This document provides a summary of MPLS (Multi-Protocol Label Switching) in 3 sentences or less:
MPLS is a method for routing and forwarding data based on short path labels rather than long network addresses, which provides benefits like improved network performance, traffic prioritization, and simpler virtual private network configuration. While MPLS provides advantages for large networks, it may not be needed for simple single-link connections and smaller networks with only a few sites. Customers should evaluate their specific network and needs to determine if MPLS truly offers benefits over traditional routing techniques.
Do you run an MPLS network to some or all of your branches? If so, you are likely wasting MPLS capacity backhauling Internet traffic.
For many organizations, a lot of the traffic is Internet-bound due to increased cloud-usage. Backhauling Internet traffic over an expensive MPLS service adds latency and puts pressure on limited and expensive MPLS capacity.
VPLS (virtual private LAN services) is a standard that allows companies to connect geographically dispersed sites and share an Ethernet broadcast domain, providing any-to-any connectivity across sites. A VPLS-enabled network from Exponential-e provides a completely private Layer 2 virtual cloud for connecting customer offices. VPLS offers benefits like improved agility, efficiency, and lower costs for customers compared to other WAN technologies. Exponential-e's national VPLS network utilizes a pure Ethernet, switched Layer 2 backbone to maximize security, speed, quality of service, and simplicity for customers.
Managed MPLS vs "wires only" VPLS. As technologies both VPLS and MPLS offer a
number of business benefits. However, there
are key operational differences between the
two, and the old adage stands – ‘do you really
know what you are buying’?
This document summarizes a solution for providing failover and load balancing between MPLS links for distributed networks. It involves using a network firewall device that can automatically switch traffic between MPLS lines if one goes down. The firewall would provide security features like NAT, VPN, IDS/IPS, and content filtering. It supports both Ethernet and serial interfaces, allowing termination of additional broadband internet or MPLS links directly on the firewall for failover purposes. Traffic can be policy-based routed between links. Commercial options include a capex purchase of the firewall, or opex managed security and broadband services.
This document discusses traffic engineering with Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) in core networks. It begins with an introduction to traffic engineering and defines problems in current IP networks like network congestion and IP address shortage. The document then discusses existing approaches like IP networks and Open Shortest Path First (OSPF) routing protocol, highlighting their benefits and limitations. The aim and objectives of exploring MPLS as an improved solution are provided.
The document is a white paper about Virtual Private LAN Service (VPLS) that allows different sites to communicate as if they are connected to the same LAN. There are two implementations of VPLS supported by IETF - one using BGP signaling and the other using LDP signaling. Juniper Networks' VPLS solution implements both and the paper concludes that the BGP-based implementation provides the highest level of automation and operational efficiency.
This document provides an overview of a student project to implement a wide area network (WAN) that connects multiple company branches for improved business operations. The project will be completed in phases, including configuring routing, switches, firewalls, and other network devices. Once completed, the WAN will allow faster communication between branches and remote access for employees and clients, enhancing the company's services and competitiveness. The project will implement various WAN technologies like routing protocols, virtual private networks, and firewalls to securely connect the distributed network across long distances.
euTrade is an ultra-low latency optical transmission service that delivers market-leading latencies to major exchanges in London and Europe. The service is delivered over a dedicated DWDM network utilizing the most direct fiber path with minimal latency-inducing hops. euNetworks specializes in designing low-latency networks and continually invests in its euTrade platform to optimize routes and equipment to maintain its competitive latency position over the long term.
Do you run an MPLS network to some or all of your branches? If so, you are likely wasting MPLS capacity backhauling Internet traffic.
For many organizations, a lot of the traffic is Internet-bound due to increased cloud-usage. Backhauling Internet traffic over an expensive MPLS service adds latency and puts pressure on limited and expensive MPLS capacity.
VPLS (virtual private LAN services) is a standard that allows companies to connect geographically dispersed sites and share an Ethernet broadcast domain, providing any-to-any connectivity across sites. A VPLS-enabled network from Exponential-e provides a completely private Layer 2 virtual cloud for connecting customer offices. VPLS offers benefits like improved agility, efficiency, and lower costs for customers compared to other WAN technologies. Exponential-e's national VPLS network utilizes a pure Ethernet, switched Layer 2 backbone to maximize security, speed, quality of service, and simplicity for customers.
Managed MPLS vs "wires only" VPLS. As technologies both VPLS and MPLS offer a
number of business benefits. However, there
are key operational differences between the
two, and the old adage stands – ‘do you really
know what you are buying’?
This document summarizes a solution for providing failover and load balancing between MPLS links for distributed networks. It involves using a network firewall device that can automatically switch traffic between MPLS lines if one goes down. The firewall would provide security features like NAT, VPN, IDS/IPS, and content filtering. It supports both Ethernet and serial interfaces, allowing termination of additional broadband internet or MPLS links directly on the firewall for failover purposes. Traffic can be policy-based routed between links. Commercial options include a capex purchase of the firewall, or opex managed security and broadband services.
This document discusses traffic engineering with Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) in core networks. It begins with an introduction to traffic engineering and defines problems in current IP networks like network congestion and IP address shortage. The document then discusses existing approaches like IP networks and Open Shortest Path First (OSPF) routing protocol, highlighting their benefits and limitations. The aim and objectives of exploring MPLS as an improved solution are provided.
The document is a white paper about Virtual Private LAN Service (VPLS) that allows different sites to communicate as if they are connected to the same LAN. There are two implementations of VPLS supported by IETF - one using BGP signaling and the other using LDP signaling. Juniper Networks' VPLS solution implements both and the paper concludes that the BGP-based implementation provides the highest level of automation and operational efficiency.
This document provides an overview of a student project to implement a wide area network (WAN) that connects multiple company branches for improved business operations. The project will be completed in phases, including configuring routing, switches, firewalls, and other network devices. Once completed, the WAN will allow faster communication between branches and remote access for employees and clients, enhancing the company's services and competitiveness. The project will implement various WAN technologies like routing protocols, virtual private networks, and firewalls to securely connect the distributed network across long distances.
euTrade is an ultra-low latency optical transmission service that delivers market-leading latencies to major exchanges in London and Europe. The service is delivered over a dedicated DWDM network utilizing the most direct fiber path with minimal latency-inducing hops. euNetworks specializes in designing low-latency networks and continually invests in its euTrade platform to optimize routes and equipment to maintain its competitive latency position over the long term.
Narendar P Gangishetty is seeking a full-time engineering position where he can apply his experience, knowledge, and enthusiasm. He has a BE in electrical engineering from Dr. BAMU University with over 61% and has skills in CCNA, CCNP Routing & Switching, and basic knowledge of MPLS. His work experience includes over 2 years as a junior network engineer and L1 network engineer providing support, operations, and troubleshooting of Cisco routers, switches, and other network equipment. He is keen on self-development and capable of working in a team.
M&S Global LLC aims to design an efficient WAN network to connect its metropolitan locations across large geographical areas like cities and countries. The WAN network will connect multiple LANs using Ethernet and act as a single LAN segment. It will utilize high-speed layer 2 switches and provide full mesh connectivity independent of higher layers. The WAN design will offer secure, segmented networking with services from 128 kbps to 1Gbps using technologies like Ethernet, ATM, DSL and more.
This chapter focuses on strategies for scaling wide area networks (WANs) using Cisco routers. It discusses various WAN connection types like dedicated leased lines, asynchronous dial-in, and dial-on-demand routing. Packet switched services are also covered, including Frame Relay, X.25, SMDS, and ATM. Key considerations for WAN design are reviewed, such as availability, bandwidth requirements, cost, ease of management, traffic types, and routing protocols. Cisco provides different connection service options to meet these considerations.
This document discusses traffic management in networking and telecommunications equipment. It begins with background information on traffic management and its purposes. It then discusses several applications of traffic management including in access networks, metropolitan networks, and mobile networks. For each application, it describes the specific considerations and functions of traffic management systems at different levels in the network.
UCaaS Vs PBX: Who Is Taking Over The BusinessAvni Rajput
This document compares UCaaS and PBX systems, discussing their differences in terms of cost, scalability, and reliability. UCaaS (Unified Communications as a Service) is a cloud-based communication solution with lower upfront costs and no hardware/software costs, providing greater scalability and reliability through strong internet connectivity. In contrast, on-premises PBX systems have higher total costs of ownership, single points of failure if the system fails, and are better suited for large-scale network creation and PSTN telephone line connectivity. The document concludes that UCaaS will likely acquire 40% of the total market share by 2020 and is the better overall option for most businesses due to its accessibility, reliability and flexibility.
This document summarizes an agenda for an ELC 200 class. It includes the following key points:
- Assignment 2 is due and Assignment 3 has been posted, due on February 27th.
- A quiz was corrected with various grades received.
- Upcoming quiz 2 will cover Chapters 3-6 on March 3rd.
- The class began discussions on extranets and supply chain management, and will discuss hosting websites.
Broad Sky Networks Summary of Wireless CAT 6 LTE SDWAN and FaaST FailoverTom Benson
Broad Sky Networks webinar deck describing Wireless internet and it's advantages for Failover, SDWAN, and the new CAT6 LTE-A networks from ATT, Verizon and Tmobile
The document compares MPLS and IPSec VPN for connecting multiple business sites over a WAN. MPLS creates a private network without encryption that provides built-in any-to-any connectivity between sites, improving reliability and quality of service. However, data transmitted over MPLS is not encrypted for security. In contrast, IPSec VPN encrypts data but has more configuration complexity, potential security issues from internet exposure, and limited quality of service control. The document provides a detailed comparison chart of the pros and cons of each technology.
MPLS Vs IPSEC VPNs: Which one is right for you - A more detailed look at the similarities and differences between MPLS and IPSEC and some insights as to when one should be used over the other.
The document compares MPLS and IPSec VPN for connecting multiple business sites over a WAN. MPLS creates a private network without encryption that provides built-in any-to-any connectivity between sites, improving reliability. It allows for quality of service prioritization of traffic. While IPSec VPN provides encryption and thus more security, it has overhead from encryption that can increase latency. Reliability is also generally better with MPLS than IPSec VPN due to fewer configuration complexities. The document provides a detailed comparison chart of MPLS and IPSec VPN features.
SD WAN VS MPLS – Which is better for your Business?Phani Kumar
Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) has long been the standard for wide area network before SD-WAN came along. While most professionals consider SD-WAN to be the latest and more effective in enterprise networking problems, the benefits of MPLS technology cannot be ignored. Choosing between these two will depend on your company’s priorities. This guide will explore the two technologies to help you choose the best for your business.
This document discusses the concept of Seamless MPLS, which aims to provide end-to-end MPLS connectivity across an entire network from access to core. The key benefits of Seamless MPLS include convergence, true service freedom allowing services to be deployed and moved freely, and enabling a network architecture that exists to enable services rather than constrain them. The document outlines a network architecture for Seamless MPLS that divides the network into autonomous regions connected by border nodes, with intra-region and inter-region MPLS connectivity established using labeled BGP. This architecture supports very large scale networks while providing robust and resilient connectivity to facilitate flexible service delivery.
The document discusses IP/MPLS and SD-WAN technologies for connecting sites in a network. IP/MPLS uses MPLS services at layers 2 and 3 to securely connect sites with high performance and quality of service guarantees. SD-WAN brings together multiple connection types like MPLS, internet, and LTE into a single software-controlled network to reduce WAN costs while improving performance and security. For businesses, SD-WAN provides benefits of scalability, cost reduction, and ease of use, while MPLS is still needed for large enterprises with strict connectivity requirements. Both technologies will likely coexist with SD-WAN adoption increasing and MPLS use decreasing over time.
MPLS network providers help set up an MPLS VPN for your business that will boost the connectivity and growth of your company. The choice regarding the service provider also depends on other factors such as cost, current business needs, long-term goals, routing protocols, etc.
IRJET- Performance Analysis of MPLS-VPN and Traditional IP NetworkIRJET Journal
This document analyzes and compares the performance of MPLS-enabled networks and traditional IP networks. It discusses how MPLS protocol performs with OSPF protocol. Nine Cisco routers running IOS version 12.4 were used to test network performance with MPLS and traditional IP routing. The results show how service providers can benefit from MPLS services by increasing network latency and additional benefits obtained from MPLS. Key areas analyzed include latency, utilization in the network. MPLS networks offer benefits like traffic engineering, scalability, VPN services, and ability to carry layer 2 protocols over the MPLS core.
Great slides about factors to consider when looking at migrating to MPLS. OnCall Telecom can help with all your migration and design concerns and handle your migration from order to implementation. Contact us today to discuss your organization's needs!
1. The document discusses how Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) can improve Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services by enabling traffic engineering and quality of service controls.
2. MPLS allows traffic to be forwarded at layer 2 for faster routing and makes it easier to manage networks for quality of service. This helps meet the low latency and jitter requirements of real-time VoIP traffic.
3. The document analyzes VoIP performance over an MPLS network connecting three branch offices using a network monitoring tool. It finds that while MPLS provides better connectivity than the public Internet, additional steps may be needed to deliver business-quality VoIP.
This document provides an overview of MPLS (Multi-Protocol Label Switching) technology. It discusses how MPLS works by adding label headers to IP packets to direct network traffic more efficiently compared to traditional IP routing. MPLS allows traffic engineering, quality of service, security and cost efficiency. The document uses diagrams to illustrate how MPLS can be used to create private virtual networks through insecure networks like the internet in a secure manner. It concludes that MPLS is a solution that allows networks to support increasing internet demands more efficiently while delaying needed upgrades through smarter routing techniques.
Multapplied Networks - Bonding and Load Balancing together in Bonded Internet™Multapplied Networks
This paper examines existing technologies that help increase network performance. It finishes by explaining the advantages and features of our Bonded Internet™ service - a service that bonds disparate WAN/Internet connections to give customers fater, more reliable networks.
Narendar P Gangishetty is seeking a full-time engineering position where he can apply his experience, knowledge, and enthusiasm. He has a BE in electrical engineering from Dr. BAMU University with over 61% and has skills in CCNA, CCNP Routing & Switching, and basic knowledge of MPLS. His work experience includes over 2 years as a junior network engineer and L1 network engineer providing support, operations, and troubleshooting of Cisco routers, switches, and other network equipment. He is keen on self-development and capable of working in a team.
M&S Global LLC aims to design an efficient WAN network to connect its metropolitan locations across large geographical areas like cities and countries. The WAN network will connect multiple LANs using Ethernet and act as a single LAN segment. It will utilize high-speed layer 2 switches and provide full mesh connectivity independent of higher layers. The WAN design will offer secure, segmented networking with services from 128 kbps to 1Gbps using technologies like Ethernet, ATM, DSL and more.
This chapter focuses on strategies for scaling wide area networks (WANs) using Cisco routers. It discusses various WAN connection types like dedicated leased lines, asynchronous dial-in, and dial-on-demand routing. Packet switched services are also covered, including Frame Relay, X.25, SMDS, and ATM. Key considerations for WAN design are reviewed, such as availability, bandwidth requirements, cost, ease of management, traffic types, and routing protocols. Cisco provides different connection service options to meet these considerations.
This document discusses traffic management in networking and telecommunications equipment. It begins with background information on traffic management and its purposes. It then discusses several applications of traffic management including in access networks, metropolitan networks, and mobile networks. For each application, it describes the specific considerations and functions of traffic management systems at different levels in the network.
UCaaS Vs PBX: Who Is Taking Over The BusinessAvni Rajput
This document compares UCaaS and PBX systems, discussing their differences in terms of cost, scalability, and reliability. UCaaS (Unified Communications as a Service) is a cloud-based communication solution with lower upfront costs and no hardware/software costs, providing greater scalability and reliability through strong internet connectivity. In contrast, on-premises PBX systems have higher total costs of ownership, single points of failure if the system fails, and are better suited for large-scale network creation and PSTN telephone line connectivity. The document concludes that UCaaS will likely acquire 40% of the total market share by 2020 and is the better overall option for most businesses due to its accessibility, reliability and flexibility.
This document summarizes an agenda for an ELC 200 class. It includes the following key points:
- Assignment 2 is due and Assignment 3 has been posted, due on February 27th.
- A quiz was corrected with various grades received.
- Upcoming quiz 2 will cover Chapters 3-6 on March 3rd.
- The class began discussions on extranets and supply chain management, and will discuss hosting websites.
Broad Sky Networks Summary of Wireless CAT 6 LTE SDWAN and FaaST FailoverTom Benson
Broad Sky Networks webinar deck describing Wireless internet and it's advantages for Failover, SDWAN, and the new CAT6 LTE-A networks from ATT, Verizon and Tmobile
The document compares MPLS and IPSec VPN for connecting multiple business sites over a WAN. MPLS creates a private network without encryption that provides built-in any-to-any connectivity between sites, improving reliability and quality of service. However, data transmitted over MPLS is not encrypted for security. In contrast, IPSec VPN encrypts data but has more configuration complexity, potential security issues from internet exposure, and limited quality of service control. The document provides a detailed comparison chart of the pros and cons of each technology.
MPLS Vs IPSEC VPNs: Which one is right for you - A more detailed look at the similarities and differences between MPLS and IPSEC and some insights as to when one should be used over the other.
The document compares MPLS and IPSec VPN for connecting multiple business sites over a WAN. MPLS creates a private network without encryption that provides built-in any-to-any connectivity between sites, improving reliability. It allows for quality of service prioritization of traffic. While IPSec VPN provides encryption and thus more security, it has overhead from encryption that can increase latency. Reliability is also generally better with MPLS than IPSec VPN due to fewer configuration complexities. The document provides a detailed comparison chart of MPLS and IPSec VPN features.
SD WAN VS MPLS – Which is better for your Business?Phani Kumar
Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) has long been the standard for wide area network before SD-WAN came along. While most professionals consider SD-WAN to be the latest and more effective in enterprise networking problems, the benefits of MPLS technology cannot be ignored. Choosing between these two will depend on your company’s priorities. This guide will explore the two technologies to help you choose the best for your business.
This document discusses the concept of Seamless MPLS, which aims to provide end-to-end MPLS connectivity across an entire network from access to core. The key benefits of Seamless MPLS include convergence, true service freedom allowing services to be deployed and moved freely, and enabling a network architecture that exists to enable services rather than constrain them. The document outlines a network architecture for Seamless MPLS that divides the network into autonomous regions connected by border nodes, with intra-region and inter-region MPLS connectivity established using labeled BGP. This architecture supports very large scale networks while providing robust and resilient connectivity to facilitate flexible service delivery.
The document discusses IP/MPLS and SD-WAN technologies for connecting sites in a network. IP/MPLS uses MPLS services at layers 2 and 3 to securely connect sites with high performance and quality of service guarantees. SD-WAN brings together multiple connection types like MPLS, internet, and LTE into a single software-controlled network to reduce WAN costs while improving performance and security. For businesses, SD-WAN provides benefits of scalability, cost reduction, and ease of use, while MPLS is still needed for large enterprises with strict connectivity requirements. Both technologies will likely coexist with SD-WAN adoption increasing and MPLS use decreasing over time.
MPLS network providers help set up an MPLS VPN for your business that will boost the connectivity and growth of your company. The choice regarding the service provider also depends on other factors such as cost, current business needs, long-term goals, routing protocols, etc.
IRJET- Performance Analysis of MPLS-VPN and Traditional IP NetworkIRJET Journal
This document analyzes and compares the performance of MPLS-enabled networks and traditional IP networks. It discusses how MPLS protocol performs with OSPF protocol. Nine Cisco routers running IOS version 12.4 were used to test network performance with MPLS and traditional IP routing. The results show how service providers can benefit from MPLS services by increasing network latency and additional benefits obtained from MPLS. Key areas analyzed include latency, utilization in the network. MPLS networks offer benefits like traffic engineering, scalability, VPN services, and ability to carry layer 2 protocols over the MPLS core.
Great slides about factors to consider when looking at migrating to MPLS. OnCall Telecom can help with all your migration and design concerns and handle your migration from order to implementation. Contact us today to discuss your organization's needs!
1. The document discusses how Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) can improve Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services by enabling traffic engineering and quality of service controls.
2. MPLS allows traffic to be forwarded at layer 2 for faster routing and makes it easier to manage networks for quality of service. This helps meet the low latency and jitter requirements of real-time VoIP traffic.
3. The document analyzes VoIP performance over an MPLS network connecting three branch offices using a network monitoring tool. It finds that while MPLS provides better connectivity than the public Internet, additional steps may be needed to deliver business-quality VoIP.
This document provides an overview of MPLS (Multi-Protocol Label Switching) technology. It discusses how MPLS works by adding label headers to IP packets to direct network traffic more efficiently compared to traditional IP routing. MPLS allows traffic engineering, quality of service, security and cost efficiency. The document uses diagrams to illustrate how MPLS can be used to create private virtual networks through insecure networks like the internet in a secure manner. It concludes that MPLS is a solution that allows networks to support increasing internet demands more efficiently while delaying needed upgrades through smarter routing techniques.
Multapplied Networks - Bonding and Load Balancing together in Bonded Internet™Multapplied Networks
This paper examines existing technologies that help increase network performance. It finishes by explaining the advantages and features of our Bonded Internet™ service - a service that bonds disparate WAN/Internet connections to give customers fater, more reliable networks.
Leased lines are point-to-point connections that transmit data between devices through dedicated circuits. They provide reliable, high-speed connections but are more expensive than alternatives like ADSL. There are different types of leased lines including point-to-point, MPLS VPNs, and internet leased lines. While leased lines guarantee bandwidth, newer carrier Ethernet services provide similar functionality at lower speeds over broadband networks.
Silver Peak & Innovation Network Technologies (InNet)
Evolve IT: Why Performance Matters When Building Your New SD-WAN, Not all SD-WAN is Created Equal eBook
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Internet Leased Line Connection Service - Linkup Networks/LINKUPNETWORKS
Leased line internet is a dedicated and symmetrical internet connection that offers consistent and reliable high-speed data transmission. It provides exclusive bandwidth for businesses, ensuring low latency and reliable connectivity. This service is ideal for critical operations, such as hosting servers, VoIP, video conferencing, and large-scale data transfers.
Our approach in this thesis is that, we have designed and built a National Carrier based core and edge network to simulate a real live scenario that spans the kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Some of the results in the thesis are presented against simulation time and some against network load.how to implement mpls on network
3. Table of Contents
Legal Disclaimer .......................................................................................................................... 2
Copyright Notice ......................................................................................................................... 2
Table of Contents................................ ................................ ................................ ........................ 3
MPLS in a Nutshell ...................................................................................................................... 4
How to tell if MPLS is relevant to your business ............................................................................ 5
The benefits of MPLS .................................................................................................................. 6
The secrets most MPLS Service Providers hide from you .............................................................. 7
MPLS doesn’t always offer a benefit......................................................................................... 7
You don’t need expensive MPLS hardware to get an end-to-end MPLS solution........................ 7
Typically you need at least three sites to make an MPLS IP VPN worthwhile .............................. 7
Many MPLS solutions are dependent on just one carrier ........................................................... 7
Some ‘MPLS’ Providers don’t actually have an MPLS network of their own................................ 8
Providers make mistakes, causing unnecessary downtime ................................ ........................ 8
Sluggish performance? Perhaps you don’t need a bigger pipe................................................... 8
Things to consider when picking an MPLS Solution Provider......................................................... 9
MPLS VPNs ................................ ................................ ................................ .............................. 10
hSo’s MPLS Solutions ............................................................................................................... 11
hSo Contact Details................................................................................................................... 11
hSo Guide to Understanding MPLS Page 3 of 11
4. MPLS in a Nutshell
Multi-protocol Label Switching (MPLS) is a method of getting packets of data to where they’re supposed to
go, by wrapping them in one or more labels, then forwarding them based on those labels (rather than their
contents).
The information contained in the label can be any type of data, but typically it would be IP packets and
Ethernet frames.
hSo Guide to Understanding MPLS Page 4 of 11
5. How to tell if MPLS is relevant to your business
MPLS is probably IRRELEVANT if…
û You only have one office , with no ‘back up’ data connection
û Your only use your connections for one type of traffic (e.g. web surfing, with no site-to-site
connectivity, no VoIP phone calls)
û Your main offices are connected solely via contended ADSL
MPLS is probably RELEVANT if any of the following hold true …
ü You have (or plan to have) three or more offices network ed together
ü You have one or more VPNs , or plan to
ü You use VoIP (Voice over IP), or plan to
ü WAN/Internet Access/Telephony downtime would cost you lots of money in terms of lost employee
productivity
ü You already pay for a few dedicated connections such as leased lines for internet access, ISDN trunks
for your phone calls, site-to-site connections to link your offices together.
hSo Guide to Understanding MPLS Page 5 of 11
6. The benefits of MPLS
Improved uptime (from ultra-fast re-routing) – if a major link within the MPLS network goes down, and an
alternative path exists, traffic can be re-routed down such a path in under 50 milliseconds. In other words,
there can be a major outage, but you wouldn’t notice a thing as the network detects and works around the
problem, in one sixth of the time it takes to blink an eye.
Cost-effective, scalable IP VPNs – forget complex meshes of tunnels between your various sites. MPLS IP
VPNs make it far simpler to set up a scalable VPN, and to add new sites to an existing one. You don’t need
additional hardware, such as expensive firewalls. All you need is standard routers.
Improved experience from your VPN (thanks to different Classes of Service being applied to customer-defined
prioritised classes of VPN Traffic) – instead of all traffic being treated as being of equal priority, the appropriate
Quality of Service settings can be applied to traffic within your WAN, so that time-sensitive traffic is assigned
priority over delay tolerant traffic. For example, if the inbound traffic to your head office from your remote sites
maxes out your Head Office’s connection, the traffic from your sites is prioritised in accordance to your wishes
(e.g. phone calls might be prioritised above application traffic to a key server, which might be prioritised above
web traffic, which might be prioritised above email).
Greater bandwidth utilisation within the WAN – the traditional way of ensuring Quality of Service within the
WAN is to create virtual circuits dedicated solely to particular streams of delay-sensitive traffic (such as phone
calls and site-to-site connectivity). This works, but is not ideal, as the circuits are underutilised for most of the
time. MPLS allows prioritised Classes of Service; this is a far better way of achieving the same Quality of
Service experiences, as the underutilised bandwidth can be used by other services when the services that
have a higher priority aren’t using it.
Virtual Private LAN Service (VPLS) allows multiple sites to be joined together as though they were on the same
LAN – , your Birmingham, Manchester or Leeds offices can be as easy to connect into your LAN in your
London office as the three PCs in the next room.
Quicker & easier service provisioning and upgrades – with MPLS there’s no need to manually set up routing at
every hop through the core network. The upshot is that the lead time between you placing your order and it
being delivered may shrink. The time between you ordering an upgrade and it being delivered may also shrink.
Less network congestion – congestion can mean that the shortest path between two points may not be the
best one for data to be sent along. MPLS offers sophisticated Traffic Engineering options that enable traffic to
be sent along atypical paths, bypassing congested areas of the network. This re-routing also relieves the
congestion somewhat.
hSo Guide to Understanding MPLS Page 6 of 11
7. The secrets most MPLS Service Providers hide from you
MPLS doesn’t always offer a benefit
MPLS only offers a benefit where there is network congestion, alternative paths or complex paths.
MPLS offers the benefit of prioritising traffic to ensure Quality of Service. But if there’s no network congestion
at any place or at any time, there’s no need for prioritisation, and Quality of Service will look after itself.
MPLS offers ultra-fast re-routing. But if there’s only one path available, there’s nowhere to re-route the traffic
to.
MPLS makes the job of configuring complex paths across a network quicker, easier and less error-prone. If
you’re dealing with a short path that touches few routers, there’s no real benefit.
MPLS makes a great deal of sense on carrier and provider networks. Their networks have alternative paths , so
can benefit from fast re-routing and traffic engineering. They have to ensure Quality of Service in the face of
network congestion, so they benefit from traffic prioritisation. They have to configure complex paths across
their network, so they benefit from the simpler configuration offered by MPLS. When their network reliability
and Quality of Service improves, so does the service their customer’s receive.
MPLS isn’t a magic bullet for use in all circumstances. If you have a single dedicated circuit from your office to
the edge of your service provider’s network, there would be no point in you using MPLS in that link. There’s no
network congestion within a dedicated connection, so MPLS’s traffic prioritisation would offer no benefit. A
single dedicated circuit is on its own i.e. there’s no alternative path, so MPLS’s fast re-routing would be of no
benefit. The journey is a single hop, so MPLS wouldn’t make the path easier to configure. It would just
increase your hardware bill.
You don’t need expensive MPLS hardware to get an end-to-end MPLS solution
In many cases, you’d be better off with letting MPLS begin and end at your provider’s end of your dedicated
circuits. As we explained above, you don’t benefit from running MPLS over a single dedicated link to your
provider’s MPLS hardware. It would add cost, but no benefit.
Typically you need at least three sites to make an MPLS IP VPN worthwhile
If you’ve got a single site and a dozen homeworkers, an MPLS IP VPN offers no benefit relative to a standard
VPN solution.
If you’ve got two sites, you would probably be better off with a LAN-extension service rather than an IP VPN.
Many MPLS solutions are dependent on just one carrier
In other words, if one of the fibre-optic-network -owning companies carrying your data suffers a network-wide
problem, all your sites could go down, simultaneously. If you want to avoid putting all your eggs in one basket,
ensure you get a carrier-independent solution.
hSo Guide to Understanding MPLS Page 7 of 11
8. Some ‘MPLS’ Providers don’t actually have an MPLS network of their own
They just put together circuits from carriers who do have their own MPLS networks. Ask whether the solution
provider has their own MPLS core network. If they haven’t, there’s a danger that many of the Quality of Service
and resilience benefits will be lost when they encounter congestion in the core network, or when links fail (and
the fast-rerouting provided by MPLS isn’t available).
Providers make mistakes, causing unnecessary downtime
Network engineers are human; they make mistakes just like everyone else. Assiduous record-keeping, checks
and processes help reduce those mistakes, but rare mistakes can impact vast numbers of customers. T he
only way to eliminate the mistakes is to remove manual intervention. When MPLS providers talk of ‘increased
resilience’ they’re not just thinking about fast re-routing in the event of an outage, they’re also thinking of how
MPLS will reduce the scope for human error. Traditionally, network providers would configure VLANs (virtual
LANs), running across the core of the network, changing the routing configurations at each leg of the journey.
That works, but it provides numerous opportunities for human error. MPLS moves the intelligence to the edge,
and makes the routing within the centre far simpler; this reduces the scope for errors, and makes it far easier
to provision dedicated bandwidth across the core.
Sluggish performance? Perhaps you don’t need a bigger pipe
Perhaps you just need for the traffic on your connection to be prioritised, according to its time-sensitivity and
importance, so that a dozen staff simultaneously viewing a humorous YouTube video doesn’t slow down
access to your work-related web applications for the rest of your staff.
hSo Guide to Understanding MPLS Page 8 of 11
9. Things to consider when picking an MPLS Solution
Provider
Carrier independence
By using a range of different suppliers to provide the circuits underpinning your network you gain:
• Greater resilience (network
failures that hit a particular carrier rarely affect the networks of other carriers. Using different carriers
for primary and backup links improves your network’s resilience)
• Better pricing (the carriers
are forced to compete for the business rather than getting it handed to them on a plate)
• Quicker delivery
(some carriers may be able to deliver quicker than others, as a result of already having fibre optic
cable going into the building in question, or to somewhere close by)
The best way to ensure carrier independence is to get your MPLS service through a Virtual Network Operator
(VNO).
That way, you get one point of contact, and one company to ensure the various circuits from the various
carriers are configured to work seamlessly together.
Going directly to carriers cuts out the middle man (the VNO), but isn’t usually cheaper as VNOs buy a lot of
circuits so benefit from volume discounts that aren’t available to end-users.
Is it end -to-end MPLS or MPLS in part?
When providers boast about MPLS, it’s worth checking whether they have an MPLS-enabled core network of
their own. Some don’t and are merely tacking together a patchwork of circuits from MPLS-enabled carriers.
That’s fine if all your circuits are coming from the same carrier, but if you want carrier independence and
MPLS, you need to pick a provider who has MPLS in their core network, and can provide an end-to-end
MPLS -enabled solution.
Solutions, not circuits
It’s possible you don’t really want MPLS-based circuits at all; you just want a solution. Rather than looking for
site-to-site connectivity from one company, internet access from another, VPNs from a third and phone
services from a fourth, it makes far more sense to find one provider who can deliver all of those elements. That
way, you get a best-of-breed solution w ithout losing accountability . Whenever there’s a problem, it will be
clear who is responsible for fixing it.
Managing one supplier is also easier than managing four. You no longer have to deal with different helpdesks
or act as a go-between for various suppliers.
A typical example of a solution would be a business putting a 10Mbps circuit from its HQ to a service provider
and from each of its major offices to that service provider. That 10Mbps could be used for delivering 2Mbps of
internet access, phone services (e.g. using SIP to make and receive calls), and carrying WAN traffic from the
four other offices. If the company wanted to double the internet access to 4Mbps, the additional bandwidth
would be provided over that existing circuit, allowing a fast upgrade.
hSo Guide to Understanding MPLS Page 9 of 11
10. MPLS VPNs
There are three main ways VPNs are provisioned over MPLS
Layer 2, VPWS Layer 2, VPLS Layer 3, IP VPN
Use Linking the LANs of Linking the LANs of Linking the LANs of
two offices. multiple offices multiple offices
together together
Think of it as… a long wire an Ethernet switch your very own small
into which network private internet
cables from other
offices are connected
Transports Usually Ethernet Ethernet frames IP packets
frames
Topology Point-to-point Multi-point Multi-point
(i.e. any-to-any) (i.e. any-to-any)
Data is… Switched Switched Routed
Scalable for linking Absolutely not! Yes Yes
lots of offices
together
Routing is You You Your Provider
managed by… (less control, easier)
Additional Hardware Router Router None
Required
You’ve got 7 offices, 14Mbps or more, Your choice Your choice
each with a 2Mbps regardless of usage
VPN connection to
HQ. How much
connectivity do you
need to buy at HQ?
hSo Guide to Understanding MPLS Page 10 of 11
11. hSo’s MPLS Solutions
hSo creates tailored IT and Telecoms solutions.
We combine the carrier-independence and value-for-money of a Virtual Network Operator with the technical
benefits of our fully-resilient MPLS core platform.
Our network provides:
• A low latency, zero hop MPLS core
• Fully resilient infrastructure
• Multiple services – connectivity, internet access, IP telephony
• Secure VPNs without the need for expensive additional equipment
• Quality of Service, delivered through MPLS Class of Service options
• Service Level Guarantees
• Bespoke bandwidth allocations to match your actual requirements
• Internet resilience with multiple global carriers and interconnects at multiple locations
• 24/7 pro-active network monitoring, including 24/7 telephone support
• Secure Assurance options to protect user experience.
• End-to-end MPLS solutions, where appropriate.
hSo provides solutions for The Salvation Army, Trinity Mirror, New Star Asset Management, Endemol and
hundreds of other organisations.
To find out more, give us a call on 08700 638 739.
hSo Contact Details
+ hSo, Epworth House, 25 City Road, London, EC1Y 1AA
( 08700 638 739
8 http://www.hso.uk.com
hSo Guide to Understanding MPLS Page 11 of 11