19 Feb 2013

AT&T MPLS

by Erin Bothamley

AT&T MPLS Networks A Multi Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) network is a Business to Business service that acts as a private Internet connection linking multiple locations together. Multi Protocol means that the network accepts multiple types of traffic, such as data, voice, video, T-Carrier, SONET, etc. at any given time. Label Switching refers to the technique that tags each packet as it comes into the network. The tags define destination, source, and Class/Quality of Service (CoS/QoS), and are used to forward the packets to their intended destination. The QoS portion of the tag is what allows your MPLS connection to reliably transmit data, voice and video. As the packets leave the network, the tags are removed and the packets look exactly the same as when they entered.

MPLS networks are also inherently more secure than a typical Internet connection simply because they are privately run and do not traverse public networks. Moreover, anyone who could find a way to poke around your network would be puzzled by the labels that your particular network employs. However, if security is your primary concern, you have the ability to add an extra layer of security by encrypting your packets.

As part of AT&T’s diverse Internet Protocol Virtual Private Network (IP VPN) portfolio, the provider’s MPLS Private Network Transport (PNT) service is the perfect solution for any business looking to transition from conventional Layer 2 networks or premises-based VPN solutions to a flexible, cost-effective network-based IP VPN solution. AT&T MPLS PTN service offers any-to-any connectivity to tie each of your business locations to one IP network that effortlessly incorporates new sites and apps while not giving up the security that you typically find in dedicated private networks.

AT&T MPLS VPN services gives you a strong foundation on which you can connect your corporate headquarters, satellite offices, data centers, and dispersed mobile workers to each other as well as the apps they need to be productive. VPNs from AT&T use MPLS technology and CoS to give you both flexibility and control over your network performance. Deployed on the provider’s worldwide network, which utilizes MPLS to provide high-performance, any-to-any communication across the world, AT&T MPLS VPN can support all of your mission-critical apps, including: