The MegaPath Connectivity Blog

It can be argued that MPLS has been one of the most successful standards to come out of the IETF.  It has been very widely deployed by business around the globe, in both small and large networks.  If your business hasn’t yet leveraged MPLS, its really time you considered doing so.  Here are the 7 Reasons to Deploy MPLS In Your Business Network which you can reference when making your decision:

1. MPLS Scales – MPLS has been shown to work wonderfully for small businesses with just a few locations as well as in large business enterprise networks consisting of thousands and thousands of sites.
2. MPLS Is Flexible – MPLS is flexible by design, with separate control and data planes.  MPLS has also proven to be very adaptable, allowing new technologies and features to be implemented over existing networks.
3. MPLS Is Neutral – Private Line, ATM, Frame Relay, DSL or Ethernet, it doesn’t matter.  MPLS was designed to handle the multiprotocol nature of current networks, and does so with grace.
4. MPLS Is Great For VPNs – MPLS has proven to be very adaptable and secure, and this has allowed many businesses to realize better performance while protecting their data.
5. MPLS Lowers Costs – If you are still trying to manage your business connectivity without using MPLS, there is good news: moving to an MPLS network will allow you to improve your communication services while lowering costs.
6. MPLS Is Great With VoIP – It’s a marriage made in heaven.  Seriously, Voice over MPLS allows you to put the quality back into voice, so that you, your partners and your customers can communicate clearly with each other.
7. MPLS Is Great For Business – Whether you run a small business or large enterprise, MPLS is a proven technology that is ready to help your business improve its bottom line.

So make 2010 the year your business turned to an MPLS expert, and increased productivity and network survivability while lowering the total cost of ownership of your network.

As the year is coming to a close, I can look back over the last 12 months and can see that it has been a great year for MegaPath.  Back in September, we were again placed on the Inc. 5000, the magazine’s list of the fastest growing private companies in the US.  MegaPath took position 1,146 on the list this year, making a showing for the third consecutive year.

 Then, in November, we were placed on the 2009 Deloitte Technology Fast 500 (PDF), in position 364.  Deloitte’s list ranks the fastest growing technology, media, telecommunications, life sciences and clean technology companies in North America based on percentage revenue growth over a five-year period. 

Early in the summer of 2009, MegaPath was named to the VAR500 for the sixth consecutive year by Everything Channel, as they recognized we are one of North America’s top technology integrators.   MegaPath’s Channel Partner Program includes many of the industry’s leading VARs and integrators who are certified to offer the company’s leading connectivity, security and VoIP services. On a related note, back in October Chief Sales and Marketing Officer Dan Foster was selected to the PHONE+ magazine and Channel Partners Conference & Expo joint 2009-2010 advisory board. And in November we announced the creation of its Channel Partner Advisory Council to foster communication between the company and our valued channel partners.

Just recently, MegaPath learned that we have received Cisco® Managed Services Master certification, building on the Cisco® Powered designation in Managed Connectivity we announced back in February .  Achieving this designation required significant investment in our NOC and engineering team, with CCIE® and ITIL® professionals on staff, supporting our managed solutions at all phases:  preparing, planning, designing, implementing, operating, and optimizing. 

It was also a great year on the product front at MegaPath.  Back in June, Technology Marketing Corporation (TMC) named MegaPath’s Managed Security Services a recipient of a 2008 Communications Solutions Product of the Year Award.  Also in June, we announced we had added our 300,000th SSL user.  In January we were pleased to learn our Duet™ voice and data service had received the 2008 Product of the Year award from INTERNET TELEPHONY magazine for the second time in a row.  We also expanded our footprint of Ethernet services this year, and brought additional connectivity options online for our customers.  We’ve been busy!

Well, looking back has been fun, but we’ve got our eye on the ball, and we’re focused on bringing your business the best voice, data and security solutions again next year. More than 20,000 business customers out there are expecting the most of us, and we are going to continue to deliver!

We wish you a Happy Holiday, and every success in 2010!

With the end of the year coming up fast, it seems like it is a good time to take a look at what 2010 has in store for us.  Several trends in business connectivity have developed over the last year, and will continue to further evolve in 2010.  Here is a list of 10 topics you should take into consideration as you do your planning for next year.

SIP Trunking - VoIP really exploded this year, due both to the increased functionality and the cost savings it offered to so many companies.   In 2010, combining SIP trunking with MPLS and security is going to really take off.

Managed Security - Everyone knows that security is vital in today’s business climate.  In fact, in many instances it is mandated.  More SMBs and small enterprises, who don’t necessarily have dedicated IT staff, will be outsourcing this function to a partner whose 24/7/365 NOCs will monitor and ensure that communications integrity is maintained.

Extended Workforce - Several events over the last year, including the H1N1 flu pandemic and various disasters, highlighted the need for the workforce to be able to access corporate communications from their home offices.  Telecommuting will see large scale adoption in 2010. Make sure you work with a partner who can reach your team wherever they are, and with DSL, Cable, Satellite and Wireless options.

Enterprise Social Networking - Facebook and Twitter exploded in 2009, and the communication capabilities they offer will invade the workplace in 2010.  Look for various offerings in both internal and cross-company social networking in 2010, and make sure your network has the security and connectivity necessary to meed the demands of these applications.

Cloud Computing – We’ve been hearing about this one for a while, but I expect 2010 will be the year many companies move to adopt this technology.  With Google and Microsoft both prepared with web applications, and with many companies having broadband connectivity in place, it seems like this is the year this might all come together.

Business Ethernet - Ethernet has always been a simple, high speed bandwidth option used for the LAN. In 2010, we will see large scale adoption of Business Ethernet for the WAN by SMBs and Enterprises due to the new economics that allow you to leverage these large pipes for a low cost.

Enterprise Video - Telepresence, Video Conferencing, Video Surveillance  and Video Training will all see a major push in the next year, as businesses leverage these technologies to save costs, increase revenues and keep their workforces up to speed.  It is vital that your network partner be ready with QoS enabled across many bandwidth options so you that you can be sure the video gets through loud and clear.

Extended Enterprise - People now work wherever they happen to be.  In 2010, we will see more adoption by Enterprises of systems and policies that allow people to access anyone, from any location, on any device, at any time.  Managed SSL VPNs will enable businesses to realize such a goal, while lowering costs and ensuring the security of sensitive data at all times.

Wireless Data - The application of wireless technologies to business communications will continue to grow.  For years now, businesses have leveraged wireless voice applications to great success. In 2010, we will continue to see more deployment of data applications across wireless networks, both 3G and 4G.  Wireless data technologies can enable rapid provisioning of communications to a store, offer an excellent option for backing up wireline communications, and can be used by your mobile workforce to access corporate data on devices such as Netbooks.

Payment Card Security - Securing credit card transactions will be the focus of a great deal of activity in 2010.  The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) will continue to evolve (PDF), and changes in areas like wireless networking will need to be implemented in 2010.  All levels of merchants should be working with a PCI DSS Validate Service Provider (PDF) payment card extranet partner to make sure they are ready for the changes in the coming year.

A report out by The Eastern Management Group states that Open Source PBXs (such as Asterisk) were  used to deploy more new installed lines than solutions from Cisco, Avaya and Nortel last year.  The report indicates that Open Source PBXs now have 18% of the market, and that growth in 2008 was 40%.

This clearly indicates something that we knew, which is that Open Source PBXs are not a niche market, but a solution that customers have embraced.  Keep in mind that regardless of the PBX solution you deploy, you want an experienced partner who can deliver the connectivity and VOIP features you need.  SIP Trunking solutions from MegaPath work great with any IP PBX solution, including Asterisk.  And, if you are using a digital PBX from a vendor like MITEL or NEC, a PRI solution is available to assist you in realizing the benefits of VoIP.

If voice quality and security are key concerns for you, please look into layering MPLS into your VoIP solution. MPLS+VoIP from the right partner will give you a simple, scalable and managed solution that will increase your communications capabilities while lowering costs.

VoIP solutions offer compelling ways to reduce costs and increase the effectiveness of communications in your business.  Here are 5 quick thoughts on why implementing VoIP at your business today is not only a good idea, but one that will increase productivity and revenue.

1. Lower Costs - A VoIP solution will allow you to integrate your companies Internet access and Voice needs onto a single access circuit.  Also, the costs of VoIP phone calls are lower than old fashioned Plain Old Telephone Service (POTS), with unlimited local and domestic long distance included.
2. Increase Productivity - VoIP solutions allow your staff to be better connected.  There are several features available in VoIP offerings, such as call forwarding and call waiting, that increase employee productivity and collaboration.
3. Improve Customer Satisfaction – By implementing additional methods of communicating with your customers and getting closer to them,  you will improve Customer Satisfaction.   And by getting closer to your partners and suppliers, you will be better able to meet customer  needs.  Go ahead and make that call! The cost is covered by your flat rate plan.
4. Flexibility - Managing old fashioned  communications  systems is time consuming and expensive.  These old systems are not nearly as flexible as a VoIP solution, which offers the ability to bring on additional services and increased capacity with relative ease, all while getting the benefit of a larger feature set and lower costs.  So whether you need a PRI service to plug into your existing digital PBX, or a SIP service to connect to your existing IP-PBX, VoIP services are flexible and powerful enough to exceed your needs.
5. Mobility - VoIP solutions offer great options for mobile professionals.  Need to take your local contact number with you when you travel to Europe or Asia? No problem, and you’ll get great international calling rates.  Need to have your phone calls forwarded to your mobile phone while at your kid’s baseball game? No problem.  Also, VoIP gives you the ability to have employees work and take phone calls on their primary contact line from anywhere they have an Internet connection, including at home and on the road.

You should really move to VoIP today, and find out what so many business owners already know: that there are tools out that will allow you to lower costs, increase productivity, and spend more time focusing on your business, and less trying to decipher why the charges on that old fashioned phone bill are so high.

Just make sure you choose a VoIP partner with the experience and ability to do things right.