EMnify: Building a Cloud Native Mobile Network for IoT Leveraging AWS's Global Infrastructure

Summary

In 'This is My Architecture', Steffen from EMnify explains how their API-driven mobile network enables global cellular connectivity for IoT devices like e-scooters. He details the process from SIM card integration to backend communication, showcasing EMnify's architecture on AWS with a focus on high-speed data processing and security. The platform supports various protocols and is ahead of the telco industry in cloud-native mobile network solutions.

Takeaways

• 🌐 EMnify provides an API-driven mobile network that enables global cellular connectivity for devices.
• 🛴 For e-scooter platforms, EMnify offers tiny SIM chips that can be integrated into the devices for connectivity.
• 🔒 The platform supports security configurations and features that can be managed via an API Gateway and a customer portal.
• 🌍 EMnify has roaming agreements with over 540 operators in more than 180 countries, facilitating global connectivity.
• 🔄 The IP exchange is a global private network for cellular roaming traffic, connecting multiple carriers for reliable service.
• 🚀 Data communication from devices like e-scooters to the backend involves establishing a connection through the mobile network and AWS platform.
• 🛡️ The architecture includes a UDP network load balancer and a control plane application that handles session creation requests using the GDP protocol.
• 📈 Customers can configure their devices for automated provisioning, configuration, and monitoring through EMnify's platform.
• 🔑 The platform responds to device requests with information such as IP addresses, facilitating data flow between the device and backend.
• 📶 Customers have the flexibility to choose communication protocols like MQTT or HTTP for backend communication.
• 🚀 EMnify's architecture is cloud-native, running on AWS, and is ahead of the traditional telco industry in adopting software-based and cloud architectures.

Q & A

What is EMnify and what does it specialize in?

EMnify is an API-driven mobile network that enables customers to connect their devices reliably anywhere in the world using cellular connectivity.

How does EMnify enable connectivity for devices like e-scooters?

EMnify provides tiny SIM cards in the form of chips that can be soldered into devices like e-scooters, allowing them to connect to the cellular network and communicate with backend applications.

What is the role of the cellular modem and EMnify SIM card in an e-scooter?

The cellular modem and EMnify SIM card in an e-scooter enable it to report its status, such as battery level and coordinates, and to be unlocked remotely by the customer application.

How does the e-scooter communicate with the backend application?

The e-scooter communicates with the backend application by establishing a connection through the mobile network, which sends a request to EMnify's platform hosted on AWS.

What is the significance of roaming with more than 540 operators in 180 countries for EMnify?

Roaming with over 540 operators in 180 countries allows EMnify to provide global connectivity for its customers' devices, ensuring they can connect anywhere in the world.

What is the IP exchange in the context of EMnify's architecture?

The IP exchange is a global private network used for cellular roaming traffic, interconnecting all the operators that EMnify works with, ensuring reliable connectivity.

How does EMnify's platform handle incoming requests from devices?

Incoming requests from devices are received by a UDP network load balancer, which then forwards them to the control plane application that processes the requests according to the SIM card's configuration.

What is the GDP protocol and how is it used in EMnify's platform?

The GDP protocol is used in mobile networks for session creation. EMnify's control plane application uses this protocol to handle requests from devices like e-scooters.

How does EMnify's platform enable customers to configure security features for their devices?

Customers can configure security features for their devices using EMnify's API Gateway and portal, or by integrating the platform into their applications for automated device provisioning, configuration, and monitoring.

What is the role of the user plane in EMnify's architecture?

The user plane in EMnify's architecture is responsible for handling all the IP traffic once the session is created and the device is ready to communicate with the backend.

What are the options for communication protocols that customers can use with EMnify's platform?

Customers can choose from various communication protocols depending on their implementation needs, including HTTP or MQTT, with the latter being more suitable for IoT use cases.

How does EMnify ensure high-speed data processing in its architecture?

EMnify uses a specialized framework for high-speed packet processing in a cluster of EC2 instances to handle high throughput use cases.

What makes EMnify's architecture special in the context of the telecommunications industry?

EMnify's architecture is special because it is a cloud-native mobile network running on AWS, which gives it an advantage over the traditional telco industry that is just beginning to migrate to software-based architectures with 5G.