What is failover – and why is it crucial for your IoT infrastructure?

How failover works

Failover is an automatic function that immediately switches from a primary connection to a preconfigured alternative, i.e. a secondary connection, if the first one fails for any reason. This can involve several different types of switchover:

• Communication moves from active hardware to passive redundant hardware.
• An IoT system switches from a fixed network connection (such as fibre or ADSL) to a mobile network connection.
• The system switches from one mobile operator to another, for example using a SIM card that supports multiple networks (multi-IMSI).

The primary goal of failover is to ensure that your connected device – whether it is a critical heat pump, an elevator with emergency communication or a charging station for electric vehicles – remains connected and fully functional, even in the event of unexpected network failures, power cuts or other disruptions.

Why is failover key to peace of mind for your IoT solutions?

IoT solutions are increasingly used in contexts where connectivity is not just an advantage, but an absolutely essential component for safety and function. Without failover, the risk of serious consequences increases significantly.

Failover is particularly important for:

• Critical infrastructure: Think of remote-controlled pumps in a waterworks, control systems for the power grid or advanced wastewater management systems. An outage here can have consequences for society as a whole.
• Safety functions: Fire alarms, elevators with emergency phones, security cameras or access control systems must work without interruption to guarantee people's safety.
• Services with high SLA requirements (Service Level Agreements): In industries where every minute of downtime means significant losses, both financially and in terms of damaged reputation, failover is a must. This can include connected payment terminals, transport logistics or smart city solutions.
• Data integrity and control: An outage can lead to lost data, which makes analysis, reporting and correct decision-making more difficult.

In the worst case, a lack of failover can lead directly to security problems, major financial losses, inefficiency and seriously damaged customer trust.

Example: failover in practice

Imagine a connected heat pump in a remotely controlled property system that suddenly loses its primary internet connection – perhaps because of a local fibre network fault. With an intelligent failover solution, the router immediately and automatically switches to another available network solution. This can be done by using a SIM card to connect to an available mobile network. In this way, critical communication with the control system is maintained without interruption, and the heat pump can continue to regulate the indoor climate as usual. No downtime, no discomfort for the end user.

How to build failover into your solution

To implement a robust failover solution, you need three primary components that work together:

• An IoT router with built-in support for failover functions: The router is the heart of the solution and must be able to handle automatic switching. Features such as dual SIM (to be able to use two different SIM cards and therefore operators) or WAN backup (to switch between mobile broadband and a fixed network) are essential here.
• One or more IoT SIMs with support for multiple operators or network profiles: These SIM cards are your "plan B" and ensure that the device has access to alternative networks if there are problems with the primary connection. Multi-IMSI SIMs are an excellent choice here.
• A central platform for monitoring and management: To have full control, you need a platform where you can monitor the devices' connectivity in real time. Here you receive alarms and detailed logs if failover has been activated, giving you insight into what has happened and why, for proactive management.

Qubit helps you with operational reliability – around the clock

Building failover into your IoT solution is about creating resilience and peace of mind. At Qubit we have long experience of designing and implementing high-availability systems in a wide range of industries.

We offer a complete solution – from robust hardware and flexible IoT SIM cards to advanced platforms with built-in support for failover. With Qubit as your partner, you can feel confident that your IoT solution works stably and securely, even when the unexpected happens. Let us help you protect your systems and your business.

Are you ready to secure your IoT infrastructure against unexpected outages?

Contact Qubit today for an in-depth discussion about how we can implement failover in your solution and increase your operational reliability!