With the proliferation of IoT devices, it’s easy to forget how much they play into our everyday lives. Aside from consumer tech, like Amazon’s Alexa and automated light switches, IoT devices are ingrained in the infrastructure of businesses in every industry.
Business demand has driven this explosion in IoT devices and platforms, and in turn, technological advances such as 5G have enabled this growth. However, in a globalized business environment, ensuring connectivity can be challenging. Couchbase has partnered with Soracom, a cellular network solutions company, to support diverse connectivity standards in support of IoT.
Support for Diverse Locations, Remote Areas
Couchbase’s Capella database as a service, featuring scalability, security, and offline data synching, is already a favored database for many companies invested in IoT connectivity. Through a partnership with Soracom, Couchbase is making it easier for customers to connect IoT devices in numerous geographical locations and remote areas where connectivity is often unavailable through non-cellular networks.
Soracom enables IoT devices to connect through various cellular networks, including 5G, 4G LTE, and LPWAN. It produces SIM cards that support multiple speeds and provide connectivity across diverse cellular networks, which can be used in IoT devices for international deployments. By enabling this connectivity, Soracom can support Cappella customers utilizing IoT devices where other wireless communications, like WiFi and Bluetooth, are unavailable or lacking.
Ask Cloud Wars AI Agent about this analysis
In addition to supporting IoT connectivity without reliable WiFi or Bluetooth connections, cellular networks have other benefits, such as comprehensive coverage, low latency, higher speeds, and enhanced device density, particularly in the case of 5G. At the same time, some 4G LTE standard connections focus on minimizing power consumption. This ultimately leads to a longer lifespan for devices.
By partnering with Soracom, Couchbase will enable its customers to accelerate IoT use cases and allow these use cases to work efficiently regardless of geographic location. The core benefits are as follows:
Security: Soracom enables devices operating at the edge to transmit data to the cloud via a cellular connection, maintaining end-to-end data security and encryption. The security protocols align with Couchbase’s native secure network capabilities, access controls, and data storage.
Increased efficiency: IoT devices are more efficient by providing real-time data through cellular connections and taking advantage of automated processes.
Cost savings: Increased efficiency also leads to cost savings because delays are reduced and manual procedures are unnecessary. Because devices can be managed and monitored remotely, this reduces financial outlays.
Important Efficiency Gains
Couchbase Capella, with its “always on” promise, was already well-positioned to support the data collected by IoT devices and has a series of well-known clients utilizing the platform for this purpose. One customer, Pepsico, utilized Capella to enable 30,000 users, including staff in the field, to perform multiple operations, such as placing orders and managing sales in stores.
This ability to function even without internet access was and continues to be a key selling point. However, this new partnership steps things up. As well as providing secure, globally distributed IoT devices, there are considerable gains in efficiency that result from taking advantage of the latest developments in cellular technology.
