MPLS Solutions: Enterprise Private Network
Guaranteed QoS with Predictable Performance
Deploy Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) networks that provide guaranteed Quality of Service, predictable latency, and traffic engineering capabilities. MPLS operates on carrier infrastructure separate from public internet, delivering consistent performance for voice, video, and mission-critical applications.
Choose between Layer 2 or Layer 3 VPN architectures based on your routing requirements. We provision MPLS circuits from 10 Mbps to 100 Gbps per site with 99.9% uptime SLA, sub-50ms latency within Europe, and carrier-grade redundancy.
Connecting multiple sites? Review our multi-site connectivity solutions for topology options including MPLS, VPN, and hybrid architectures.
What is MPLS?
MPLS Explained
MPLS is a data-forwarding technology that uses labels to make routing decisions instead of traditional IP routing lookups. Carriers provision private MPLS networks that run alongside—but separate from—public internet infrastructure. This separation provides predictable performance, guaranteed bandwidth, and traffic isolation.
How MPLS Works
When your traffic enters the MPLS network, the carrier's Label Edge Router (LER) adds a label to each packet. Core routers (LSRs) use these labels—not IP addresses—to forward traffic, enabling faster switching and sophisticated traffic engineering. At the destination, labels are removed and packets delivered to your site.
MPLS vs Internet VPN
Internet VPN relies on best-effort public internet with variable latency and no QoS guarantees. MPLS runs on dedicated carrier infrastructure with contractual SLAs for latency, jitter, and packet loss. You pay premium pricing for predictable performance.
Why Choose MPLS
- Guaranteed QoS: 8 traffic classes with bandwidth reservation per class
- Predictable latency: <50ms Europe-wide, <10ms within same country
- Any-to-any connectivity: Full mesh without managing individual tunnels
- Traffic engineering: Carrier manages optimal routing and failover
- Security: Isolated from public internet, no encryption overhead required
MPLS VPN Types
Layer 2 vs Layer 3 architecture comparison
Layer 3 MPLS VPN
Carrier provides IP routing between your sites. You connect customer edge (CE) routers to carrier provider edge (PE) routers via BGP or static routes. Carrier handles inter-site routing.
Layer 3 Features
- •Carrier manages routing: BGP, OSPF, or static routes
- •Separate routing tables per customer (VRF isolation)
- •Different IP subnets per site (no Layer 2 adjacency)
- •Simplified CE router configuration
Best For
Most enterprises. Each site has independent IP addressing. You want carrier to manage inter-site routing. 90% of MPLS deployments use Layer 3.
Layer 2 MPLS VPN
Carrier provides transparent Layer 2 connectivity (VPLS or E-Line). All sites appear on same LAN segment. You manage all routing, spanning-tree, and Layer 2 protocols.
Layer 2 Features
- •All sites in same broadcast domain
- •Run any Layer 2 protocol (VLAN, STP, LACP)
- •Single IP subnet spans all locations
- •Full control over routing topology
Best For
Data center interconnection, disaster recovery with Layer 2 replication, running proprietary Layer 2 protocols, or extending VLANs across sites.
MPLS Key Features
Enterprise-grade network capabilities
8-Class QoS
MPLS supports 8 traffic classes with guaranteed bandwidth per class. Voice gets EF (Expedited Forwarding) for sub-10ms jitter. Video and business-critical apps get AF (Assured Forwarding) classes. Best-effort traffic uses remaining capacity.
Predictable Latency
Contractual latency SLAs: <50ms Europe-wide, <10ms same country, <1ms same city. Carrier provisions capacity to meet SLAs and provides credits for violations. Critical for VoIP, video conferencing, and real-time applications.
Carrier-Managed Redundancy
Dual-path MPLS with automatic failover. Carrier provisions primary and backup paths with sub-second convergence. No manual intervention required. Common configuration: primary fiber + backup broadband for cost optimization.
Private Network Isolation
Traffic never touches public internet. VRF isolation ensures your routing table is separate from other customers. No encryption overhead required, though IPsec can be added for regulatory compliance. Reduces DDoS attack surface.
Any-to-Any Mesh
Full mesh connectivity without managing individual tunnels. Add new sites by provisioning single MPLS circuit—carrier automatically establishes connectivity to all existing sites. Scales to hundreds of locations with centralized management.
99.9% Uptime SLA
Contractual availability guarantee with financial penalties for violations. Typical SLA includes uptime, latency, jitter, and packet loss thresholds. 24/7 carrier NOC monitoring with escalation procedures. Enterprise support with 4-hour response time.
Technical Specifications
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Bandwidth Options | 10 Mbps to 100 Gbps per site |
| Latency SLA | <50ms Europe-wide, <10ms same country |
| Jitter | <5ms for EF class, <10ms for AF classes |
| Packet Loss | <0.1% for EF class, <0.5% for AF classes |
| Uptime SLA | 99.9% (8.76 hours downtime/year) |
| MTU Size | 1500 bytes (standard), up to 9000 bytes (jumbo frames) |
| Routing Protocols | BGP, OSPF, EIGRP, static routes |
| QoS Classes | 8 classes (EF, AF4x, AF3x, AF2x, AF1x, Best-Effort) |
MPLS Solutions FAQ
Common questions about MPLS network deployment and management
Ready to Deploy MPLS?
Get detailed quote with SLA specifications, circuit options, and implementation timeline for your multi-site network.