Cloud Computing - MiFi as Internet Access Contingency Option

Last week we looked at "Cloud Computing – Internet Access is Everything". As IT Consultant Andy Scott has said “Loss of Internet = loss of information systems. PERIOD.” Not a comfortable or useful position to be in if your business is reliant on email and the internet to function, especially using cloud applications.

You will have reviewed each cloud provider, before using them, for their backup, recovery and contingency plans. You realise you have to take the internet as it is, and so far so good. But what can you do at your end?

Obviously it helps if there are at least two independent ways of accessing the internet. For this purpose, broadband providers that share some of BT's infrastructure are not independent of BT nor of each other.

Virgin Media and BT provide two basically separate fixed line networks. Subscribing to both provides the opportunity to switch from one to the other when necessary, and perhaps share devices across the two networks day-to-day. But this is not always practical, especially for micro-businesses and if only one network is available at a particular location.

The other independent way is using 3G. For some years, since Vodafone introduced the first 3G dongle for a laptop, I've used a dongle as often the easiest way to access the internet whilst working on client premises. It has also acted as a contingency backup at base, being used for several days on two occasions, firstly when BT's service was vandalised, and secondly when waiting for a new line during an office move.

But a dongle for every device at home, or every member of staff in a larger business can be prohibitively expensive. I found an affordable option by chance, simply because my dongle SIM wouldn't fit into my new iPad and I asked for a solution that didn't involve paying for a new micro-SIM contract.

In July mobile operator Three launched a "MiFi" dongle. This takes a standard Three data SIM (like mine from my old-style dongle) but shares it between up to 5 devices, which connect not via USB but via a WiFi wireless connection. This means any WiFi-enabled device, such as wireless laptops and iPads, can access the internet. Five devices can access the internet for a similar cost to one device previously, subject to the amount of data they download and transfer.

Each MiFi unit comes with a different security code (not mentioned on any web site that I could find). This code is used very simply to connect each device to the unit and internet. So no-one in that crowded train can steal your bandwidth. Data usage displays on the unit's mini-screen, which gives a real-time indication just how much data YouTube videos and other activities take, which in turn helps to judge monthly data needs.

It also means anyone considering buying an iPad doesn't need to pay the £100 extra for a 3G version, provided you're happy to take the MiFi around with you in a pocket or handbag.

With Three investing heavily in making their network the best in the UK, Three's MiFi unit really is a great way to provide contingency internet access, as well as day-to-day access for any WiFi-enabled mobile devices such as iPads.

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