If you're searching for ways to boost your IT network's voice/data clarity, signal strength and reliability, you may see references to a technology protocol known as MPLS. This mysterious acronym stands for multi-protocol label switching, and it offers dramatic performance improvement over a typical IP-based VPN (virtual private network). But what exactly is MPLS, and what exactly can it do for your business? Here's a quick primer from our Austin managed IT services team.

 Multi-protocol label switching technology has been around since the 1990s, but it's become more popular as businesses need to move bigger chunks of data faster and more reliably than ever before. “Multi-protocol” simply means that the network can make use of multiple data protocols. But it's the “label switching” that really makes MPLS something special. Each data packet that moves through the system is assigned a label at each “hop” or station along a provider-serviced MPLS network. This routing method is much more efficient and streamlined than the traditional “lookups” required in ordinary IP network routers. Your data also travels along a private pipeline rather than sharing an Internet pipeline. MPLS can provide your IT network with:

• Clearer voice quality
• Faster data transfer speeds
• A higher level of security and privacy
• Quicker response/restoration of data interruptions
• 24-hour monitoring by the MPLS provider

 You may be saying, “That sounds fantastic, but I wouldn't know how to get started with an MPLS provider.” That's where Gravity Systems comes in! Our Austin IT managed services specialists can shop around for the perfect MPLS provider and level of MPLS deployment for your needs. We'll also configure a SonicWall firewall on your end to make sure the MPLS network is recognized. If you want the fastest, strongest, most trustworthy data network, contact us and let's talk MPLS!

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