Sierra Wireless’s AirLink RX55 IoT Router Addresses Key IIoT Challenges

Without even realizing it, connected devices have become a mainstay in our daily lives. When our doorbell rings, we’re alerted on our phones. Our printers send us an email and a push notification when they’re running low on ink, and our cars let us know when it’s time for an oil change or some more wiper fluid.

As individuals become more and more connected, so too is the industrial landscape. From oil, gas, and power utilities to agriculture and manufacturing, organizations worldwide have taken to using Internet of Things (IoT) equipped devices and assets to streamline their operations, cut costs, and deliver better quality services and products.

The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) is experiencing significant growth across various industries, driven by industry-specific advantages and challenges. IIoT offers remote monitoring and predictive maintenance in the oil and gas sector, helping companies manage emergencies, reduce maintenance costs, and enhance worker safety. Similarly, power and utilities are leveraging IIoT to maximize operational efficiency and integrate renewable energy sources. However, they face challenges in cybersecurity and the need for ruggedized, low-power devices.

In agriculture, IIoT is revolutionizing farming practices with precision agriculture tools, smart irrigation, and autonomous machinery, improving efficiency and reducing costs. Meanwhile, manufacturing is witnessing the largest IIoT growth, driven by the need for centralized monitoring, predictive maintenance, and automation. IIoT in manufacturing optimizes resources, enhances quality control, and improves worker safety. These industries are embracing IIoT as a transformative force, reshaping operations and ensuring sustainability in an increasingly digital world.

There are several key challenges that arise when organizations begin exploring the implementation and deployment of IIoT solutions. Chief among these concerns are security, device and patch management, and environmental obstacles.

The Sierra Wireless AirLink RX55 is tailored for mission-critical applications and offers cutting-edge security, seamless device management, and resilience in challenging environments. Available in three variants for use in North America, APAC, and EMEA - AirLink RX55 Base, AirLink RX55 Wi-Fi, and AirLink RX55 Wi-Fi Plus - it empowers IT and OT managers to seamlessly connect, monitor, and extract valuable insights from mission-critical assets, even in the harshest and most remote environments. This router is equipped with adaptable software-defined routing functionalities and boasts a future-ready design that facilitates the integration of emerging edge applications, thanks to its support for containers and centralized remote management services. Additionally, the inclusion of a serial option ensures seamless connectivity with legacy industrial equipment.

Sierra Wireless prioritizes end-to-end security for the AirLink RX55. It fortifies data from the device to the cloud, offering robust features like remote authentication, port filtering, trusted IP functionality, MAC address filtering, PCI compatibility, and secure firmware updates. These measures ensure data integrity and protection against cyber threats.

The AirLink RX55 is fortified with an array of security features, including:

• Remote Authentication, supporting protocols such as LDAP, RADIUS, TACACS+, and DMZ.
• Inbound and Outbound Port Filtering to control data flow.
• Inbound and Outbound Trusted IP functionality for enhanced network security.
• MAC Address Filtering to manage device access.
• PCI (Payment Card Industry) compatibility for secure financial transactions.
• Secure Firmware Updates to ensure the latest security patches and enhancements are seamlessly integrated, bolstering the device's defense against cyber threats.

The AirLink RX55 also offers support for private networking bands, including Band 48, which encompasses the Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) in the United States. This ensures secure and reliable connectivity options tailored to specific networking needs.

The AirLink RX55 boasts a comprehensive device management system that simplifies adding new devices, removing outdated ones, and ensuring devices consistently run the latest firmware and security patches. This streamlines operations and keeps the network up-to-date without disrupting productivity.

Engineered for the harshest conditions, the AirLink RX55 features a rugged construction with MIL-STD-810G certification for resilience against shock, vibration, thermal shock, and humidity. It also holds an IP64 rating for dust and moisture resistance, making it suitable for demanding environments. Its low power consumption, consuming less than one watt in standby mode, is ideal for battery or solar-powered remote operations. It’s also Class 1 Division 2 (C1D2) certified, signifying its suitability for operation in hazardous conditions with an operating temperature range extending from -40°C to +70°C (-40°F to +158°F) for the base unit and from -30°C to +70°C (-22°F to +158°F) for the Wi-Fi variant.

The AirLink RX55 stands out as one of the most energy-efficient industrial wireless routers available, consuming less than one watt of power in standby mode. This, combined with its broad operating voltage range, makes the AirLink RX55 an excellent choice for battery or solar-powered remote operations, where power efficiency is paramount.

AirLink Complete encompasses essential elements for seamless router management and support. It grants access to the AirLink Management Service (ALMS), which provides 24/7 technical support for swift and remote issue detection, diagnosis, and resolution. Additionally, AirLink Complete extends the hardware warranty for up to five years, ensuring the longevity of the solution. The package includes unlimited firmware updates and security patches to keep the router up-to-date.

One of the primary benefits of AirLink Complete is the comprehensive router management facilitated by ALMS. This service supports over-the-air device registration, configuration, and software updates. Configurable dashboards offer real-time insights into the entire device fleet, while customized reports can be configured to monitor critical events and proactively prevent downtime.

The interactive monitoring dashboard and map visually represent all deployed AirLink routers' status, signal strength, and location. Users can drill down to quickly troubleshoot devices or update older firmware versions with a single click. Advanced heartbeat reporting and custom alerts can be set up to notify when devices go offline, enabling faster issue identification, reduced downtime, and fewer field trips.

AirLink OS represents Sierra Wireless' next-generation router operating system, designed for industrial customers. It enables the concurrent use of multiple data sessions via support for multiple Access Point Names (APNs) and intelligently manages traffic across Wide Area Network (WAN) links using Cognitive Wireless technology.

AirLink OS seamlessly integrates with ALMS to remotely manage these features and configure, recover, reboot, and update routers as required. Its user-friendly interface simplifies implementation and enables real-time changes and updates, reducing router administration time and costs.

Incorporated into AirLink OS, cognitive wireless technology functions as a software-defined WAN (SD-WAN) technology. It intelligently routes traffic across multiple WAN links, ensuring continuous connectivity and optimizing cost and bandwidth usage. Users can establish rules for their routers, directing them to use cellular, Wi-Fi, or Ethernet networks or distribute traffic between these networks based on data type, network conditions, and router location.

AirLink OS introduces multi-APN support through a private APN solution. This feature allows for the segregation of different types of traffic, such as SCADA serial traffic and video streaming over Ethernet, via separate APNs. Configuration specifics are handled in the cloud, reducing deployment time while all APN details are contained within the core network, ensuring robustness and reducing errors associated with reconfigurations. Multi-APN enhances network security by routing critical data through a private connection while directing internet-bound traffic through a public APN.

The AirLink RX55 introduces advanced edge computing capabilities, offering customers the means to reduce latency for critical applications and alleviate network congestion. Within the AirLink OS, a Docker container layer empowers customers to develop and deploy their applications using their preferred programming languages and libraries.

Shifting computational intelligence to the edge enhances performance and bolsters the solution's overall security. By minimizing data transmission and the potential impact of a security breach, the AirLink RX55 fortifies data protection. Its edge computing and adaptable routing features allow industrial customers to establish rules and encryption mechanisms that securely identify and transmit only the specific data deemed essential.

The AirLink RX55 is equipped with comprehensive multi-band support that spans the globe, providing extensive coverage across public networks and top-tier private networking options. The router also caters to specific bands such as T-Mobile Band 71, CBRS Band 48, and AT&T FirstNet Band 14, ensuring a wide-reaching and adaptable network connectivity solution.