Five Myths About MPLS

MPLS has been a popular technology for enterprise networks for many years. Despite its relatively high cost, it delivers the performance with the SLA support that today’s applications require. While it has legendary status, every legend develops myths. Let’s look at five myths about MPLS:

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Myth 1: MPLS is necessary for enterprises that require high availability

Networks are known for high uptime, but they are not the only option when high availability is needed. SD-WAN is a flexible solution that integrates low-cost Internet transport into virtual WAN connections. Utilizing multiple links and additional features such as load balancing, as well as real-time monitoring of circuit health and performance, SD-WAN can achieve the high availability required by today's enterprises. Achieving high availability by using multiple circuits is great, but SD-WAN can also mix circuit types such as fiber and 4G to guarantee physical layer redundancy.

Myth 2: The entire network needs to be built using MPLS

Enterprises have adopted cloud applications for ease of access and reduced costs. But these applications are located outside the enterprise network, and the MPLS network does not connect to the cloud. For companies that have invested heavily in the current MPLS infrastructure, a hybrid approach can be adopted and SD-WAN can be added to provide improved cloud access. Rohit Mehra, vice president of network infrastructure at IDC, pointed out that "SD-WAN is particularly important for enterprises that have adopted or are adopting hybrid cloud, especially those that utilize SaaS application services."

Another scenario where SD-WAN can be used to augment MPLS is when opening a new office or moving to a new location. Provisioning new MPLS circuits is very slow, and SD-WAN can be used in situations where flexibility is needed. This is also applicable if cost is an issue, as SD-WAN can be cheaper to deploy.

Myth 3: MPLS is secure

By itself, MPLS does not use security protocols. Security is implemented based on VLANs; MPLS is technically a shared medium with its customer traffic tagged in its own VLAN. They are not vulnerable to the kinds of attacks that occur on the Internet because hackers cannot reach them, which is why they are considered secure. However, since the traffic is sent in clear text, they can be easily eavesdropped. Today, many MPLS customers add VPN encryption to protect the network. MPLS also does not prevent malware from spreading between MPLS-connected sites. Most of the time, MPLS configurations route traffic back to the data center and rely on the data center's firewall to provide security.

Myth 4: MPLS is the only network option for Chinese enterprises

With the recent crackdown on VPN connections in my country, many people believe that MPLS is the only way to go. In reality, VPN is still an option, but the connection must be officially registered with the government. MPLS is an alternative, but provisioning circuits in China can take months or even years to complete.

SD-WAN providers that are approved and registered with the Chinese government can provide connectivity to China without the cost and lengthy configuration process of MPLS. SD-WAN connectivity also means that connectivity will not be blocked by the “Great Firewall of China,” which is notorious for creating packet loss and latency issues.

Myth 5: MPLS is the only option for global networks

SD-WAN technology has moved from emerging technology to mainstream technology in 2018. According to research firm IDC, SD-WAN revenue will reach $2.3 billion by 2018 and exceed $8 billion by 2021. But some people think that SD-WAN is nothing more than a regional solution because there are many unpredictable aspects of using public network connections.

However, this is not the case for SD-WAN providers who have a global private backbone to ensure that traffic is optimized and securely delivered around the world. SD-WAN also has advantages over MPLS for global users accessing cloud resources. With only an MPLS backbone, users backhaul to the corporate headquarters and then to the cloud resulting in long delays, or they access cloud resources over the public internet, incurring the cost of additional security infrastructure. With a global SD-WAN infrastructure, users from all over the world can access cloud applications and other corporate resources from a global backbone and expect high-performance connectivity.

WAN, myth, legend

MPLS has earned and deserves its legendary reputation for reliability and performance. But when it comes to the nuts and bolts of running a business, it’s important to rely on facts, not just myths about any solution. SD-WAN has emerged as a viable option for enterprise networks that can complement existing MPLS networks to overcome barriers such as cost, flexibility, availability, and cloud access.