Wide Area Networks can be complex and a design should be carefully planned
and implemented. Even an existing WAN that needs to be redesigned for cost
savings or technological
benefits should not be attempted without consulting an experienced network
designer. Click here to fill our consultation form and one of our network
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Frame Relay is the largest WAN data transmission protocol in use today. Looking forward, MPLS will probably overtake Frame due to it’s speed ,cost and ease of deployment. “Frame” is a "connection oriented" packet mode data service. Access to Frame Relay is provided over dedicated links at speeds of 56 Kbps/64 (DS0) Kbps to 45 Mbps (DS3). Data is transmitted from an end-device terminal, packaged into variable length frames and transported through the network on predefined logical circuits.
Frame relay is a synchronous protocol where data is sent in packets, referred to as "frames". The diagram below shows the general structure of a frame.
Address
Control
Data
CRC Error Correction
Frame relay components consists of the customer router, access link to the customer connection on the frame relay switch in the BellSouth Frame relay network and frame relay circuits that connect customer connections. In frame relay networks, circuits are known as "permanent virtual circuits", or PVC's. The circuits are known as permanent because they are permanently assigned and virtual because they are "logical” (not physical connections) or virtual connections. Throughput over a logical circuit can vary up to the speed of the customer connection, making frame relay ideal for bursty WAN data. A committed information rate is available on the PVC’s, which effectively guarantees that level of throughput.
Frame relay topology typically is hub and spoke, which matches the main network layout of many business customers, where there are remote sites connecting to a main hub or headquarters location.
Many networks offer priority and intelligent PVC’s, multi-link and high speed connectivity, and customer network management.
MPLS
MPLS stands for "MultiProtocol Label Switching".
In an MPLS network, incoming packets are assigned a "label“ by the customers router. This label allows the network to provide a priority to different traffic types.
Benefits
QOS(Quality of Service)
Ease of Use
Ability to prioritize
Secure
More efficient
Disaster recovery
Migration Path
Scalability
Features Advantages Benefits
QOS (Quality of Service)
- MPLS VPN’s(Virtual
Private Networks) offer superior quality of service over internet based VPN’s
- The customer is guaranteed
quality data transmission between locations
Ease of use
- Network design and
management is shifted from customer to the service provider
- The customers save valuable
time by not having to manage a complex network design
Ability to Prioritize
- The customer decides which site to site traffic is the most and least important
- Mission critical applications like Point of sale software or customer relationship management tools can take priority over lower priority applications like web browsing
- Customers with a need to connect phone systems and transmit voice between business locations can be assured of good quality transmission and voice clarity over their data network
Point to Point T-1
Is the most secured and private way to transmit data or voice between two or more locations. It can be a cost-effective and secure way for multiple locations to communicate with each other. The transmission speeds will vary from T-1 (1.5 Mbps) up to a DS3 (45Mbps)
Generally, the circuit is of a clear channel design in that the
Circuit allows the terminating equipment to utilize the bandwidth as needed. B8ZS / ESF is the format and timing is controlled by the equipment.
To find out more information about our point-to-point services and have a qualified consultant contact you, please click on the contact us button. Fill out the information link sheet and one of our trained specialists will contact you shortly with information. We will shop more than 10 companies to come up with the most competitive and comprehensive services to fulfill your needs.
V.P.N.
Internet Protocol Virtual Private Network (IP VPN) is a group of technologies that are widely used by corporations and service providers to provide secured, private and scalable communications with proper QoS, over a public IP based infrastructure such as the Internet and Service Provider shared IP networks. IP VPN is replacing the traditional VPN technologies such as ATM VPN, Frame Relay VPN and TDM based VPN to become the main stream of the VPN services, though interfaces to the existing technologies exist in some cases.
The core technology of VPN is the encapsulation or tunneling algorithms. Primarily, there are three types of IP VPN technologies: IPsec based IP VPN, MPLS based IP VPN and SSL base IP VPN. Different technologies may have different focus of benefits and serve different business purposes. The following are summaries of the three types of technologies, their main applications and limitations:
MPLS based IP VPN: MPLS-based Layer 3 VPNs uses MPLS labeling algorithms and signaling protocols to encapsulate IP packets and distribute VPN-related information. MPLS based IP VPN can seamlessly interface with traditional VPN technologies such as ATM, Frame Relay and TDM etc. It can be an alternative or a complementary VPN solution to the legacy deployment. A primary advantage of MPLS is that it provides the scalability to support both small and very large-scale VPN deployments. It can support end-to-end QoS, rapid faultcorrection of link and node failure, bandwidth protection, and a foundation for deploying additional value-added services. MPLS technology also simplifies configuration, management, and provisioning, helping service providers to deliver highly scalable, differentiated, end-to-end IP based services. The service provider can offer SLAs by enabling MPLS traffic engineering and fast reroute capabilities in the core network. MPLS based IP VNP is a network based VPN technology for site-to-site VPN communications only.
IPsec Based IP VPN: IPSec protocol provides the framework for CPE-based Layer 3 VPNs. IPSec supports 1)Data confidentiality by encrypting packets before transmission; 2)Data integrity through authenticating packets 3)Data origin authentication; 4) Anti-replay; 5) Encapsulating Security Payload (ESP), for confidentiality. IPSec parameters are communicated and negotiated between network devices in accordancewith the Internet Key Exchange (IKE) protocol.The IPSec protocol provides protection for IP packets by allowing network designers to specify the traffic that needs protection, define how thattraffic is to be protected, and control who can receive the traffic. IPSec VPNs is a replacement technology to the traditional VPNs such as leased-line, Frame Relay, or ATM. The advantage of IPSec is that it meets network requirements more cost effectively and with greater flexibility byusing the public IP network such as the Internet and service providers¡¯ IP-based networks.IPSec is suitable for both site-to-site and remote-access VPNs.
SSL based IP VPN: Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) is for remote-access VPNs, instead of site-to-site VPNs. In the SSL based VPN, the Secure Sockets Layer protocol is used for packet encapsulation and user authentication. SSL provides access to Web-based applications from any location with a Web browser, an Internet connection, and without special clientsoftware. It provides secure connectivity by authenticating the communicating parties and encrypting the traffic that flows between them.SSL-based VPNs only support applications coded for SSL, including standard e-mail clients, Telnet, FTP, IP telephony, multicastapplications, and applications requiring QoS.
Metro Ethernet
Metro Ethernet” is the industry name for Ethernet transport service that is offered by the telecommunications industry. Usually provisioned on fiber. Metro Ethernet designates a service that transports data traffic between two or more customer Ethernet Local Area Networks (LANs) and that is compliant with IEEE 802.3 standards for Ethernet framing. Metro Ethernet can be configured as a fully meshed network, or as a point-to-multipoint service (similar to frame relay), or simply as a point-to-point connection (Ethernet Private Line).
Metro Ethernet is available as a Switched (Shared) or Dedicated service. Switched service supports traffic between multiple locations in a many-to-one or any-to-any configuration. Dedicated service only supports a point-to-point dedicated connection between two customer locations. Dedicated service is also referred to as Ethernet private line. Please refer to Section 2.03 for more information on Dedicated Metro Ethernet service.
The following information is provided as an example only, different providers may allow or change functions in their network.
The design of a network utilizing Metro E is complex and should only be attempted with the aid of an experienced network designer.
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Switched Metro Ethernet is offered in different Classes of Service
Each offers different features and QoS functionality.
Basic is a “best effort” Ethernet service.
Premium service offers improved bandwidth throughput and lower latency than is available using a best effort service. The key feature of Premium service is guaranteed bandwidth in specified bandwidth increments ranging from 10Mbps up to 500Mbps, with the ability to burst up to the physical port speed. Enhanced features and SLAs are offered with Premium service.
Premium service with “Priority Plus”. Priority Plus is a feature that supports delay-sensitive applications such as VoIP and video. Customer traffic that is classified as Premium with Priority Plus experiences the highest priority transport across the core network. Priority Plus is available only to customers subscribing to Premium COS.
Traffic Priority and P-bit Remarking
Metro Ethernet utilizes four (4) levels of frame
priority to support the Classes of Service described
in the previous section. Inbound customer frames
are assigned one of four priority values that
correspond to an appropriate traffic queue on
the trunk (interoffice) port. Table 2 below
shows how the four levels of priority map to
the Metro Ethernet Classes of Service.
