{"id":8555,"date":"2015-04-29T09:13:02","date_gmt":"2015-04-29T16:13:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.aerocominc.com\/?p=8555"},"modified":"2017-05-12T10:41:16","modified_gmt":"2017-05-12T17:41:16","slug":"21-mpls-features-you-need-to-know","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.aerocominc.com\/info\/21-mpls-features-you-need-to-know\/","title":{"rendered":"21 MPLS Features You Need to Know [White Paper]"},"content":{"rendered":"

When shopping for an MPLS network<\/a><\/span>, don\u2019t assume all providers offer the same features<\/strong>.\u00a0 As with anything, the devil is in the details!<\/span> We\u2019d like to give you a quick reference to the best, unique MPLS features that are not offered by every provider and therefore, should be asked about during the initial conversations if desired.\"\"<\/em><\/p>\n

How do we know this stuff?<\/em>
\nWe have been quoting MPLS for our clients, across every major service provider, for over a dozen years. For more blogs, videos and general information on MPLS<\/a><\/span>,\u00a0click here.<\/p>\n

Okay, so here are the 21 features that you need to know:<\/p>\n

#1 Internal BGP Internet Routing<\/strong>
\nSome providers can give you an Internet connection at two different sites (geographically dispersed) and automatically send Internet traffic to both connections (via your MPLS network) simultaneously or from one to the other (in a fail over scenario). This is a great feature if you are currently running all of your Internet traffic through one site (due to firewall and content filtering preferences) because it allows for you to load balance your traffic surges between two or more connections and decreases your chance of downtime.<\/p>\n

\"burst\"<\/a>#2 Burstable Bandwidth<\/strong>
\nThis feature is very popular on large fiber or DS3 Internet connections, but a small number of service providers also allow burstable bandwidth on an MPLS connection. It is great for a company with seasonal or periodic high-bandwidth needs, especially for their hub site, if centralizing network resources.<\/p>\n

#3 Real-Time Bandwidth Adjustment<\/strong>
\nA few providers are taking the burstable MPLS access concept to the next level and allowing clients, via an online portal, to make adjustments to their MPLS bandwidth in real-time. The caveat is that you can only adjust it as fast as your access type allows (i.e. if you have a DS3, you can\u2019t adjust it above 45M).<\/p>\n

#4 Hosted VoIP<\/strong>
\nIf you are shopping MPLS providers today yet your phone system is going to be end of life in the near future, you want to make sure you sign up with an MPLS provider that also has a high quality, competitively priced hosted VoIP product. In order for hosted VoIP\/Hosted PBX to work effectively, it needs to be deployed on a protected MPLS network.<\/p>\n

You\u2019d hate to choose a provider, and then realize a year later that you need a hosted phone system and your MPLS provider doesn\u2019t offer that service. Therefore, you would have to purchase a second MPLS network, just for your hosted VoIP service.<\/p>\n

Learn more about hosted VoIP<\/a><\/span>\u00a0by clicking here<\/a><\/span>.<\/p>\n

#5 Voice\"\"<\/strong>
\nNot every provider offers voice over their network, but it is extremely cost effective to integrate your dial tone onto your same MPLS circuit, especially for smaller sites. For example, you may have a site that has ten people, yet they have a full PRI Voice T1 (because your phone system requires a PRI) and a separate 10M Fiber MPLS Circuit. In that example, you could easily consolidate the two into your MPLS Circuit and you would never even feel strain on your 10M. The main benefit is that you will save a lot of money by eliminating costly phone lines and all of their associated local phone company surcharges.<\/p>\n

#6 Network Firewall<\/strong>
\nSome providers offer a hosted firewall in the MPLS cloud for companies who also have Internet access through their MPLS network. In this scenario, you can have a single firewall that manages the Internet traffic from every site, yet managed by your MPLS and Internet service provider. In addition to taking the management of the firewall off your plate, the features of a provider\u2019s firewall are usually much more robust than the firewall your company would be able to afford.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

#7 Hosted Email & Content Filtering<\/strong>
\nIn addition to a network firewall, some service providers also offer hosted email and Internet\/Website Content filtering. Hosted Email Filtering will significantly free-up your bandwidth because the huge amount of SPAM is being filtered at the cloud level and never taking up space on your MPLS access pipe.<\/p>\n

Hosted Content Filtering is a simple add-on to a managed firewall service and like a hosted firewall, it takes this monotonous and ever-changing task off your plate while also giving you more robust features than the content filtering device your company could afford if purchased internally.<\/p>\n

#8 Hosted\/Cloud Services<\/strong>
\nIf you are going to use cloud services for your company, the most efficient way to do so is to stream the cloud application through your MPLS network. This will give you lower latency on cloud applications and overall, a faster and higher-quality end-user experience. After all, \u201cbetter application deployment\u201d is the original purpose of MPLS. Why would you go backwards in time and start running your cloud applications through the public Internet again?<\/p>\n

If your cloud service provider is the same as your MPLS provider, streaming the cloud applications through your MPLS network is typically easy and a zero-cost option. If the providers are different, you will have to pay a large monthly fee to add an MPLS node to your cloud provider\u2019s data center.<\/p>\n

If you cannot find an MPLS provider that has the cloud application you need, another option is that some providers have a Network to Network Interface (NNI), with your 3rd party cloud provider, allowing you to stream that 3rd party application through your MPLS network.<\/p>\n

#9 Auto-Failover to IP-SEC VPN<\/strong>
\nAs data pipes continue to increase in importance for companies, more providers are offering an auto-failover feature (to a BYOB IP-SEC VPN Internet connection), for your MPLS network. They manage the whole thing and ensure it works.<\/p>\n

#10 4G Back-Up with Auto-Failover<\/strong>
\nSome providers are starting to offer an auto-failover, 4G, IP-SEC VPN back-up for your MPLS connections. We all know 4G cellular Internet is fast and inexpensive, which makes it a perfect back-up connection for your primary MPLS access. It is also a completely diverse technology (cellular wireless vs. wireline), which further increases its ideal fit for a back-up connection.<\/p>\n

#11 Remote VPN Access to MPLS<\/strong>
\nIf you have remote users, many providers offer a feature that allows these remote users to VPN through a \u201cback-door\u201d on the provider\u2019s network, directly into the MPLS cloud, rather than going to your main site, then out to the MPLS cloud. By doing so, remote users are no longer eating up much-\"Blackneeded Internet and MPLS bandwidth at your HQ site.<\/p>\n

#12 Access Types
\n<\/strong>
\nYou always want to make sure you are using the most cost-efficient, highest bandwidth available for each of your MPLS sites. The issue is that not all providers offer every type of access technology so you need to be careful that your provider isn\u2019t costing you more money because a lack of product offerings. Below is a sample of the MPLS access technologies that you should evaluate for each site, independently, depending on the location and needs of each individual site.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
MPLS Access Type<\/strong><\/td>\nApprox. Speed Download\/Upload<\/strong><\/td>\nCost Rating<\/strong><\/td>\nDownside<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
DSL<\/td>\n10M\/1M<\/td>\n$<\/td>\nSpeed isn\u2019t guaranteed, no SLA, slow upload<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
DS1\/T1<\/td>\n1.5M\/1.5M \u2013 12M\/12M<\/td>\n$$$<\/td>\nExpensive relative to the bandwidth<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
DS3\/T3<\/td>\n10M\/10M \u2013 45M\/45M<\/td>\n$$$<\/td>\nExpensive relative to the bandwidth<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Ethernet over Copper (EoC)<\/td>\n1M\/1M \u2013 50M\/50M<\/td>\n$$<\/td>\nFickle availability, based on provider & location<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Ethernet over T1\/DS3<\/td>\n10M\/10M \u2013 45M\/45M<\/td>\n$$$<\/td>\nExpensive relative to the bandwidth<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Ethernet over Microwave (Fixed) Wireless<\/td>\n1M\/1M+<\/td>\n$$<\/td>\nFickle availability, based on provider & location<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Ethernet over Fiber<\/td>\n10M\/10M+<\/td>\n$$<\/td>\nFickle availability, based on provider & location<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

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#13 Maintain Same QoS on Entire Route<\/strong>
\nAlways ask an MPLS provider if they guarantee your CoS\/QoS settings on the entire route (i.e. even while on their backbone) or if those settings are only guaranteed before and after they travel across the provider\u2019s network. Every provider is different and this could affect your quality, especially if you have latency sensitive applications, such as voice, video, hosted desktop, etc.<\/p>\n

#14 Single ASN Across Domestic & International Locations<\/strong>
\nIf you have latency sensitive applications and especially if you also have international locations, you may want to look for a provider that uses a single ASN number on their backbone routing, even when passing your MPLS traffic to international destinations. Having a single ASN will automatically give you higher quality on the network.<\/p>\n

#15 Multicast<\/strong>
\nDoes your phone system use multicast for some of its features? If so, make sure you check that the provider you are quoting supports multicast. Most don\u2019t and this will end up with you stuck in a three year contract with a provider than doesn\u2019t allow your phone system to function properly.<\/p>\n

#16 Quality of Service (QoS) Options\"\"<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Many providers only offer a \u201cone-size-fits-all\u201d for your QoS tolerance. In other words, they charge you a high amount to keep all of your traffic at a high-level QoS setting. And other providers allow you to carve your pipe into different QoS segments, depending on the requirements for the applications you are sending across the network. For instance, these providers will charge you less if 80% of your traffic can tolerate a \u201cbest effort\u201d QoS level and only 20% of your traffic requires a \u201creal-time data\u201d QoS level.<\/p>\n

#17 Classes of Service (CoS)<\/strong>
\nIdeally, how many Classes of Service does your network need? Some providers only offer four levels while some providers offer as many as ten.<\/p>\n

#18 Service Level Agreements (SLA)<\/strong>
\nNot every provider has the same Service Level Agreement. Some providers\u2019 SLA (in the fine print), only covers their backbone network (i.e. not your access circuit or router), while others offer a complete router-to-router SLA. Some providers offer a 100% network uptime guarantee while others only offer 99.9%, which is actually a difference of 9 hours of downtime per year!<\/p>\n

#19 International SLAs<\/strong>
\nIf you have international sites, make sure you ask the provider for their international SLA in addition to their national SLA. They are different and just like domestic SLAs, they vary by provider.<\/p>\n

#20 Bandwidth Utilization Tools<\/strong>
\nEvery provider offers different bandwidth utilization tools and some offer more information and are more user friendly than others, so it\u2019s a good idea to ask for a demo.<\/p>\n

#21 Application Performance Management Tools<\/strong>
\nApplication Performance Management (APM) is a tool that only select providers offer. It allows you to view your MPLS network application traffic in real time, down to the end-user (MAC Address) level. The standard bandwidth utilization tools that providers offer typically can only see as far as your router but APM tools can allow much deeper analysis when you inevitably experience network issues. Troubleshooting is much easier and faster with APM tools. They also allow you to go back in time, several months.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s it!<\/strong>
\nIn summary, it\u2019s a good idea to break down these 21 items into wants and needs. No single provider will be strong in all 21 features and plus have good pricing. Which is why it\u2019s best know which features are important to your company and focus on providers who are the strongest on those features.<\/p>\n

If that seems like a lot of work, you\u2019re right. It is.<\/span> If you don\u2019t have time for all of that work, the good news is that you do not have to do it. Our team has over 14 years of experience doing this. For more information, click below…and we’ll do all of that research and show you the best 3 MPLS providers for your company’s size, site locations\u00a0and requirements – for free!<\/p>\n