|
|
 |
| top link |
MPLS Buyer's Guide
QOS (Quality of Service) or COS (Class of Service)
Service providers will offer an SLA for packet delivery over an MPLS network whereas no-one can control the public internet. VPNs are usually offered by the service provider as a managed service, and originate and terminate in the service provider's MPLS-enabled IP network. IPSec and SSL VPNs are typically managed by the company, and originate and terminate at the CPE. IPSec and SSL-based VPNs are also available as a managed service from certain service providers
|
|
|
|
Table 1: Comparing MPLS, IPSec and SSL
|
|
|
|
|
top |
9. Costs of setting up an MPLS Network
|
Every MPLS is bespoke and not only do circuit sizes vary but more importantly the traffic prioritised within each circuit is different for every customer.
Typically, the cost of Layer 3 IP/VPNs & Layer 2 VPLS networks is not cost effective for under five circuits as a separate tail circuit has to be acquired at each end. MPLS technology offers similar levels of security and performance as traditional ATM or Frame Relay private networks, but at a fraction of the cost. Similarly, as the intelligence resides in the MPLS network core, there is no need for any expensive VPN appliances to be located on the customer premises. Because MPLS allows service providers to create new virtual private networks without having to install new hardware, it significantly reduces the cost of implementation, which in turn reduces the overall cost. | |
|
top |
10. Considerations when selecting an MPLS service provider
|
The capabilities of global and regional carriers are very different when considering the implementation of an MPLS network. Global carriers' networks may not have the in-country coverage you require, whereas the regional carrier with good local coverage is unlikely to have international reach. Although 'mix and matching' capabilities of global and regional carriers may seem like the perfect solution, in reality there can be interoperability issues between different MPLS networks.
First of all define the geographical regions you require MPLS coverage. Draw up a list of prospective providers that fit this criteria. You may consider using the free services of a technology broker like OneStopClick to help with this. |
It is worth asking prospective providers the following questions:
 |
Who owns the backbone? |
|
Which 3rd party local loop carriers will they be using the 'tail circuits'? Remember, this is where the majority of problems are likely to occur. |
|
Ask to see a list of references of similar companies that have deployed MPLS. | | |
|
top |
11. Frequently asked questions
|
| Q: What is Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS)? |
|
A: MPLS is a packet label-based switching technique, which was originally devised to perform fast switching in the core of the network. MPLS proved to have other qualities even more appealing than fast switching. Being a relative simple connection-oriented protocol, it proved to be suitable for implementing traffic engineering and Quality of Service (QoS) Routing in a simpler way than using IP.
|
| Q: What are the main benefits of MPLS? |
|
A: MPLS makes efficient use of bandwidth due to support for Quality of Service. Implementing changes to the network is therefore comparatively straightforward. In addition, MPLS enabled network removes the need for the expensive switches typical of large scale Frame Relay solutions. Multi-Protocol Label Switching or MPLS enables faster deployment, because there is much less need to configure Customer Premise Equipment (CPE) when new sites are brought on-line.
|
| Q: How easy is it to add additional sites to our MPLS network in due course? |
|
A: MPLS is designed with scalability in mind, whether it is Ethernet based or routed over IP, the ability to deploy add sites has never been easier and large complex routing tables no longer need to be managed.
|
| Q: What are the on-goings costs of MPLS? |
|
A: Like any dedicated private network, annual rental costs will always seem high, however the explosion of IP convergence using fibre networks has led to far higher levels of productivity than we have ever seen previously. However, in order to prioritise traffic and reduce interruption to time sensitive applications gives Tier 1 the opportunity to charge for class of service (COS) over global layer 3 MPLS networks and appear as part of the annual rental cost.
|
| Q: What level of in-house expertise do we need to have an MPLS network? |
A: MPLS enables customers to outsource the management of their networks so today relatively low numbers of experienced networking expertise is needed, allowing IT departments to focus in-house functions.
| |
|
top |
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
