In a region as vast and diverse as Sub-Saharan Africa, reliable connectivity is often out of reach for remote areas. Traditional terrestrial networks fail to bridge this gap due to geographic and economic challenges. Enter VSAT (Very Small Aperture Terminal) and SD-WAN (Software-Defined Wide Area Network)—a powerhouse combination designed to tackle connectivity challenges and bring robust, business-grade networks to even the most isolated locations.
Fusion’s SD-WAN solution, tested in collaboration with Paratus in South Africa, has redefined the potential of satellite-based networks, offering unparalleled performance and reliability. Here's how this breakthrough technology works and the benefits it brings to the region.
What is VSAT?
VSAT is a satellite communication technology that uses small dish antennas to provide internet and private network connectivity. A typical VSAT setup includes:
Remote Nodes: VSAT terminals installed at remote sites.
Earth Landing Station: A central hub that connects the satellite to terrestrial networks.
Satellite: The medium that bridges remote nodes and the earth station.
VSAT is an excellent choice for remote areas where terrestrial connectivity options, like fibre or mobile networks, are non-existent or unreliable. Industries such as mining, agriculture, and energy in Sub-Saharan Africa depend heavily on VSAT to maintain operations in these challenging locations.
SD-WAN | A Perfect Fit for VSAT
SD-WAN provides software-based control over wide-area networks, enabling dynamic traffic routing and enhanced performance. When paired with VSAT, SD-WAN ensures optimal use of satellite links by addressing traditional satellite connectivity challenges like latency, jitter, and packet loss.
Fusion's SD-WAN solution fits seamlessly with VSAT, much like a hand in a glove. Here's why:
Dynamic Path Optimization: SD-WAN routes traffic intelligently, ensuring critical applications get priority while optimising bandwidth.
Centralised Management: Businesses can monitor and control all remote sites from a single interface.
Resilience and Reliability: With failover capabilities, SD-WAN ensures uninterrupted connectivity, even during satellite link degradation.
Paratus & Fusion’s Game-Changing Collaboration
Paratus, a leading provider of network solutions in South Africa, operates a state-of-the-art earth landing station in Centurion. Connected via local fibre to Teraco’s data centres in Isando, this facility addresses a significant challenge for satellite-based solutions: the location of the earth station.
Historically, broadband satellite solutions serving South Africa used earth stations in Portugal or Saudi Arabia. This caused high backhaul latency to South African business systems, making these solutions impractical. Paratus has eliminated this barrier by bringing the landing station closer to home, reducing latency and enabling local routing.
Fusion’s SD-WAN, tested with Paratus’s infrastructure, integrates flawlessly into this setup. With SD-WAN aggregators installed at Silicon Sky in Teraco, the entire solution operated like a well-oiled clock, delivering reliable, low-latency performance.
Why the Physical Hub-and-Spoke Architecture Matters
Both VSAT and SD-WAN rely on a hub-and-spoke model for connectivity:
VSAT: The satellite connects remote nodes to the earth station, where traffic is routed to terrestrial networks.
SD-WAN: The hub (or aggregator) serves as the central point for managing and optimising traffic from remote branches.
This alignment ensures seamless integration. However, when the earth station and SD-WAN hub are located on different continents, as was previously the case, backhaul latency rendered the solution unusable for South African businesses. Paratus’s local landing station resolves this issue, allowing Fusion’s SD-WAN to fully leverage the benefits of VSAT.
The Benefits for Sub-Saharan Africa
The Fusion-Paratus collaboration brings transformative benefits to the region:
Business-Grade Connectivity: Industries in remote areas can access high-quality internet and private networks.
Localised Latency: With the earth station and SD-WAN hub in South Africa, latency-sensitive applications like video conferencing and VoIP work seamlessly.
Enhanced Productivity: Businesses experience uninterrupted operations, even in remote and rugged locations.
Regional Impact: This solution supports economic growth by enabling connectivity for industries like mining, agriculture, and energy, which are vital to the region.
Wrap
The combination of VSAT and Fusion’s SD-WAN is more than a technological advancement—it’s a lifeline for remote businesses across Sub-Saharan Africa. By overcoming challenges like latency and providing reliable, intelligent connectivity, this solution empowers industries to thrive, even in the most challenging environments.
Thanks to Paratus’s local earth landing station and Fusion’s leading SD-WAN capabilities, the region now has access to a connectivity solution that operates with the precision of a finely tuned machine. Sub-Saharan Africa is stepping into a future where no business, no matter how remote, is left behind.
