The Basics of Private Networks for Enterprises

Private networks have emerged as crucial assets for businesses and organizations seeking secure, efficient, and customizable communication solutions. In this comprehensive guide, we will unravel the basics of private networks, highlighting their significance and the benefits they offer. Whether you’re a tech-savvy professional or someone new to the concept, this article aims to provide valuable insights into the world of private networks, ultimately paving the way for informed decision-making.

What is a Private Network?

At its core, a private network is a communication network that harnesses radio coverage to break free from reliance on public mobile networks. These networks can be constructed using either cellular or Wi-Fi technology, catering to the communication needs of businesses and organizations that demand high-performance, secure, and reliable connectivity. Let’s dive into the fundamental aspects of private networks.

Unveiling CBRS

The Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) has recently emerged as a transformative force in the private network landscape. CBRS facilitates the sharing of the 3.5 to 3.7 GHz spectrum band among federal and commercial users, introducing a unique spectrum-sharing paradigm. To grasp the full picture, we’ll provide an overview of CBRS’s history and its relevance in enhancing private LTE and 5G networks.

The Key Benefits of Private Networks

Private networks bring a plethora of advantages to the table, making them indispensable for various industries:

Controlled Coverage: Organizations gain the freedom to deploy networks with precise control over base station locations, resulting in enhanced security and encryption management.
Capacity and Reliability: Private networks ensure optimal capacity by meticulously assigning users, meeting stringent reliability requirements.
Scalability: The network’s scalability is a key asset, allowing for effortless expansion through the deployment of additional base stations as needed.
Predictable Latency: Private networks guarantee consistent and predictable latency, a critical factor for real-time applications.
High Data Speeds: These networks facilitate swift and efficient data transfer, a prerequisite for data-intensive applications.

Private Networks vs. Public Wi-Fi: Bridging the Gap

Let’s navigate through the crucial distinctions between private networks and public Wi-Fi, focusing on performance, security, and other pivotal aspects. This comparison will help elucidate why private networks are gaining ground and proving indispensable in various scenarios.

An Insight into Each Technology and Use Cases

We’ll embark on a journey through the technology landscape, shedding light on:

Wi-Fi: Known for affordability and high speeds, Wi-Fi is a widely adopted technology. However, it may not be the ideal choice for enterprises with security-sensitive applications or sprawling premises.
Private LTE: Private LTE networks excel in large enterprise operational sites, offering security and reliability advantages over public networks.
Private 5G: Private 5G networks boast higher bandwidth, lower latency, and improved mobility, making them a prime choice for industries with stringent reliability and privacy requirements.

Navigating the Network Technology Terrain: When to Deploy Each

Selecting the right technologies hinges on the specific application:

Private LTE: Ideal for Rapid Deployments in Large Enterprise Sites

Private LTE is perfect when you need to set up a robust and reliable network quickly in large business areas. It’s ideal for:

Rapid Deployment: Private LTE networks can be swiftly established, making them suitable for large-scale operations like manufacturing plants or corporate campuses.
Reliability: They offer high reliability for critical applications, ensuring uninterrupted operations.
Control: Private LTE allows precise network control, vital for tailored resource allocation.

Private 5G: Suited for High-Speed, Low-Latency, and Secure Needs

Private 5G networks are advanced and fit for industries needing:

High-Speed Data: They provide high-speed data transfer, great for HD video streaming and AR/VR applications.
Low Latency: Perfect for real-time applications like manufacturing robots or telemedicine.
Enhanced Security: Offers strong security for data-sensitive industries.

Wi-Fi: Best for Smaller Premises, Budget-Conscious, and Quick Deployments

Wi-Fi is a practical choice for:

Smaller Spaces: Suitable for cafes, small offices, and retail shops.
Budget Constraints: Cost-effective for businesses with limited budgets.
Speedy Setup: Rapid deployment for events or temporary setups.

There’s a misconception that private networks primarily involve selecting the right singular technology (this vs. that, Wi-Fi vs. 5G vs. LTE). In actuality, it’s more about assembling a versatile toolkit of various technologies to support your specific use cases and long-term roadmap. This approach involves a keen focus on both short-term objectives and long-term ambitions.

Looking at a network through these lenses can allow you to evolve your network in stages and also help justify the costs, ROI and monetization of these private networks.

Source: Disruptive Analysis

Read our blog to learn more about which network technologies are the best fit for enterprise needs!

The Importance of Private Network Design: Why It Matters

Now, we delve into the heart of the matter: the importance of designing private networks effectively. Robust network design doesn’t just ensure a smoothly functioning network; it can also save both time and money in the long run. Here’s why it matters:

Cost Efficiency: Well-thought-out network design prevents costly hiccups down the road, eliminating the need for extensive troubleshooting and reconfiguration.

Time Savings: A meticulously planned network requires less time for deployment and maintenance, minimizing disruptions to your operations.

Enhanced Network Performance: Proper design maximizes network efficiency, reducing downtime and enhancing overall performance.

Security: Effective design ensures that security measures are integrated seamlessly, safeguarding your network against potential threats and vulnerabilities.

Reliability: A well-designed network boasts higher reliability, minimizing the risk of outages and ensuring continuous operations.

To learn more, read our blog about Building a Private Network: Step by Step!

To achieve optimal private network design, investing in the right tools and education is imperative. Here, we highlight the significance of quality design software, which streamlines the design process and empowers network professionals to create efficient, reliable, and cost-effective private networks. iBwave is an ideal solution for enterprises deploying private LTE, 5G, or Wi-Fi, thanks to the best-in-class prediction accuracy and advanced design automations that significantly simplify your work! Visit our iBwave Private Networks page to learn more!

Conclusion

Private networks are a formidable solution for enterprises seeking secure, efficient, and adaptable communication networks. By prioritizing effective network design, you can harness the full potential of private networks, ensuring they align with your organization’s unique requirements. A well-designed private network is not merely a tool; it’s a cornerstone of connectivity, empowering your organization to thrive in today’s digital landscape.

If you want to learn more about Private Networks, explore our course “Fundamentals of Private Networks“! This course offers a comprehensive understanding of designing and deploying robust private networks. By enrolling, you can save valuable time and resources while ensuring your network operates optimally. You can discover more about this course and unlock the full potential of private network design here!

Improving Manufacturing with Private Wireless 5G Machine-to-machine Communications and Internet of Things (IoT)

Automation is one of the most important process improvements of the modern era. It promises significant benefits for a variety of industries. One of the most clear-cut and straightforward applications of automation is in enhancing manufacturing.

Manufacturers have been looking for new and innovative ways to trim down and streamline manufacturing processes ever since Henry Ford realized that minimizing the work needed to facilitate assembly would maximize efficiency.

Networked automation built on machine-to-machine communications (M2M) and Internet of Things (IoT) technologies offers the most powerful method to date.

By effectively leveraging networked machine-to-machine communications (M2M) and IoT devices, manufacturers can automate processes to:

Increase operational efficiency to produce more products

Minimize production delays and errors

Enhance personnel safety with advanced tracking and oversight

However, M2M and IoT technologies that can be used to automate manufacturing processes need robust, reliable, high-quality networks.

Low-latency, high-bandwidth 5G is proving to be a better option than traditional wired, Wi-Fi, and LTE networks. By deploying 5G private wireless networks, manufacturers can fully optimize the use of M2M and IoT devices to take advantage of the many benefits networked automation offers.

Automation Enhances Every Aspect of Manufacturing

The automotive industry provides a good example of the value of networked automation in the manufacturing sector. Current vehicle manufacturing facilities are highly sophisticated, software-enabled, and connected. By automating production processes, manufacturers have increased efficiency, reduced errors, and reduced the overhead associated with hiring and training personnel.

With machine-to-machine communications (M2M), IoT, and 5G wireless networks, automotive manufacturers can go one step further. They can introduce a variety of autonomous vehicles and equipment that can support and facilitate complex production processes.

Automated processes encompass tasks like delivering parts precisely when required within the facility. They also involve transporting partially completed items between different factory zones, and even moving defective products off the assembly line to minimize disruptions.

Autonomous vehicles are also sophisticated computers that require significant software and firmware to function at full effectiveness. Automating the installation, testing, and updating of this software occurs over-networked, always-on connections. This setup enables direct communication with the vehicles’ computers, making sure that complex software integration takes place early and with maximum efficiency.

While these process improvements boost production efficiency, they also enhance safety measures. Minimizing risks to personnel on the factory floor and reducing the need for their physical presence improves safety.

High-Quality Networks Needed

There are, however, significant challenges associated with implementing effective networked automation on a manufacturing floor.

While full automation of production can greatly enhance efficiency, it also means the entire process is more vulnerable to disruption. If the network fails at any point, even briefly, production gets delayed until network issues get resolved. And if one part of a fully automated production line is delayed, the entire chain is affected.

Similarly, autonomous vehicles and equipment on the factory floor rely on continuous connectivity to complete programmed tasks efficiently. Without those connections, they’re essentially useless. And depending on their role and the level of interaction needed with floor personnel, when these vehicles aren’t connected, they can create safety risks. Sensors can fail to alert staff in time to avoid collisions or accidents.

Finally, while automating software and firmware uploads to autonomous vehicles streamlines the ongoing maintenance and upgrade process, this is again contingent on having high-bandwidth, low-latency connections. Even brief disruptions can arrest the whole process.

Wired, LTE, and Wi-Fi Solutions Insufficient

Machine-to-machine communications (M2M) and IoT devices, essential for advancing manufacturing, produce and transmit substantial data, demanding extensive bandwidth. As a result, they require high quality, high-capacity networks. Manufacturers have tried to address the need with a combination of wired, LTE, and Wi-Fi networks. However, each of these has limitations that make them less than ideal as the foundation of a fully networked operation.

Wired connections are fast and stable but expensive to install, and once they’re installed, they’re fixed. This fixed nature makes them highly inflexible, which is a significant drawback for manufacturers that want to scale operations up or down. Manufacturers that rely on wired solutions will face expensive rip-and-replace scenarios.

Wi-Fi is a common solution for indoor network deployment and is a staple in offices and homes. But while Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi 6/6E do offer some built-in security features, they have fewer security features than LTE and 5G networks. And while network security is important in homes and offices, it’s absolutely crucial in manufacturing operations. Compromises affect operations and cause significant costs. They also expose sensitive, business-critical data to malicious actors.

Finally, LTE solutions offer both the flexibility and security that manufacturing operations need, which is why private LTE has become more common. However, while LTE offers good speed, throughput, bandwidth, and latency, it pales in comparison to the capabilities of 5G. The latest generation of wireless networking technology offers considerably greater bandwidth and vastly lower latency, two crucial elements needed for effective automation.

iBwave Enables Efficient Private Wireless 5G Deployment

Of course, networked automation, particularly in manufacturing settings, requires effective and comprehensive network design. Manufacturing floors are complex environments with numerous obstacles and sources of signal interference. Inadequately designed networks may suffer from areas of poor connectivity or even dead zones, which can significantly reduce the value of deploying automation. And the mix of indoor and outdoor environments in many manufacturing settings creates further challenges to maintaining high-quality, continuous connectivity.

Without a precise and comprehensive design, a private 5G network won’t be able to overcome the challenges of wireless network deployment in manufacturing settings. A poorly designed network will either be under-designed and fail to deliver the benefits 5G offers or overdesigned, adding unnecessary costs.

iBwave Private Networks delivers the simplest and most reliable solution for planning, designing, and deploying private, high-performance 5G networks for manufacturing settings.

Large environment modeling enables network designers to capture the full requirements of a site. 5G/HetNet densification enables designers to consider both outdoor and indoor coverage with one tool, leveraging existing design asset files without costly file migrations. Advanced and powerful features, such as the Fast Ray Tracing Prediction Engine, Prediction Calibration, Inclined Surface Modeling, and Attenuation by Frequency, ensure the network that is designed functions exactly as intended. Plus, cloud connectivity and seamless integration with iBwave Mobile Survey ensures that iBwave can meet all private network needs for any manufacturing operation, present and future, ensuring the network can scale with the operation as needed.

Designing a private network for your manufacturing operations?

Download this useful checklist.

To learn more about design considerations in private networks for manufacturing, watch our on-demand webinar: https://bit.ly/3X5zXK2

Building a Private Network: Step by Step

In today’s digitally driven world, establishing a private network is a strategic move for many enterprises. The demand for seamless, secure, and reliable connectivity has led organizations to explore the benefits of owning and controlling their network infrastructure. This comprehensive guide will take you through the process of building a private network, emphasizing the significance of each step.

Understanding Private Networks

Before delving into the steps of building a private network, let’s clarify what exactly a private network entails. A private network, in the realm of wireless communication, is an exclusive network infrastructure owned, operated, and managed by a single entity, typically an organization or enterprise. These networks differ significantly from public networks like Wi-Fi hotspots or cellular networks.

Why Enterprises Choose Private Networks

Enhanced Security: Security is paramount in the digital age. Private networks offer a heightened level of security by encrypting data transmission, mitigating the risks of unauthorized access and data breaches.
Reliable Connectivity: Private networks allow organizations to maintain control over network traffic, ensuring consistent, reliable connectivity even in high-demand scenarios.
Low Latency: For applications requiring minimal delay, such as real-time video conferencing and industrial automation, private networks can be optimized for low-latency communication.
Customization and Control: With private networks, enterprises enjoy complete control over network design, configuration, and management, enabling tailor-made solutions to meet specific needs.

Read about the importance of Private 5G for Enterprises in our blog!

Key Components for Effective Deployment

Successful deployments of private networks demand meticulous planning and execution. Essential components and considerations include:

Spectrum Allocation: Allocate the appropriate frequency spectrum to your private network to prevent interference and maximize performance.
Infrastructure Investment: Invest in high-quality network equipment, including access points, switches, and routers, to support your network’s capacity and coverage requirements.
Security Measures: Implement robust security protocols, such as firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and encryption, to safeguard your network from potential threats.
Scalability: Design a network that can easily accommodate future growth, ensuring that it remains adaptable and cost-effective.

Main Use Cases and Verticals

Private networks find applications across various industries and verticals:

Mining: Private networks in mining optimize operations, providing real-time data, safety, and control in remote and rugged environments.
Manufacturing: In manufacturing, private networks support automation, process efficiency, and quality control, ensuring seamless production processes.
Energy: Private networks in the energy sector enhance grid management, enable smart meters, and bolster renewable energy integration.
Oil & Gas: In the oil & gas industry, private networks ensure secure communications, asset tracking, and monitoring in remote and hazardous locations.
Education: Educational institutions benefit from private networks by delivering high-speed internet access and supporting e-learning initiatives.
Healthcare: Private networks in healthcare enable secure patient data management, telemedicine, and real-time communication among healthcare professionals.
Transportation & Logistics: The logistics and transport industry is transforming as a result of a wide variety of industry trends and challenges. These drive demand for 5G both directly and indirectly.

Step-by-Step Guide to Building a Private Network

1. Site Survey: The Foundation

A site survey is pivotal for private network success. It involves a comprehensive assessment of the physical environment, including aspects like building layout, materials used, and potential sources of interference. The data collected during this critical phase forms the bedrock upon which the entire network deployment rests. It ensures that subsequent design decisions are well-informed, guaranteeing that the network meets the exacting requirements for both coverage and performance.

2. Evaluation/Feasibility: Setting Realistic Expectations

Before taking the leap into network deployment, it’s essential to conduct a feasibility study. This study is a reality check for your private network project. It takes into account various factors, including budget constraints, regulatory requirements, and the availability of skilled personnel. By conducting this in-depth analysis, you can make informed decisions and set realistic expectations for your project’s scope and timeline.

3. Network Design: The Heart of the Project

The network design phase is where the magic happens. It’s the heart of your project, where you define the architecture, topology, and capacity of your private network. During this critical phase, the careful placement of access points, antennas, and other network components is meticulously planned. The goal is to ensure not only optimal coverage but also peak performance. A well-thought-out network design sets the stage for achieving your connectivity goals and lays the foundation for seamless network operations.

4. Cost Calculation: A Clear Budget

Budgeting is a crucial aspect of private network deployment. It’s essential to calculate the total cost of ownership (TCO) accurately. This includes accounting for equipment costs, installation expenses, ongoing maintenance, and operational costs. Having a well-defined budget is not just about financial planning; it’s about securing the necessary funding and allocating resources effectively. It ensures that your private network project remains on track, both financially and operationally.

5. Network Deployment: Turning Plans into Reality

After meticulous planning, it’s time to turn your network design into a tangible reality. During the deployment phase, you’ll install and configure network equipment as per the design plan. This is the hands-on phase where the blueprint comes to life. It’s imperative that all components function correctly, and the network meets the specified performance criteria. Effective network deployment is the bridge that connects planning to real-world functionality.

6. Testing: Ensuring Reliability

Comprehensive testing is the litmus test for your private network. It’s not enough to have a network; you must ensure it performs flawlessly. Testing covers various aspects, including coverage, capacity, and reliability under different conditions. It’s during this phase that any issues are identified and addressed promptly. Thorough testing guarantees that your network is not just functional but reliable and capable of meeting the demands placed upon it.

7. Monitoring and Maintenance: Sustaining Excellence

Network deployment is not the end; it’s a continuous journey. Once your private network is operational, it’s crucial to establish a routine for monitoring and maintenance. Regularly monitoring network performance, addressing issues promptly, and applying updates and security patches are all part of sustaining a secure and reliable network. This ongoing vigilance ensures that your network remains in peak condition, delivering the excellence it was designed for.

Leveraging iBwave for Network Excellence

As you embark on the journey of building a private network, consider the invaluable support provided by iBwave, a leading expert in wireless network survey and design. iBwave offers high-quality tools and software that simplify the network design and survey process, elevating the accuracy and efficiency of your network deployment.

By utilizing iBwave’s solutions, you can ensure that your private network is designed and implemented to the highest standards, bolstering your confidence in its connectivity capabilities. You can either use iBwave Private Networks to seamlessly design your Private LTE, 5G and Wi-Fi Networks or iBwave Design for designing more complex venues! With iBwave, you get everything you need to plan and deliver reliable indoor and outdoor campus private networks under one roof. Learn more about our solutions here!

Conclusion

Building a private network demands meticulous planning and execution, with each step playing a pivotal role in its success. Private networks offer enhanced security, reliability, low latency, and customization, making them an ideal choice for various industries and applications. Whether you operate in manufacturing, healthcare, education, utilities, or any other sector, a well-designed private network can revolutionize your connectivity capabilities, supporting your enterprise’s growth.

Remember that iBwave’s advanced tools and software significantly streamline the network design and survey process, ensuring the highest quality results for your private network deployment. Armed with the right approach and the right tools, your private network will become a formidable asset, providing the connectivity essential for thriving in today’s digital age.
Remember that iBwave’s advanced tools and software significantly streamline the network design and survey process, ensuring the highest quality results for your private network deployment. Armed with the right approach and the right tools, your private network will become a formidable asset, providing the connectivity essential for thriving in today’s digital age.

Visit our blog page to learn more about wireless networks and how to design them efficiently!