

Let’s explore the top 6 benefits of cloud-managed routers for wireless WANs and how they can help businesses overcome the challenges of WWAN management.

1. Simplicity: The deployment and management of wireless WANs can be complicated, especially for businesses with limited IT resources. Cloud-managed routers offer a simple solution to this problem by providing a web-based interface for network configuration and management. This means that network administrators can easily monitor and manage their WWANs from anywhere, anytime, without the need for extensive on-site support. The cloud management platform provides a centralized view of the network, allowing IT staff to quickly and efficiently troubleshoot problems and perform upgrades, reducing the time and resources needed to manage the network.
2. Cost Savings: Traditional on-premises routers require significant hardware, software, and maintenance costs, which can be a major challenge for businesses. Cloud-managed routers, on the other hand, provide a cost-effective solution by reducing site visits and maintenance effort. The cloud management platform is typically subscription-based, which means businesses pay only for the services they need, eliminating upfront costs and providing more predictable monthly expenses. Additionally, cloud-managed routers are scalable, which means businesses can easily add or remove capacity as needed, reducing over-provisioning and further lowering costs.
3. Scalability: One of the main benefits of cloud-managed routers is their ability to scale easily to meet changing business needs. WWANs can experience varying levels of demand, and businesses must be able to scale their networks up or down to match this demand. With cloud-managed routers, scaling is as simple as making a few clicks on the web-based interface. Businesses can add new locations or devices, configure new users, and set policies without the need for specialized expertise or on-site visits. This makes cloud-managed routers an ideal solution for businesses that require flexibility and mobility in their networking solutions.
4. Security: Security is a critical concern for any business, especially when it comes to wireless WANs. Cloud-managed routers offer enhanced security features that can help protect business data and applications. These features include virtual private network (VPN) connectivity, network segmentation, intrusion detection and prevention systems (IDPS), and advanced firewalls. With cloud-managed routers, IT staff can easily configure and manage security policies from a centralized location, reducing the risk of cyber-attacks and ensuring compliance with industry standards and regulations.
5. Comprehensive Insights and Reporting: Cloud-managed routers provide businesses with real time, comprehensive insights into their network performance and usage. IT staff can easily monitor bandwidth usage, application performance, network health, and user activity, among other metrics. This information is presented in an easy-to-understand format, allowing businesses to identify issues quickly, troubleshoot problems, and optimize network performance. Additionally, cloud-managed routers offer advanced reporting and analytics capabilities, allowing businesses to gain insights into usage trends, network traffic patterns, and other metrics that can help inform business decisions.
6. Future-Proofing: Cloud-managed routers are designed to support emerging technologies and applications, making them an ideal solution for businesses looking to future-proof their networking infrastructure. With features like software-defined WAN (SD-WAN), businesses can optimize their network for new technologies, including Internet of Things (IoT) devices, artificial intelligence (AI), and cloud computing. This allows businesses to stay competitive and adapt to changing market conditions, without the need for significant infrastructure upgrades

In conclusion, cloud-managed routers offer a range of benefits for businesses looking to simplify, secure, and scale their wireless WANs. By leveraging cloud-based management platforms, businesses can reduce costs, increase flexibility, and improve network performance, while also benefiting from enhanced security features and comprehensive insights and reporting capabilities. As WWANs continue to grow in popularity and importance, cloud-managed routers are becoming an essential tool for businesses of all sizes and industries.

Related: Instaroute SDWAN Lite 2.0 router management, Instaroute 4G and 5G routers and 5G wireless SD-WAN.

Frequently asked questions

What is a cloud-managed router?

A cloud-managed router is configured, monitored, updated and troubleshot through a web-based management platform instead of device by device on site. Nexapp Instaroute routers are managed from Instaroute SDWAN Lite 2.0 or the Nexapp Controller, hosted by Nexapp in India or self-hosted by the customer.

Are cloud-managed routers secure?

Yes, when the platform supports VPN tunnels, network segmentation, intrusion detection and prevention, firewalling and central security policy. Instaroute routers support IPsec IKEv2, OpenVPN and GRE/DMVPN, and Nexapp offers post-quantum cryptography on its routers and management plane.

How many routers can be managed from one platform?

It depends on the platform. Instaroute SDWAN Lite 2.0 manages up to 100,000 devices per deployment, with zero-touch provisioning through CSV serial import and canary firmware rollouts.

Do I need a public IP address to manage a remote 4G router?

Not with every platform. Instaroute SDWAN Lite 2.0 provides out-of-band management without a public IP, so remote sites on cellular links can still be reached and managed.

How are cloud-managed routers priced?

Management is usually sold as a subscription, so you pay for what you use and avoid large upfront costs. Instaroute SDWAN Lite 2.0 uses flat per-device pricing with no data metering.

To find out more, see Nexapp’s Instaroute routers.