Cradlepoint Routers Power Building Automation and AI

Maintaining Precise Climate Control and Reducing Energy Consumption

Headquartered in Canada, there’s an exciting new company in the world of building automation and advanced artificial intelligence (AI) technology. This company’s AI solutions tie into a building’s HVAC system and use custom algorithms, cloud computing, and deep learning to optimize a building’s energy consumption proactively.

The organization’s solutions compile and analyze data from an HVAC system that’s connected to the building management system on the local area network (LAN). The information gathered is then combined with external data - like current and future weather conditions - and pushed to the cloud and the company’s prediction models, which are powered by deep learning. After analyzing the data, the AI - which requires no human intervention - sends instructions directly back to the HVAC system.

Manufacturing facilities often rely on precise environmental control, demanding consistent temperature, air quality, and humidity levels for optimal production processes. The company’s automation technology enhances energy efficiency and cost savings and ensures that HVAC systems operate at peak performance, delivering the ideal conditions required by manufacturing operations. By intelligently adapting to real-time data and dynamically optimizing HVAC functions, the solution allows manufacturing facilities to reduce energy consumption, enhance productivity, and maintain the environmental standards necessary for modern manufacturing.

This entirely self-sustaining solution offers substantial reductions in carbon emissions while also delivering cost savings. It represents a groundbreaking product that thrives exclusively when connected to the internet. However, transmitting data from the host buildings to the company’s private cloud data centers can present certain challenges.

Challenge

Limited Network Access And Unreliable Connectivity At Client Sites

Initially, the company’s AI relied on the on-site ISP connection available at each host building. However, the company soon realized that the disparities among sites were impeding the deployment process. The guest-level access limitations also left the company’s IT team desiring greater control.

“We were at the mercy of someone else’s network and security decisions, which led to unexpected connection downtime and painful lessons. Every time we lose connectivity, we have to triage. We have to get in touch with the client and sometimes their contractors. It’s very manual. Alleviating any of those events is extremely beneficial to our operations,” the company’s Director of IT and Head of Client Success said.

Small Space Requiring Powerful Router

The compact design of the hardware enclosure imposes limitations on the size of the WAN solution that can be employed. Finding routers with a sufficiently small form factor and advanced features to meet the requirements of this company's sophisticated AI tool is a challenge.

Scalability For Rapid Growth

The company aimed for extensive expansion of its HVAC automation system and couldn't afford to be constrained by the deployment and network management limitations of its wide-area network (WAN) solution. The company required highly scalable routers to provide cloud-based visibility and facilitate adjustments.

“Scalability has always been a huge factor for our business, especially early on. We have to ask, ‘What would we do if this problem was 100x or 1,000x?’” said the Director of IT.

Solution

Cradlepoint IBR200 Routers to Deploy Centrally Managed WAN

The organization has adopted Cradlepoint solutions to enable centrally managed WAN connectivity, crucial for the uninterrupted transmission of HVAC data from buildings to the cloud, where the company's AI engine operates.

They’ve implemented Cradlepoint's NetCloud Service for IoT to achieve this, deploying hundreds of IBR200 routers seamlessly integrating with the company’s compact and stylish units. In addition to providing a variety of actionable insights through dashboards, including cellular health and data security metrics, the advanced settings of NetCloud allow for centralized in-band management of devices on the LAN.

Connectivity Solutions for Building Automation

Results

A Straightforward, Reliable LTE Connectivity Solution

By incorporating Cradlepoint's compact IoT routers into their smart building product, the organization has gained a straightforward LTE connectivity solution that seamlessly combines an optimal form factor with ease of deployment, all while maintaining enterprise-grade reliability, performance, and manageability.

Benefits

Reliable, Easy To Manage Connectivity With Flexible Security Options

By incorporating Cradlepoint's compact IoT routers into their smart building product, the organization has gained a straightforward LTE connectivity solution that seamlessly combines an optimal form factor with ease of deployment, all while maintaining enterprise-grade reliability, performance, and manageability.

High-performance, Enterprise-grade LTE Connectivity

By incorporating Cradlepoint's compact IoT routers into their smart building product, the organization has gained a straightforward LTE connectivity solution that seamlessly combines an optimal form factor with ease of deployment, all while maintaining enterprise-grade reliability, performance, and manageability.

Centralized Network Management

NetCloud Manager makes it easier for the solution to quickly set up LTE connectivity and monitor it from afar, supporting business goals and expansion plans. The team also uses NetCloud’s LAN Manager feature; they can connect to and manage almost any device that has an IP address on the LAN — without any additional software or hardware. As the solution continues to evolve, many additional centralized monitoring and management features are waiting to be activated through NetCloud.

“We are scratching the surface of using Cradlepoint’s NetCloud Service. The software stack allows us to extend with remote monitoring and setup in a beautiful way,” said the Chief Business Development Officer at the organization.

Flexible Data Security Options

The company initially made the decision to pivot to LTE for one reason: the interrupted data transfer to the cloud. However, as the team began looking into the architecture of cellular networks through Cradlepoint solutions, it became clear they could improve their data security, too.

About MCA and the CNS Team

MCA is one of the largest and most trusted integrators in the United States, offering world-class voice, data, and security solutions that enhance the quality, safety, and productivity of customers, operations, and lives. More than 65,000 customers trust MCA to provide carefully researched solutions for a safe, secure, and more efficient workplace.

Our Cellular Networking Solutions (CNS) team (formerly known as USAT) is made up of certified experts in designing and deploying fixed and mobile wireless data connectivity solutions for public and private enterprises nationwide - complete with implementation, training, proof of concept (POC), system auditing, and on-site RF surveying services with optional engineering maintenance contracts.

Our extensive catalog of world-class routers, gateways, and software designed for remote monitoring and management in even the harshest environments allows us to deliver a full suite of reliable technologies capped with a service-first approach.