High-Availability Made Simple with Netcelero i-ctrl
The Netcelero i-ctrl enables both primary and backup firewalls to share the same public IP, ensuring true high-availability.
It removes the limitations of traditional bridge mode, allowing seamless automatic failover with zero downtime.
Ideal for secure and resilient SCADA, enterprise, and multi-site networks – whatever the connection type: fibre, 5G, 4G, or Starlink.
In secure networking environments, such as SCADA systems, data-sensitive enterprise networks, or multi-site surveillance deployments, network resilience is critical. A single point of failure can mean costly downtime, lost visibility, or even a security gap. That’s why many IT teams design high-availability (HA) setups with both primary and secondary firewalls.
However, configuring these firewalls to share a single public IP is often far from straightforward, especially when dealing with modern ISP connections.
The Challenge with Traditional Bridge Mode
In most Fibre, VDSL, or Starlink configurations, IT providers request that the public IP address be assigned directly to the firewall interface. This allows the firewall to manage its own NAT, routing, and security policies without interference from the ISP’s equipment.
Traditionally, this requires the ISP modem to operate in bridge (or bypass) mode, where the public IP passes directly to the firewall via VLAN or PPPoE.
While effective, this setup comes with a major limitation:
Only one firewall can hold the public IP at a time.
In a standard bridge-mode configuration, the secondary (standby) firewall cannot see or claim the same public IP simultaneously. This restriction removes the ability to implement automatic failover, defeating the very purpose of an HA configuration.
How Netcelero i-ctrl Solves This
The Netcelero i-ctrl makes this complex problem surprisingly simple. Acting as an intelligent intermediary between your ISP connection and firewalls, the i-ctrl allows both firewalls in an HA pair to connect through the same unit, while sharing access to the same public IP.
By enabling VRRP (Virtual Router Redundancy Protocol) or a similar HA protocol on your firewall pair, the setup works seamlessly:
- The primary firewall operates as the MASTER device, routing all traffic through the i-ctrl.
- The secondary firewall remains in BACKUP mode, continuously synced and ready to take over.
- If the primary firewall fails, the secondary takes over instantly, maintaining the same public IP and avoiding any external disruption.
This makes the i-ctrl an invaluable addition for network integrators and IT teams managing mission-critical connectivity.
Key Benefits of Using i-ctrl for Firewall HA
- Shared Public IP Across All ISPs – The same public IP can be provided via any connection type: Fibre, 4G/5G, or Starlink – ensuring flexibility in site connectivity.
- True High-Availability Firewall Support – Both the primary and backup firewalls share the same IP, allowing instant, automatic failover without losing external reachability.
- Resilient and Secure Connectivity – i-ctrl provides a robust, ISP-independent platform, combining secure tunnel management with automatic failover to keep operations online.
- Simplified Configuration – Unlike complex multi-WAN routers or bonded links, the i-ctrl delivers HA capability without re-engineering your network.
A Smarter Way to Build Resilience
Whether you’re securing a utility network, a remote operations centre, or an enterprise firewall cluster, the Netcelero i-ctrl offers a smarter, simpler way to achieve carrier-independent high availability.
It ensures your firewall pair remains fully connected, your IP remains consistent, and your operations stay online, even when the unexpected happens.
