IP-VPNs: a solid foundation for growing businesses. Save money and take the headache out of network management with MPLS-based IP-VPN Network

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1 Save money and take the headache out of network management with MPLS-based IP-VPN Network IP-VPNs: a solid foundation for growing businesses SPONSORED BY 1

2 Executive Summary Connecting multiple, geographically dispersed branch offices and mobile workers into a single corporate network is one of the biggest technology challenges for any growing business. Trying to manage business critical tools in several remote locations means that you create multiple points of failure, multiple environments to manage and a potentially complex network infrastructure to maintain and support. Thankfully, a technology exists that helps small and medium sized businesses resolve the complex and costly issues that plague network management. Called Internet Protocol-based Virtual Private Networks (IP-VPNs), they are easy to deploy, decrease network management time and reduce costs giving growing businesses access to the benefits of interconnectedness that were once the exclusive domain of Fortune 500 enterprises. Overview Picture the business benefits to be gained from being able to connect all of your branch offices to each other seamlessly, giving your employees instant access to business critical resources across a secure and reliable infrastructure. Imagine if your business could enjoy true private networking without requiring high-level IT resources and know-how to manage, while still giving you the ability to centrally manage your workers Internet access from one easily-controlled point. Consider the possibilities that open up when you have the ability to implement new applications such as combined voice/data networking and videoconferencing as your business grows, enabling your employees to become more mobile and more productive. Just such a solution exists in the form of IP-VPNs. IP-VPNs help small and medium-sized businesses achieve all these benefits and more by creating a secure point-topoint network connection where sensitive business data isn t susceptible to being intercepted. Thanks to the power of Multi Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) technology, today s IP-VPNs are easy to deploy, save valuable network management time and resources, and drastically reduce overall IT and telecommunications costs. What is an MPLS IP-VPN? A Virtual Private Network (VPN) eliminates the need for dedicated connections to corporate systems by carving out private space across a shared network such as the Internet. MPLS-based IP-VPNs, such as those offered by Pacnet, offer the flexibility of a public routed network with the speed and security of a private network. Traffic can find its way quickly to an end point while also allowing the underlying infrastructure network to be shared securely. MPLS enables companies to manage network traffic according to priority and is popular for converged networks carrying voice, video and data. MPLS is becoming mainstream as companies look for new ways to lower costs, extend scalability, improve reliability and secure their networked data. Many emerging businesses are currently buying MPLS connections as their connectivity needs expand and they need to connect new sites. Business drivers Designing, implementing, supporting and managing a wide area network is a daunting task even for the largest companies. Indeed, of all of the ongoing expenses needed to keep corporate IT running, network-related costs are perhaps the most unwieldy. New technologies, changing requirements, and ongoing equipment maintenance and upgrades keep IT staff on their toes and money flying out the door. Installing and maintaining dedicated network infrastructure has traditionally only been possible in large enterprises with deep pockets, for it requires significant levels of investment to provide the necessary security, access control and dedicated lines at each site. Connecting and maintaining multiple offices also requires a level of technological knowledge that is usually beyond the scope of most small to medium businesses. And in the current economic climate, where cost savings become increasingly important, such expensive projects are increasingly hard to justify. IP-VPN technology helps small and medium sized businesses resolve the issues surrounding network The Benefits of an IP-VPN: Remote worker access Scalability for thousands of connections Central management of connectivity Private addressing and traffic segregation for security Fewer overheads via a fixed cost model A platform for voice/data convergence 2

3 management. The technology allows organisations to experience the benefits of a large corporate network with little to no build cost, making it an extremely attractive solution for growing businesses. Business Benefits of MPLS IP-VPN However you plan to deploy MPLS IP-VPN for your business, its benefits will be experienced across the organisation. From greater efficiency and improved collaboration, to better security and business continuity, to the ability to add cutting edge applications such as converged voice/data, real time video, and peer-to-peer applications, an MPLS IP-VPN delivers a compelling solution for growing small and medium-sized businesses. It also comes at a price that won t break the bank, and helps cuts capital and operational costs, while reducing the resource needed to manage your multi-site network at the same time. Collaboration IP-VPNs are ideal for distributed organisations. The networks are flexible and customisable enough to enable seamless communication between remote offices and the company headquarters. Through videoconferencing and VOIP, a branched network can truly feel like it s part of the head office. An IP- VPN enables you to deliver all the applications that people tend to get in the head office, cost effectively, so that a branch office is no longer the poor cousin of the organisation. Reliability The ability to prioritise traffic on an MPLS IP-VPN provides sound business continuity, so that events like a denial of service attack or other outage will not affect critical business tools, such as voice communication, customer relationship or enterprise resource planning applications. Support for Convergence and Unified Communications IP-VPNs are ideal for companies looking to facilitate anyto-any communications and converge several legacy and next-generation services on a common infrastructure. In fact, most businesses see immediate savings when they begin combining voice and video traffic over an IP-VPN. Video often is carried over ISDN circuits that are expensive. Consolidating this traffic onto an MPLS IP-VPN network can eliminate the need for an ISDN network, generating immediate savings. Also, both video and voice tend to have any-to-any traffic patterns, unlike legacy data apps, so the any-to-any cost savings begin to kick in almost immediately. Flexible, scalable solutions at a fixed cost The true value of MPLS IP-VPNs is all about the services you can implement in the MPLS cloud : the data centre, firewalls, management, application hosting and more. Because IP-VPNs are provided at a fixed cost, the How MPLS Works The fundamental concept behind MPLS is that of labelling packets. In a traditional routed IP network, each router makes an independent forwarding decision for each packet based solely on the packet s networklayer header. Thus, every time a packet arrives at a router, the router has to think through where to send the packet next. MPLS switches and routers affix labels to packets based on their destination, type-of-service parameters, Virtual Private Network membership or other criteria. As a packet traverses a network, other switches and routers build tables associating packets and routes with labels. The MPLS switches and routers dubbed label switch routers assign each packet a label that corresponds to a particular path through the network. All packets with the same label use the same path a so-called Label Switched Path (LPS). Because labels refer to paths and not endpoints, packets destined for the same endpoint can use a variety of LSPs to get there. This gives the MPLS network the ability to handle packets with particular characteristics (such as coming from particular ports or carrying traffic of particular application types) in a consistent fashion. Packets carrying real-time traffic, such as voice or video, can easily be mapped to low-latency routes across the network something that s challenging with conventional routing. The key architectural point with all this is that the labels provide a way to attach additional information to each packet information above and beyond what the routers previously had. 3

4 networks are near-infinitely scalable. Not only are they perfect for handling high-volume traffic, such as video or voice traffic, but they lay the foundation for the powerful business applications of the future. These include such next-generation tools as Web services, peer-to-peer or grid computing and many others that can give your business an edge on its competitors. Security An MPLS network provides significantly higher levels of security than other networks, allowing organisations to save money by cutting down on internal security budgets. Hackers and other intruders can still try to connect to traditional Internet Protocol Security (IPsec) VPNs because they are all publicly addressable. This can result in multiple points of entry into your corporate network that need to be managed and secured. An MPLS IP-VPN is a true private network and has no public addresses, so any potential intruders are not given a window in to your corporate infrastructure. It also gives IT managers a single network to manage, rather than one at each site, allowing for better virus protection, malware detection and Internet monitoring. Conventional private networks that are connected to the public Internet are equally vulnerable. They need firewalls and lots of them if there are several locations on the network. Administering firewalls, with all the necessary rules and updates, can be a complex task that requires well-trained operators, and this represents a significant overhead for growing businesses. While firewalls are an obvious choice for outsourcing to providers to manage, they can be eliminated altogether at the branch level with an MPLS IP-VPN. Manageability Perhaps most appealing aspect of adopting a tailored IP-VPN solution is that it can remove the headache of network management by allowing someone else to do the hard work for you. An MPLS network is more than a cable coming out of a wall; IP-VPN providers manage the hardware and the network, so there is no need for inhouse IT departments to worry about hiring expensive staff with specialised skill sets. You can simply hand over the responsibility for managing your distributed network to the carrier. Performance MPLS networks perform significantly better than IPsec VPNs because there is no need to encrypt data as a result of its higher levels of security. Encrypting/decrypting data can be a costly venture, and has an impact on the performance of a corporate network. Should your business require further peace of mind, however, MPLS traffic can be encrypted. How to evaluate an IP-VPN vendor Looking for an MPLS IP-VPN provider? Here s what you should look for: Last Mile diversity Make sure to choose a vendor that can give you a variety of connection options at the last mile the final leg of connectivity that a communications provider delivers to a customer site. IP-VPN providers that are carrier independent are better able to provide a nimble and customised solution to meet your performance and budgetary requirements. CHECKLIST: Assess your IP-VPN needs There are a few key issues that are specific to MPLS-based services. When approaching your provider, you should have the following information on hand: 1. Number of sites and bandwidth to each. 2. Devices and device configurations. 3. Your applications. How many applications do you have? What are they? How often are they used, and by whom? 4. Application characteristics. Describe the network characteristics of your applications. Are they store-andforward (i.e., latency insensitive)? Or interactive? How chatty are they? In typical usage scenarios, how much bandwidth do they consume? How does that vary by time of day/ week/month/year? 5. Other networks. Be sure to include applications that may be on other networks particularly video and voice. You ll want to document your current and planned voice, video and conferencing use. 6. Future plans. Network capacity requirements may change dramatically when that new ERP application rolls into production next year. Be sure to include any upcoming applications. 7. Document to the best of your abilities your current availability and service guarantees. You ll need them to craft meaningful SLAs with your providers downstream. 4

5 Business grade network capability IP-VPN solutions are not simple plug in and turn on style Internet connections, they require the coordination of several sites across many technological disciplines. Your IP-VPN should have all the necessary processes and expertise within their organisation to deliver the best solution for your business. Make sure the provider that you chose has the capability to run Quality of Service (QoS) across their MPLS networks, and only deal with an organisation that has in-house project management expertise to ensure your deployment goes smoothly and then backs it up with good customer support. Global footprint You don t know where your business is going to be tomorrow, so only deal with a company that has true international reach. An IP-VPN provider that has strong domestic and international presence with their network makes expandability easy. Financial strength An MPLS IP-VPN means betting your business on one carrier, which can cause a logistical nightmare if that carrier goes out of business and you have to move all of your sites to a new private network. Make sure you re dealing with a carrier that has stable financial position and a proven track record. Solid industry knowledge You want to be able to deal with an organisation that has the ability to align technology to your business goals one that s big enough to have international reach, but small enough to understand your business and provide a customised solution. Every organisation is different, so the ability to provide a solution tailored to your business is key. A plan for the future As the technology improves, it is becoming easier and easier to integrate new applications into IP-VPNs. Look for a provider that is constantly adding support for new value-added services. One recent example is 3G wireless connectivity directly into the private network, giving your workers anywhere, anytime access to vital business resources and applications. Other services include integrated managed security solutions such as remote archiving, network backups and and URL content filtering as well as a suite of productivity applications that include unified messaging. About Pacnet Pacnet is the Asia Pacific s leading independent next-generation service provider. We have the most extensive sub-sea cable infrastructure in the region and we service over 600,000 customers around the world. With operations all across Australia we deliver a comprehensive suite of IP networks, internet, data, voice and video solutions specifically focused on the needs of small, mid-sized and growing businesses. We back this up with state-of-the-art data centres, the highest levels of security and 24/7 customer support. Pacnet is an unrivalled resource to support your business aspirations, and offers the depth of experience to identify with the growing need to connect, collaborate and compete in your marketplace. At Pacnet, our goal is to provide industry-leading business communications services to companies across Australia and beyond, delivering great value and quality solutions to help your business achieve its full potential. For more information call CASE STUDY: Victorian State Emergency Services In 2007 the Victorian State Emergency Services (VICSES), a 500-member volunteer organisation which provides road service rescue and emergency response across the state, commissioned Pacnet to complete a long overdue upgrade from dial-up to a private broadband network in just 10 weeks. We couldn t have done this without partnering with a responsive and flexible service provider who was available at all times, understood the project s priorities and supported and drove the VICSES IT Operations team to meet all original objectives, says VICSES Chief Executive Officer Mary Barry. The organisation now uses the network to conduct online training, saving money on travel costs and opening training up to all members, not just those able to travel. Adopting the network has allowed the organisation to launch the Operation Informational Management System, with the ultimate goal of creating a paperless office for every volunteer unit. And the organisation is looking at adapting the network to provide realtime video chat during an emergency. 5

6 CASE STUDY: Worldwide Online Printing Installing an MPLS IP-VPN is usually a means to an end for most organisations, providing a reliable platform from which they can leverage technology to gain an edge on their competitors. Retail organisations, for example, may seek to allow store owners to handle rostering and wastage better, or to be able to conduct just-in-time inventory. A good IP point-of-sale system can accomplish that, but first you need to put it on a private IP network in order to deploy it properly. The experience of Australian printing franchise chain Worldwide Online Printing reflects this perfectly. Worldwide s business model depends on franchisees instantly sending printing requests to industrial printers at the company s factory. Before implementing a private network, Worldwide s franchisees often relied on residential DSL connections and poorly-maintained hardware, and were left to fend for themselves when experiencing Internet outages. We needed one service provider who could provide a secure, managed network over a large geographical area, says Cy Carboni, Worldwide s national operations manager. Our business model requires reliable broadband connections that can handle large data volumes, high bandwidth speeds and guaranteed service level agreements. Pacnet was the only choice, Carboni says. CASE STUDY: Interpreterline One organisation that s made successful use of IP- VPNs for video traffic is Interpreterline, an established Australian interpreter service provider with a pool of over 2000 interpreters and translators. Interpreterline was limited by the fact that an estimated 70% of language was conveyed through body language. We required a video conferencing and network solution that would allow us to provide all the benefits that go along with face to face interpretations, without the huge costs and inefficiencies associated with travelling in some cases for more than 10 hours to perform a one hour interpreter service, says Interpreterline CEO Ismail Akinci. Unexpectedly, the network offers such good performance it has allowed Interpreterline to offer remote Auslan translation services for the deaf. Any pixelation, jitter or other types of visual degradation must be completely eradicated in order to provide interpretation services like these, Akinci says, and Pacnet s network has enabled this. 6