Multiple aspects of communication in a diverse communication network

A communications framework comprising:

• an edge appliance comprising
• a satellite modem interconnect for coupling to a satellite modem external to the edge appliance,
• a cellular modem interconnect for communicably coupling to a cellular modem external to the edge appliance,
• a switch coupled to the satellite and cellular modem interconnects,
• a processing node coupled to the switch and comprising a router to switch traffic between the satellite modem interconnect and the cellular modem interconnect when the edge appliance communicates with a public data network using one or both of a satellite link and a terrestrial cellular link, respectively, wherein the router includes routing logic operable to divide up network traffic for routing and route different portions of the network traffic using both the satellite link and the terrestrial link concurrently to send the network traffic;
• a connectivity platform configured for connection to the edge appliance, the connectivity platform comprising
• a plurality of network functions for wide area network (WAN) content management and dynamic routing policies implementing business-rule driven routing decisions, the dynamic routing policies implementing business-rule driven routing decisions.

A communications framework comprising:

• an edge appliance comprising
• a satellite modem interconnect for coupling to a satellite modem external to the edge appliance,
• a cellular modem interconnect for communicably coupling to a cellular modem external to the edge appliance,
• a switch coupled to the satellite and cellular modem interconnects,
• a processing node coupled to the switch and comprising a router to switch traffic between the satellite modem interconnect and the cellular modem interconnect when the edge appliance communicates with a public data network using one or both of a satellite link and a terrestrial cellular link, respectively, wherein the router includes routing logic operable to divide up network traffic for routing and perform data-aware routing to route different portions of the network traffic based on at least one of type of traffic and content, using both the satellite link and the terrestrial link to send the network traffic;
• a connectivity platform configured for connection to the edge appliance, the connectivity platform comprising
• a plurality of network functions (NFs), including NFs for wide area network content management and dynamic routing policies for managing the edge appliance remotely and autonomously, the dynamic routing policies implementing business-rule driven routing decisions.