In sectors like defense, manufacturing, shipping, and mining, delivering resilient, always-on, mission-critical communications is a tough challenge. Assets and teams may be constantly moving. Equipment and personnel may be exposed to extreme temperatures, humidity, dust, vibration, or electromagnetic interference. The stakes are high: downtime can result in significant safety risks, financial loss, or mission failure, so networks must deliver near-constant availability.

To do so, networks must support diverse communication paths, including satellite links, and provide real-time visibility into service levels to ensure a consistent quality experience. Like all businesses today, organizations in these sectors also face rapidly growing data demands driven by AI and automation, requiring advanced network architectures that balance performance, cost efficiency, and sustainability.

Commanding resilient communications in the defense sector

One of our defense customers is using advanced network assurance and automation to overcome their connectivity challenges. Operating in a classified environment, the organization's operations demand rock-solid fleet connectivity via satellite communications. Using Cisco Provider Connectivity Assurance, they gain end-to-end visibility to monitor service-level agreements (SLAs) across multiple satellite paths-vital for keeping mission-critical communications resilient and uninterrupted.

Here's how it works: Imagine a defense operation running multiple SATCOM paths within a classified SD-WAN deployment. When interference degrades one satellite route, Cisco Provider Connectivity Assurance instantly detects the SLA drop, triggers automated policies, and reroutes traffic to a stronger path with no operator needed. This seamless, automated multipath adjustment keeps command and control features intact while reducing operational risk and ensuring that mission-critical communications operate continuously in the most demanding environments. The benefits are clear: sharper mission readiness, reliable connectivity, and reduced risk of communication failures.

Seamless integration for resilient connectivity

Cisco Provider Connectivity Assurance integrates with SD-WAN multipath architectures and automation frameworks. This enables dynamic path selection and rapid failover-features that help ensure continuous connectivity, even under adverse conditions. By combining real-time SLA monitoring with automated network orchestration, customers can proactively detect and resolve issues before they adversely impact operations.

Here are examples of mission-critical network features in demanding industries.

Resilient fleet communications through SATCOM links

Nonstop, reliable connectivity for fleet operations via satellite is essential where terrestrial networks fail or don't exist. Strong SATCOM links keep mission-critical communications alive, even in remote environments.

Comprehensive visibility across multiple satellite paths in a secure, classified network

Real-time, end-to-end SLA insights across primary and backup satellite routes enable early detection of issues and strict compliance with operational demands.

Integration of SD-WAN multipath networking and automation to maximize network performance

This integration works seamlessly with SD-WAN architectures using multiple paths at once, while automation enables dynamic traffic steering and rapid failover between satellite and terrestrial links. This strategy maximizes uptime and boosts network performance, keeping communications going even when individual paths degrade.

Proactive assurance protects user experience, which is often mission-critical in certain industries. Continuous health and performance monitoring spots potential problems before they impact users.

If you're responsible for network management in demanding environments, explore how to strengthen your communications infrastructure with smart network assurance and automation that adapts on the fly. Utilize robust satellite connectivity, clear SLA insights across multiple secure routes, and tight SD-WAN integration for instant traffic rerouting. This combination delivers secure, high-performance connections that keep your operations resilient and missions on track.

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