With the rapid adoption of MPLS-based networks, many organizations on the bleeding edge found major new challenges compared to traditional packet-based transport. MPLS-based networks promise improved performance with class of service-(CoS) based prioritization and enhanced flexibility with any-to-any connectivity.

However, organizations that were not prepared for the migration have actually seen performance degrade, sometimes substantially, even though the enhanced features of MPLS-based networking can, and should, improve overall performance. The negative impacts are caused by trying to leverage the improved functionality without a complete understanding of how the changes and CoS prioritization affect applications and network performance.

While other enterprises have endured pain and difficulty migrating to MPLS-based networks, the good news is your organization can learn from the mistakes of others. With proper planning and visibility, you can take advantage of the new feature set and improve overall network and application performance management.