Top Tips for Maximizing Satellite Bandwidth Efficiency

7 min read
28 September 2023

Satellite communication plays a crucial role in enabling connectivity in remote areas and providing reliable communication for various industries such as Maritime cyber security, government, energy, and more. However, satellite bandwidth is a finite resource, making it important to optimize its usage. In this blog, we will explore top tips for maximizing satellite bandwidth efficiency, with a focus on the OptiVIEW platform by IEC Telecom.

1.  Utilize OptiVIEW for Complete Visibility:

OptiVIEW, developed by IEC Telecom, a Satellite communications solutions provider provides a comprehensive platform for managing satellite communication links. With the OptiVIEW online dashboard, users can access real-time status updates of each satellite line, assess bandwidth distribution between corporate and crew consumption, control filters remotely, and more. By having complete visibility over satellite communication usage, users can identify areas for optimization and ensure the efficient utilization of available bandwidth.

2.  Customized Filtration Management:

One of the key features offered by OptiVIEW is advanced filtration management. Users can control filters remotely and disable specific profiles instantly. Additionally, access settings can be adjusted to apply more restrictive profiles when necessary or enable a larger number of categories to ease restrictions. By customizing filters based on specific needs, unnecessary data consumption can be minimized, resulting in optimized bandwidth utilization.

3.  Prioritize Business Traffic:

OptiVIEW allows users to prioritize business traffic and control access on an ongoing basis. By assigning higher priority to essential business applications and data, users ensure that critical operations receive sufficient bandwidth while non-essential activities are appropriately limited. This prioritization ensures efficient utilization of the available satellite bandwidth and prevents unnecessary congestion.

4.  Monitor Bandwidth Usage:

Monitoring bandwidth usage is crucial for optimizing satellite bandwidth efficiency. With OptiVIEW, users can generate detailed usage reports based on visited websites, applications used, as well as blocked requests. These usage reports help in identifying bandwidth-intensive activities and allow users to make informed decisions to optimize bandwidth allocation. Regular monitoring enables proactive management of bandwidth consumption, resulting in better efficiency.

5.  Weather-Based Service Optimization:

OptiVIEW also offers access to detailed weather conditions based on the location of the VSAT being used and the signal levels of the antennas. By having this information, IT managers can anticipate any potential degradation of service due to weather conditions. They can schedule maintenance windows accordingly and manage crew data consumption and provisioning for optimal use of available bandwidth.

6.  Bandwidth Optimization Tools:

OptiVIEW provides tools to analyze and optimize bandwidth usage. Users can access detailed bandwidth usage graphs per network to visually gauge and compare the status of each satellite link. This allows users to identify any inefficient or underutilized links and take appropriate actions to optimize bandwidth allocation. Assessing the distribution of bandwidth between corporate and crew welfare activities ensures that the available bandwidth is assigned proportionally, avoiding wastage.

7.  Use Compression Techniques:

Using compression techniques can be a highly effective method to optimize satellite bandwidth usage. Compression allows more data to be transmitted through a satellite link by reducing the size of the data transferred. OptiVIEW supports data compression techniques, including MNP/V.42, to enable a more efficient use of satellite bandwidth. By compressing data, the amount of bandwidth used to transmit information is reduced, resulting in more efficient utilization of available bandwidth. This can be particularly beneficial for businesses that regularly transmit large files, such as video or images.

8.  Implement Data Caching:

Caching data can significantly reduce satellite bandwidth usage. Data caching involves the storage of frequently accessed data files locally on a device’s storage to reduce the amount of data that needs to be transmitted through a satellite link. OptiVIEW supports local caching, which can reduce the amount of data transmitted through satellite links by storing frequently accessed files locally. This can be particularly useful for applications that require access to large files frequently, such as multimedia content or maps. By utilizing data caching, businesses can optimize their satellite bandwidth usage and minimize congestion on their satellite links.

9.  Utilize WAN Optimization:

WAN optimization can be a powerful tool in maximizing satellite bandwidth efficiency. WAN optimization technology improves the performance of applications and minimizes the amount of bandwidth consumed when applications are in use. OptiVIEW supports WAN optimization technologies such as Riverbed WAN optimization, which reduces the amount of data transmitted through satellite links by optimizing application performance. This ensures that applications perform optimally over satellite links, consuming minimal bandwidth. This, in turn, can lead to significant improvements in the efficiency of satellite bandwidth utilization.

10. Optimize Network Performance:

Satellite networks are subject to many factors that can impact overall network performance. In order to optimize network performance and ensure efficient satellite bandwidth utilization, it is important to identify and address any issues that may be impacting network performance. OptiVIEW provides users with a suite of tools designed to manage and maintain the performance of satellite networks, such as ping, traceroute, and bandwidth testing. These tools allow administrators to monitor network performance and identify issues that may be impacting the efficiency of satellite bandwidth utilization. By addressing these issues, businesses can optimize their satellite bandwidth usage and improve network performance.

Conclusion:

Maximizing satellite bandwidth efficiency is crucial for businesses operating in remote areas. Implementing the top tips discussed in this blog, such as utilizing OptiVIEW for complete visibility, customized filtration management, prioritizing business traffic, monitoring usage, and using weather-based optimization, can help businesses optimize satellite bandwidth usage. Additionally, implementing compression techniques, data caching, WAN optimization, and optimizing network performance can lead to significant improvements in satellite bandwidth utilization. By implementing these strategies, organizations can make the most of their available satellite bandwidth, enhance their operations, increase productivity, and improve communication capabilities in remote areas.

In conclusion, effective satellite bandwidth management is crucial for businesses operating in remote areas. By deploying the OptiVIEW platform by IEC Telecom and utilizing the top tips discussed in this blog, businesses can enhance satellite bandwidth efficiency, streamline bandwidth management, and improve the overall connectivity of their Satellite communications services. The OptiVIEW platform is a powerful tool that offers valuable features, such as filtration management, usage monitoring, and weather-based optimization. By leveraging these features, businesses can maximize their satellite bandwidth utilization, boost network performance, and improve productivity in remote areas. With these tips, businesses can overcome the challenges of limited satellite bandwidth and ensure efficient and effective communication in remote locations.

 

In case you have found a mistake in the text, please send a message to the author by selecting the mistake and pressing Ctrl-Enter.
IEC Telecom 2
Joined: 6 months ago
Comments (0)

    No comments yet

You must be logged in to comment.

Sign In / Sign Up