MPLS network design is important to think seriously about. Has your company ever had an MPLS network carrier that you weren’t happy with? Then you probably remember the hassle of switching carriers: ordering new circuits, getting them installed, extending the demarcs, testing, cut-over to the new network, disconnecting the old network and then resolving billing issues. Did I mention the cost of two networks during the transition? Or, if you chose to change carriers before the end of your contract, the hefty early termination fees.
Those termination fees occur because the carrier has committed to the local loop providers for the specific contract period. If you terminate, the carrier is left with the obligation to pay the remainder of the term, so that cost is passed to you. What if your MPLS design was such that it didn’t need to be that way?
There actually is a better way. SASE Experts offers an MPLS network design approach that provides you with complete protection from this problem. It’s actually quite simple. SD-WAN-Experts contracts the local loops from your office locations to the carrier POPs. Since the carrier POPs are in “carrier hotels”, there are numerous carriers that have Ethernet switches in a “Meet-Me” room. If the local loops are contracted separately from the carrier, switching carriers in the future is as simple as unplugging the cross connect from one carrier to another….without early termination fees! What could be easier? You have complete control over your carrier selection when you use this MPLS network design approach. This is particularly valuable if your company has high bandwidth loops that would have significant termination charges.
Using this “control your local loop” approach to enterprise network design, SASE Experts provides an independent NOC to monitor your network, with a level of problem resolution service far better than most carriers can offer.
Remember: the carrier that provides the local loops or “tails” is much more important than most people realize. Carriers make large margins on these loops. They want you to contract the loops through the carrier so it is easier to keep your enterprise locked-in as a customer.
In the carrier’s effort to offer a lower priced solution, they often will use the lowest price loop provider. But the SLA that the loop carrier provides the MPLS carrier will often affect the price. Better SLAs cost more money. This is why the lowest price loop may not be your best choice. Will the loop provider make a “truck-roll” to repair failures on a 24×7 basis? For some loop providers, the answer is no! You should know your options and the related SLAs so you can make educated decisions about your network. This is why SASE Experts can be a valuable resource in designing and sourcing your global or domestic MPLS network.
Take control of your wide area network design with SASE Experts. Contact us to learn more.
