Satellite Communication Iridium® CloudConnect

Iridium® CloudConnect

Iridium CloudConnect is the first and only satellite cloud-based solution that offers truly global coverage for IoT applications.

Request a quote

Overview

Iridium® Simplifies Adoption of IoT Solutions with Amazon Web Services

Iridium CloudConnect makes use of AWS, Amazon’s hosted cloud-computing platform. It enables companies building out the internet of things (IoT) capabilities on AWS to extend their reach globally through the Iridium® network. Iridium CloudConnect is an adapter service that transfers Short Burst Data® (SBD®) from an Iridium-based device directly to a specifi ed cloud service, initially AWS.

Overview
Iridium CloudConnect is thefirst and only satellite cloud-based solution that offers truly global coverage for IoT applications.
Iridium CloudConnect and AWS together provide a powerful tool for developers looking for a singular communications platform to manage connected devices. It also allows existing AWS customers to expand the reach of their IoT solutions with the global coverage and connectivity of the Iridium network while continuing to use industry-standard protocols and practices. At the same time, Iridium customers now have access to IoT data in their AWS solution without added development efforts and impacts.

Service
Iridium CloudConnect enables devices to send and receive messages through the AWS-hosted service without having to develop a connecting service to the Iridium SBD Gateway. Data is transferred through closed carrier networks and dedicated secure private connections between Iridium and AWS.
Iridium CloudConnect is set up using cross-account authentication, and a simple script that sets up the infrastructure needed to support the service. Customers receive their SBD device data in a Simple Queue Service (SQS) queue in JSON format. Customer queues reside in the customer’s own AWS VPC environment.
At launch, Iridium CloudConnect will support SBD functionality. We expect to address other Iridium protocols such as circuit-switched data (RUDICS) and Iridium Certus® for IoT in future phases, as well as to adopt integration with AWS IoT Core and AWS device management functionality.

The implementation of the Iridium CloudConnect solution follows a high-level process:

  • Iridium and partner set up cross-account security role using AWS console (IAM user)
  • Iridium provides CloudFormation template to Partner (creates all the AWS infrastructure in the Partner AWS EC2 instance)
  • SBD devices set to use Iridium CloudConnect IP as destination (SPnet)
  • Partner extracts/insert MO/MT from SQS queues in their own AWS account instead of via the SBD gateway (DirectIP/Email/VPN)

Markets/Applications
Iridium CloudConnect supports Satellite IoT markets and is targeted at customers who utilize cloud environments for application hosting. Iridium CloudConnect is of specifi c value to Operational and Information Technology professionals in partner enterprise and business applications. Iridium CloudConnect and AWS provide additional opportunities to optimize applications and deliver over the top services such as data science and analytics within a secure and resilient environment.

  • Features
  • Downloads

Applications

  • Asset Tracking
  • Digitization of Physical Assets for effective monitoring of health, location, and utilization
  • Predicting Asset and Equipment Failures
  • Supply chain management

Fleet Monitoring

  • Real-time vehicle location, status, and health
  • Real-time incident management
  • Instant connection to your fleet and management of logistics operations
  • Improved ETA predictions
  • Optimization of transportation and logistics services

Remote Worker

  • Real-time visibility into work environments
  • Regulatory compliance through accident prevention Management of workplace incidents
  • Automation of time and labor tracking

Key Advantages

  • Aligns with industry evolving IoT messaging standards and message consumption protocols.
  • Leverages AWS global, redundant infrastructure and support.
  • Iridium uses a dedicated secure and private connection for Iridium CloudConnect traffic. This connection directly connects Iridium to AWS without using the public internet.
  • SBD messages converted to JSON are placed in a Simple Queue Service (SQS) queue in the Partners AWS cloud environment.
  • Iridium will add/upgrade future messaging options without changes to the Iridium CloudConnect Partner interface.
  • Does not replace any SBD functionality – current backend delivery options remain as they are today.

Iridium CloudConnect Brochure

Request a quote