Benefits of building redundancy into your network for IoT

Network redundancy ensures your IoT devices stay connected when primary networks fail to protect your data flow, your customers, and your bottom line. For teams building, managing, and scaling IoT deployments, redundancy is essential infrastructure that safeguards your return on investment.

This article covers how network redundancy works, its key benefits, the different types available, and additional redundancy strategies every IoT team should consider.

Key Takeaways

• Network redundancy maintains IoT device connectivity when primary networks fail, protecting data flow and preventing downtime that costs companies an average of $5,600 per minute.
• Three types of network redundancy support IoT deployments: carrier redundancy for switching between cellular networks, route redundancy for alternate pathways to the same carrier, and cellular backup for Wi-Fi-primary systems.
• eUICC SIM technology enables seamless over-the-air profile updates for automatic network switching, offering more consistent performance than multi-IMSI cards that can cause delays when shuffling between profiles.
• Resilient IoT deployments combine network redundancy with power redundancy, message redundancy through local caching and guaranteed delivery, and geographic redundancy across multiple points of presence.

Network redundancy: an essential component of cloud-based operations

Network redundancy in IoT means having backup cellular connections available when the primary network fails or becomes unavailable. This ensures continuous device connectivity which is critical for applications where data flow cannot be interrupted. When evaluating connectivity for your IoT solution, redundancy should rank alongside performance metrics like latency and throughput.

Redundancy isn't the same thing as coverage:

• Coverage: Access to the right network so devices can connect where they're deployed
• Network redundancy: A backup connection when the device travels outside original coverage or the primary network experiences a disruption

Consider a logistics company that installs sensors on their fleet of semi-trucks to track location, idling time, speed, and gas mileage. If sensors connect via a single carrier, the company loses visibility whenever trucks travel outside that carrier's coverage. Redundant connectivity ensures signal continuity across the entire route.

A remote patient monitoring device sends continuous health data back to care teams, including critical signals like cardiac events that cannot afford disruption. If the primary network has an outage, a fallback network becomes essential.

What are the benefits of building redundancy into a network?

Network redundancy protects IoT deployments by maintaining connectivity when primary networks fail, reducing costly downtime and ensuring critical data reaches its destination without interruption.

• Increased network uptime: Devices like fleet sensors and remote patient monitors require constant connectivity. Redundancy prevents disruptions that could compromise data accuracy or delay critical health alerts.
• Cost and time savings: Industry research shows network downtime costs companies an average of $14,056 per minute, with costs rising to $23,750 per minute for large enterprises.

What are the different types of network redundancy?

IoT deployments typically leverage three types of network redundancy: carrier redundancy, route redundancy, and cellular as a backup to other connectivity methods.

Carrier redundancy

Carrier redundancy means having multiple cellular networks available so devices can switch SIMs when the original network experiences an outage or the device moves outside its coverage area.

Route redundancy

Route redundancy provides multiple pathways to access a specific carrier. For example, if a device's roaming connection fails but the network itself remains operational, an alternate route keeps the device connected. This is especially valuable when access to a particular carrier is essential for your deployment.

Cellular as a backup

Some deployments use Wi-Fi as the primary connection but build in cellular as a fallback when that primary connectivity fails. This is common in settings like industrial manufacturing facilities, where Wi-Fi may be available but not always reliable. When device data is too critical to delay, cellular backup ensures continuity.

How does network redundancy work?

Network selection enables devices to automatically switch to backup networks. A SIM's available networks are linked to its International Mobile Subscriber Identifier (IMSI), and most modern devices handle this switching automatically.

Other types of redundancy in IoT: power, data, and geographic

Beyond network redundancy, resilient IoT deployments should also account for power, message, and geographic redundancy.

Power redundancy

Connected devices require continuous power. If there's an outage or battery failure, the device stops operating and teams lose visibility. Consider a cold chain example: a refrigerated truck's temperature sensor runs off the vehicle's battery while in motion. When the truck is off, a secondary power source keeps the sensor monitoring cargo temperature which is essential for dairy products requiring consistent tracking.

Message redundancy

IoT devices send data in small, encrypted messages to the cloud. For critical alerts, like a security breach at a residence or commercial building, missing a single message isn't acceptable. Options for message redundancy include:

• Local caching: Messages are stored at the device level and sent with timestamps when connectivity is restored
• Automatic retries: Failed messages are resent until delivery is confirmed
• Guaranteed delivery protocols: Ensures every data point reaches its destination

Geographic redundancy

Geographic redundancy eliminates single points of failure by routing data through multiple points of presence (PoPs). Using the closest PoP optimizes performance, but having the ability to divert traffic to another location keeps devices online if that PoP goes down.

Achieve network redundancy with Hologram

As you build your IoT solution, consider how your use case may benefit from cellular connectivity with network redundancy. Hologram's eUICC-enabled Hyper SIMs will give you the confidence and flexibility to scale with ease so your devices never get left in the dark.