Your business has two internet connections. One is the primary circuit. The other is the backup. So you're protected if the primary connection fails. Right?
Not necessarily.
One of the most overlooked problems in enterprise network design is that two internet connections can appear completely independent on paper while sharing the same physical infrastructure somewhere along the route. When that infrastructure fails, both connections can disappear at the same time.
For businesses in San Antonio that depend on cloud applications, VoIP phones, security systems, payment processing, remote access, logistics systems and other connected operations, understanding the difference between provider redundancy and physical path diversity can be critical.
Two Internet Providers Don't Always Mean Two Network Paths
Imagine a San Antonio business purchases its primary internet connection from Carrier A. Management decides the company needs redundancy, so it purchases a second connection from Carrier B. That sounds like a redundant network.
The business has:
- Two providers.
- Two bills.
- Two circuits.
- Possibly even two different pieces of equipment.
But somewhere outside the building, both connections may enter the same underground conduit. They may cross the same bridge. They may follow the same utility easement. They may enter the building through the same telecommunications entrance. They may even depend on common upstream infrastructure.
Everything works perfectly until that shared physical route is damaged. Then both providers can go offline.
Two providers do not necessarily mean two physically diverse network paths.
The Backhoe Problem
One of the simplest examples is construction damage. Underground telecommunications infrastructure runs beneath streets, parking lots, sidewalks and commercial developments throughout San Antonio. A construction crew working nearby can accidentally damage fiber infrastructure.
If both of your internet circuits use fiber located inside the affected conduit or physical corridor, having two providers may not matter. Both circuits can fail.
The problem wasn't the internet provider. The problem was the shared physical path.
This is why serious network redundancy requires asking a different question. Not simply:
"Do we have two internet providers?"
But:
"Do we have two physically different ways out of this building?"
What Is Physical Path Diversity?
Physical path diversity means designing network connections so that a single physical incident is less likely to disable every available path. For example:
Fiber enters the building underground from the street.
A rooftop point-to-point wireless connection communicates with network infrastructure at another location.
Now the two connections don't simply use different providers. They use fundamentally different physical paths. One travels underground. The other travels through the air. That can provide a much stronger redundancy strategy.
Your backup connection should have a different path.
Fiber + Wireless Can Create True Network Diversity
Fiber is an excellent technology. NetWest uses fiber extensively throughout our own network and San Antonio enterprise network deployments. But every fiber circuit ultimately depends on physical infrastructure.
Wireless provides another way to move the data. A properly engineered point-to-point wireless or licensed microwave connection can create a network path between locations without following the same underground route as the primary fiber connection. That makes wireless particularly useful for enterprise backup applications.
Primary Connection
Backup Connection
If the primary fiber route fails, network traffic can be redirected through the wireless connection.
If the primary fiber route fails, network traffic can be redirected through the wireless connection.
Wireless Backup Is Different From Cellular Failover
Many businesses use cellular routers as an emergency internet connection. For some applications, that can be perfectly appropriate. But cellular backup and dedicated point-to-point wireless are different technologies designed for different requirements.
A dedicated wireless connection can potentially provide:
- Higher dedicated capacity
- More predictable performance
- Lower latency
- Dedicated network architecture
- Enterprise routing options
- Private network transport
- Greater control over the network path
The appropriate solution depends on the facility and its bandwidth requirements. A small office may be adequately protected by cellular backup. A distribution facility moving large amounts of operational data may require something significantly more robust.
What Happens When Enterprise Internet Goes Down?
For many businesses, internet connectivity is no longer simply used for email and web browsing. The network may support:
- Cloud applications
- VoIP telephone systems
- Security cameras
- Access control
- Point-of-sale systems
- Inventory systems
- Warehouse management
- Shipping systems
- Remote employees
- VPN connections
- Building automation
- IoT devices
- ERP systems
- Customer-facing applications
When connectivity disappears, portions of the business can effectively stop operating. That changes the economics of network redundancy.
The question isn't simply:
"How much does a backup connection cost?"
The better question may be:
"What does one hour without connectivity cost?"