In the last issue of Fusion, we examined in brief two of the key networking technologies that are driving the future of communications, Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) and Ethernet. In this edition, we're going to take a closer look at MPLS, its suitability and what the benefits are.
TCP/IP protocol
Networks work in layers. The bottom layer is the physical cabling itself, and above that are protocols that run on top of the physical infrastructure. For example, TCP/IP (Transport Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) can run on top of physical Ethernet networks, over WiFi, or even over 3G phone services.
The advantage of this is that applications don't need to know the details of the physical network in order to work - instead, it only needs to 'talk' TCP/IP in order to work on any platform that supports the protocol.
This has made TCP/IP a very flexible, robust protocol for building applications, which you'd expect given the number of applications it now supports, and the uses to which it's being put. But this flexibility has an associated problem: TCP/IP is a jack of all trades, and master of none.
Take, for example, voice calls. As anyone who's used a software Voice over IP (VoIP) service from a computer will tell you, making calls over the Internet can mean accepting the occasional glitch. On a slower connection these glitches can be more than occasional. Because TCP/IP doesn't know if a packet is part of an email (which can be delivered slowly) or part of a voice or video stream (which needs to be moved quickly), it has no means of knowing what kind of priority to give different packets.
Fortunately, technologies were developed for prioritising data so that the most important data can come first. In the case of private wide area networks (WANs) this is done by marking traffic with an IP Precedence value and transmitting the data using MPLS. MPLS works by labelling each packet of data with the priority required, so that, for example, packets from a video conference are given priority over those for regular web browsing. Each MPLS router that your data passes through on the way from one of your sites to another then respects the priority of the data, helping to ensure that video and voice work with as few glitches as possible.
THUS MPLS IP VPN
THUS offers MPLS IP VPN as a service for organisations that typically have more than two sites. This service connects multiple sites together using MPLS and TCP/IP, with each business running their own virtual private network (VPN) across THUS' core next-generation network (NGN).
The company's MPLS IP VPN is capable of meeting all your inter-site connectivity needs, delivering voice, video, and data traffic as well as optional Internet connectivity. Connection speeds can scale from 64Kbps up to 1000Mbps, depending on your requirements - and it includes four levels of service, which means you can ensure that different kinds of data are given the appropriate priority.
Although it's possible to connect two sites through MPLS IP VPN, the service really comes into its own when you need to connect three or more in a single network. Traditionally, this would have been done using a hub and spoke network arrangement of leased lines, so that all traffic flowed through a single site and out to the satellite locations. Using MPLS IP VPN, each location connects to the nearest THUS point of presence (POP), and their traffic is then sent directly through the THUS NGN with no need to send all of the data through a 'hub site' such as your head office. This gives your network more resilience, as it means that if your central location is out of action, your satellite sites don't lose their connectivity - only those services hosted at your main site will be affected.
Business benefits
There are many potential business benefits to using MPLS IP VPN. Using MPLS as your core network protocol means that voice and video traffic between your sites will be of better quality than an equivalent TCP/IP-only network. With better quality video conferencing comes the potential to save money through reducing the necessity for inter-site travel - a direct cost benefit to you, which also helps reduce your carbon emissions and reach any environmental targets your business has.
MPLS IP VPN also delivers all the benefits of convergence. As all your voice, video and data traffic goes over a single connection (with backup links if required), you only have to pay to support a single piece of infrastructure, rather than multiple connections. Instead of having phone lines, data connections, and Internet access into each site, one connection can do it all.
The THUS advantage
THUS is known as an experienced provider of MPLS services to both the corporate and SME markets and, as illustrated, can create bespoke solutions for all types of business. In the future, you'll be able to take advantage of more converged services as applications are built which take advantage of the ability to mix and match voice, video and data, as and when you need them.