Episode 36 — Satellite Links: latency reality and use cases that fit
Satellite connectivity shows up in CloudNetX scenarios as an option of necessity, chosen when terrestrial connectivity is unavailable or when geographic reach outweighs performance constraints. This episode defines satellite links as long-distance access paths that can connect remote sites, maritime locations, or disaster recovery environments where other circuits are impractical. The first paragraph focuses on the defining characteristic that drives most design decisions: latency and its operational consequences. It explains why higher latency and variable jitter change the suitability of applications, especially interactive sessions, and why bandwidth can be constrained or shared depending on the service type. The episode also clarifies that satellite is often used for specific traffic classes, such as telemetry, basic operational access, and contingency connectivity, and that strong security and policy controls remain necessary because the transport does not inherently provide trust.
