How Private Lines Can Guarantee QoS, Speed and Throughput
The Worldwide IDC Global DataSphere Forecast, 2023-2027, estimates that 129 zettabytes were generated in 2023 and will more than double by 2027.
The IDC forecast for the “Global DataSphere” are staggering. Moving ever-increasing volumes of data quickly and securely presents a mounting challenge for enterprises.
There’s a good chance your business is among them, especially if your organization:
- Is among the many that sharply increased video consumption as the pandemic drove us into work-from-home models
- Has critical, latency-sensitive applications and/or data backup requirements with stringent quality of service (QoS) needs, including guaranteed speed and throughput
- Operates in the healthcare, insurance, financial or other industry vertical that must comply with strict data privacy rules and regulations
In any of these cases, you need a reliable data transmission solution that avoids the public Internet and protects against hacking, cyberattacks and security breaches.
What Are Ethernet Private Lines?
An Ethernet Private Line (EPL) could be your ticket. EPLs are point-to-point, dedicated connections between sites, such as a headquarters and a data center, that carry high volumes of data without traveling over the public Internet. Since these Private Lines aren’t shared with other businesses, you can lock in the speed, performance and privacy thresholds you need.
Private Lines provide significant benefits for mission-critical data applications, but what does Ethernet technology have to do with it? Ethernet is a well-established local area networking (LAN) packet-based technology that was adopted as a standard by the IEEE in 1985 for interconnecting and sending data between and among computers.
Over time, higher speeds and better performance at lower costs pushed Ethernet ahead of competing technologies, making it the protocol of choice when sharing information, whether from a small office or a larger enterprise.
When Private Lines and Ethernet are used together, you get the security of point-to-point connections with the simplicity of the Ethernet standard. Your critical data traffic transmits securely from point A to point B with the speed and performance your selected Ethernet Private Line service guarantees.
What Are Ethernet Virtual Private Lines (EVPLs)?
EVPL – or Ethernet Virtual Private Line – service provides private point-to-point connections but also employs a multiplexing technique to support a one-to-many topology. In other words, an EVPL service can connect locations in both point-to-point and point-to-multi-point configurations. Typically, EVPL circuits link multiple offices, data centers and cloud infrastructure together as a single Wide Area Network (WAN) network.
EPLs vs. EVPLs
Ethernet Private Lines benefit businesses seeking maximum security and reliability since they leverage dedicated connections that don’t share bandwidth with other organizations. Additionally, EPLs are typically more effective for small and medium businesses (SMBs) and enterprises with fewer locations or premises that are physically close together. Since EPLs rely on physical connections from one location to another, they can be difficult for geographically dispersed enterprises to set up and manage.
On the other side of the equation, Ethernet Virtual Private Lines are a better fit for large enterprises with distributed locations that are geographically distant. Since EVPLs leverage the cloud, it’s easy for enterprises to connect remote locations and centralize management in a single data center. Moreover, EVPLs are more flexible than EPLs, allowing for the addition and removal of connections easily to accommodate changing business needs.
Ethernet Private Line vs. MPLS
Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) is another popular packet-based Wide-Area Network (WAN) connectivity option, but it’s less efficient and more costly than Ethernet Private Line Services. MPLS traffic must go through an Internet Service Provider (ISP), making connectivity subject to disruption from service outages or network congestion. Ethernet is a direct connection that bypasses the ISP, generally resulting in higher network speeds, greater reliability and increased security.
How Do Ethernet Private Lines Work?
A point-to-point dedicated connection is provisioned through a provider’s network between two user network interfaces (UNIs) on the customer’s network to set up an Ethernet Private Line transmission service. One UNI resides at the source location (see Location A below), and the other at the destination location (see Location Z below).
An Ethernet Private Line can use copper or fiber for its physical connection, but Ethernet over Fiber is preferable for handling very-high-bandwidth connections. With fiber, the data transfer speed can go as high as 100Gbps. For reference, even a lower-end 10Mbps Ethernet connection is faster than a T1 circuit. A 100Mbps Ethernet connection offers twice the bandwidth of a T3.
The Benefits of Using an Ethernet Private Line
Ethernet Private Line offers several benefits for businesses looking for high-performance internet connectivity:
- Data Security: By moving data over private lines and not over the public Internet, it’s easier to comply with security requirements such as HIPAA. This is especially important for transferring high-resolution files and other high-volume data with stringent security requirements.
- Consistent QoS: Sending data over private lines with guaranteed bandwidth specifications eliminates delays, lags and other latency issues caused by shared networks. You can select from multiple classes of service to prioritize business application traffic, further ensuring strong data transfer performance.
- High-Speed Service: Private Lines based on fiber connections provide a direct path between two locations at speeds up to 100Gbps.
- Flexibility and Scalability: Ethernet Private Lines are scalable and simple to manage. Bandwidth can be increased quickly as needed – from 10Mbps to 100Gbps – as upgrading a connection is often achievable via a simple programming change in the provider’s software configuration.
- Cost Savings: Ethernet Private Lines are more affordable than traditional Time Division Multiplexing (TDM) private lines (T1, T3, etc.) and MPLS copper connectivity. Deployment costs are lower, as are monthly fees for equivalent bandwidth.
Are Ethernet Private Lines Right for Your Business?
Ethernet has emerged as the preferred technology when deploying private lines to customer locations or between data centers, offering security, performance, flexibility, scalability and guaranteed bandwidth advantages. But how do you know if Ethernet Private Lines are right for your business?
Start by carefully examining your business needs.
- Are you moving high volumes of data between locations and data storage hubs?
- Do you require high-quality, secure communications between locations?
- Is rapid data backup and restoration critical to your business?
- Are you seeking improved business continuity and redundancy?
Ethernet Private Lines for Enterprises
EPLs provide high levels of security and reliable performance via dedicated connections. No other business or ISP uses this connection, protecting sensitive data from breach attempts and guaranteeing consistent connectivity speeds. EPL is a particularly effective connectivity option for enterprises with fewer locations or locations geographically clustered near each other. Cloud-powered EVPL is the more practical option for enterprises with large locations or managing global networks.
Ethernet Private Lines for Small and Medium Business (SMB)
With recent increases in the frequency and efficacy of cyberattacks, businesses of any size can benefit from dedicated EPL connections. Since nearly half of all cyberattacks target SMBs, securing connectivity from an EPL solution is prudent. EPLs provide significant added value for businesses with significant data security or compliance concerns, such as hospitals, law practices and schools.
Using APX Net’s Ethernet Private Line Services
With APX Net’s Ethernet Private Line solutions, your business unlocks:
- High-speed performance up to 100Gbps
- Guaranteed 99.999% uptime and an industry-leading SLA
- Custom engineering and design for your network and bandwidth needs
- 24/7, effective customer service from our Network Operations Center (NOC)
- Flexible payment options, including monthly billing or a one-time expenditure
Ready to Secure Your Mission Critical Data with Ethernet Private Lines?
Want to learn more about EPLs and EVPLs and how they can benefit your business? Contact us today!
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