What is enterprise-level internet?
Enterprises typically require specific capabilities from their internet connections to meet their business needs. Here are some of the key features and functions that enterprises should prioritize:
- Reliability – Enterprises rely heavily on consistent and stable internet to minimize downtime and ensure uninterrupted operations.
- High Bandwidth – Enterprises need high bandwidth to accommodate data-intensive operations, support multiple users simultaneously and ensure fast data transmission.
- Scalability – As enterprises grow and their internet needs evolve, they need connections that can scale to handle expanding bandwidth requirements without significant disruption.
- Low Latency – Latency refers to the time it takes for a data packet to go from one place to another. With the increasing popularity of real-time communications, like video conferencing and VoIP services, low latency is essential to reduce delays and ensure smooth and responsive interactions.
- Security – Enterprises require internet connections with robust security features to protect sensitive data. Encryption protocols, firewalls, intrusion detection and prevention systems (IDS/IPS), virtual private networks (VPNs) and other measures all help protect your network against cyberthreats and unauthorized access.
- Redundancy – Enterprises cannot afford long periods of downtime that obstruct business operations, costing the company money in lost productivity and lost sales. Internet solutions that enable failover and backup guarantee that enterprises can operate without disruption.
- Centralized Management and Monitoring – Large enterprises may have multiple locations or a distributed network infrastructure. Centralized management and monitoring allow IT teams to ensure service quality, troubleshoot issues and optimize performance across those sites.
What types of internet connections are best for enterprises?
Every enterprise’s needs are different, so best-fit business internet services can vary depending on factors such as budget, location and available infrastructure. However, there are a few options that enterprise-level businesses should consider:
- Fiber Optic Internet – Fiber optic connections use light signals to offer high-speed, reliable and symmetrical upload and download speeds. Large organizations prefer fiber internet because it has low latency, scales easily and handles high bandwidth demands from multiple users simultaneously.
- Fixed Wireless Internet – Fixed wireless internet uses radio signals to deliver high-speed connectivity without relying on physical cables. It can be a viable option for enterprises with locations where wired infrastructure is limited or too expensive to deploy. Benefits of fixed wireless include fast installation, increased reliability and simple scalability.
- Broadband Internet – Broadband internet connections are high-speed links like cable, digital subscriber lines (DSL) and 4G/5G. Usually, broadband isn’t the best option for enterprises because they are often shared (cable) or low bandwidth (DSL and wireless. However, Software-Defined Wide-Area Network (SD-WAN) solutions can optimize broadband networks for enterprise operations.
- Satellite Internet – Satellite internet works best for enterprise sites in remote or rural areas where physical connections are limited. Satellite provides coverage across many geographic regions but often has higher latency and limited bandwidth than other options. For these reasons, satellite is primarily used when no other viable alternatives are available.
- Hybrid Solutions –A combination of internet connections may be the best-fit option for enterprises that need redundancy or diverse connectivity options. For example, combining fiber optic and wireless connections can offer high-speed and backup connectivity.
Fiber-based Dedicated Internet Access for enterprises
Dedicated Internet Access (DIA) delivers a fiber-based internet connection that’s exclusive to an enterprise, not shared with neighboring businesses. It offers fast, reliable and symmetrical internet access, making it well-suited for enterprise organizations that need high bandwidth, secure connectivity and low latency.
Benefits of Dedicated Internet Access for enterprises
Outside of the enterprise-level internet capabilities mentioned earlier, Dedicated Internet Access Services offers the following benefits:
- Reliability – With DIA, enterprises receive a dedicated and exclusive connection from the service provider directly to their premises. The bandwidth is not shared with other businesses or users, ensuring consistent performance and eliminating unforeseen congestion issues.
- Symmetrical speeds – Fiber-based DIA typically offers symmetrical upload and download speeds. Symmetrical connections are crucial for activities like video conferencing, cloud-based applications and data backups where significant data transfer occurs in both directions.
Do enterprises need redundant internet connections?
Redundancy is the only way to guarantee network uptime. Even the most reliable connections can fail from unforeseen circumstances like natural disasters, fiber cuts and cyberattacks. In those situations, a backup internet connection is vital to keeping business operations running smoothly.
Fixed Wireless Internet Backup
Fixed wireless internet backup for businesses effectively delivers redundancy by providing an alternative, non-physical connection that enterprises can leverage to avoid costly downtime. It’s an entirely diverse connection that doesn’t rely on the same facilities as a primary wired connection, ensuring connectivity should those facilities be compromised.
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