|
MPLS WANs (Wide Area Networks):
MPLS WANs are becoming the preferred choice of most businesses which need location-to-location telecommunication networks. In the past, WANs were facilitated by point-to-point circuits, frame relay, or self managed VPNs (virtual private networks). Self managed VPNs utilize customer owned and managed equipment to create virtual private network tunnels over the public internet. MPLS is rapidly replacing all of these technologies, and is considered the state-of-the-art technology for facilitating WANs.
Bandwidth Capacity:
One of the major advantages of MPLS is that it can utilize a combination of virtually any bandwidth, according to the need at various locations of the network. For small branch offices, ADSL MPLS is now being offered by a few providers, virtually all providers offer T1 MPLS for these offices and some providers are now offering dynamically allocated integrated (voice, internet, and MPLS) T1. For larger offices on the network, bonded T1, fractional DS3, full DS3, ethernet, and OC (optical carrier) circuits can easily be integrated into the MPLS network. Another important point about MPLS bandwidth is that it is easily scaleable. Single offices on an MPLS network can scale up in bandwidth very easily, sometimes with no installation cost (depending on provider, and term of contract).
MPLS DS3 Applications:
MPLS networks very efficiently facilitate any modern applications, such as routine data transfer between company locations, high priority data transfers, video conferencing, private and/or public telephone service, email, and public internet.
MPLS DS3, CoS and QoS:
One of the most important advantages of MPLS over other networking technologies is its ability to provide CoS (class of service) and QoS (quality of service). Many people in the telecom industry use these two terms interchangeably to refer to packet prioritization. In fact, CoS provides packet prioritization, QoS refers more to bandwidth allocation and performance levels.
MPLS DS3 Facilitates Many Applications Simultaneously Over One Bandwidth Pipe:
With packet prioritization, MPLS networks are extremely efficient in simultaneously managing all applications needed by a business over one bandwidth pipe. With packet prioritization provided through CoS, applications which are less sensitive to packet loss or latency like routine email, data transfer and web research are assigned lower priority so that they cannot compete with applications like VoIP and video conferencing, which are negatively effected by packet loss and latency.
With MPLS, virtually every application can be assigned a priority within the network. For example, VoIP, the application which is most negatively effected by latency and packet loss, can be given priority 1, over video conferencing. Because VoIP is a real-time application, it cannot compensate for lost packets and/or latency, so call quality is negatively affected by these issues. Video conferencing is often less sensitive to latency and packet loss than VoIP, and therefore can be assigned priority level 2 so that it does not compete with VoIP. Applications such as routine data transfer, which easily compensates for latency and packet loss by simply waiting a few milliseconds for lost packets to be resent, can be assigned a priority of 3 or 4, so that it never competes with applications such as VoIP or video conferencing.
MPLS DS3 Compared to Point-to-point DS3:
MPLS provides many advantages over point-to-point. As mentioned above, CoS is one of these advantages. In many cases, MPLS is much less expensive than point-to-point. With point-to-point, the cost of a circuit between each location of the network must be added to port and loop costs to calculate the price of the circuit. With MPLS, the circuit cost consists of the port and local loop, but not the “long haul” (distance between the locations). The price of the long haul portion of a point-to-point circuit between New York and Las Angeles can average about $2000 per month for T1 bandwidth.
For networks that include only two locations that are geographically close to each other, point-to-point is often less expensive than MPLS; however, if there are more than two locations, or if the locations are separated by much distance, then MPLS provides the price advantage.
Another advantage of MPLS over point-to-point is that it provides MPLS any-to-any connectivity. To obtain any-to-any connectivity with point-to-point, long haul circuits between each point on the network must be included in the price. MPLS has built in circuit redundancy. With point-to-point, the most cost effective configuration for connecting all locations of the network is hub and spoke. With hub and spoke, all locations of the network are connected to the headquarter location. With this configuration, all locations can transmit information to each other by passing it through the headquarters location. Unfortunately, with this arrangement, if the headquarters location goes down, all locations loose the ability to communicate with each other, and possibly the outside world, if internet and/or voice service is provided through the HQ location. With the any-to-any networking provided by MPLS, all locations communicate with each other without dependence on the HQ location. If HQ goes down, all other locations can continue to network with each other.
With MPLS, a network can have redundant (backup from more than one location) sources of data storage, voice service, and internet access.
Most MPLS networks are fully managed. This means that all equipment needed to run the network is provided, configured and monitored by the provider for optimum performance. Most point-to-point networks are not managed by the provider, and do not include routing equipment.
MPLS DS3 Compared to Frame Relay DS3:
Frame relay is an outdated technology. Many providers no longer offer it. Those that do are phasing it out, and replacing it with the far more state-of-the-art MPLS. Those few providers that will continue to offer frame relay in the future will begin charging more for it until it is completely phased out. In most cases at this time, MPLS can provide more bandwidth and far more efficient networking for better pricing than frame relay.
MPLS Networks Are Often Installed For Free:
Upgrading to a fully managed MPLS network is often free, depending on length of contract. Also, because MPLS is more efficient, businesses which switch to MPLS, from the updated technologies listed above, often receive more bandwidth, and all advantages listed above, for less cost than they are currently paying.
To check prices and availability for any of the services listed above, please use the pricing tool at the top of this page. It’s free, real-time, easy to use and there is no obligation.
(Click here to return to top of page)
 |
|
|
