Sprint makes about-face on VPN technology

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Article over-simplification

While MPLS appears to be a mesh network, which makes management simpler, you have to remember that MPLS is a layer three protocol. That means that lower layers (like Frame Relay and ATM, which are at layer two) may be transporting them. In addition, a layer one physical transport (like SONET) is present as well.

What this means is that while it may appear that you have direct connections (a full or partial mesh configuration) with peer nodes, those connections are unlikely to be direct. The underlying transports are routing the traffic as needed, via available bandwidth. That direct connection from NY to NJ could be routing via Kansas City; it's transparent to you -- except for the increased round trip delay.

As a result, while VoIP users and vendors are pretending that MPLS will make things all better, you are really no better off in terms of managing latencies. It can be perfectly fine for months, but you are only a single reroute away from an unusable connection.

Worse, because your view is now limited to a layer three horizon, you can't see the changes below the surface that are wreaking havoc with your voice services. It's simpler for executives that don't have to deal with telecomm technology on a day-to-day basis to buy into the simplified view that MPLS offers, but it's their staff and vendors that have to deal with their inability to make a phone call.

Posted by: Mace Moneta   Posted on: 01/28/04 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use

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