Blog
Cloud Managed WiFi: Secure, Robust and Up-to-date
May 26, 2023
Industry Commentary
As technology continues to evolve and the world becomes more interconnected, Wi-Fi becomes ever more relevant and important to small businesses. However, this also means that SMBs must pay more attention to keeping their Wi-Fi systems “always on” and always defended. In this blog, we will explore the benefits of cloud managed WiFi and how it can help protect your Wi-Fi against cyber threats.
Everyone knows what Wi-Fi is. Cloud managed WiFi, however, is when the Wi-Fi network is provisioned, configured, managed and secured using a cloud-based platform. This allows businesses - or, more commonly, their MSPs - to configure and secure their Wi-Fi networks from anywhere. It is an ideal solution for businesses with multiple locations or remote workers.
As the business grows and adds branch offices and remote workers, the Wi-Fi system becomes more and more complex to manage. What used to be a single office with a couple of Wi-Fi APs becomes a sprawling array of Wi-Fi devices with multiple SSIDs, radios, coverage constraints and generally increased management headaches. The traditional method of managing individual APs becomes very unwieldy. Cloud management, however, allows you to provision and maintain the entire Wi-Fi infrastructure across all location as a unified whole, and define policies covering the entire company rather than individual devices. Cloud management platforms will also take on most of the mundane channel and power management headaches involved with Wi-Fi layouts, freeing up valuable technician time.
One of the key benefits of cloud managed WiFi is enhanced security. When managing individual APs, it can be time-consuming to ensure a consistent security posture across all locations. Also, human error can create security breaches (e.g., a ‘secure’ SSID on an AP might be accidentally connected to the wrong VLAN, putting the company data at risk). Cloud managed WiFi enables centralized security management that avoids all of these problems. It also ensures that all Wi-Fi devices are up to date with the latest security patches and firmware upgrades, which is essential for avoiding breaches.
Cloud managed WiFi helps save money for the business. With individually managed Wi-Fi APs, technicians often need to go on-site to reload firmware or configure network parameters. Cloud managed WiFi eliminates the need for onsite IT support, reducing costs and freeing up resources for other priorities.
Cloud managed WiFi also offers improved performance. With a centralized management platform, MSPs can monitor network performance and troubleshoot issues in real-time. This allows for faster resolution of network issues and minimizes downtime.
Uplevel Systems has offered cloud-managed Wi-Fi infrastructure from the beginning, using a combination of cloud intelligence and on-site hardware Wi-Fi controllers to provide cloud-managed capabilities with high performance. Indoor, outdoor, Wi-Fi 5, Wi-Fi 6 - we have it all in an integrated package.
