TEC17 Podcast: Avoid Traffic Congestion With Segment Routing
Applications are becoming more demanding of the network, while the demand for bandwidth continues to grow at an exponential rate for both enterprise, campus and service providers alike.
Not all network traffic is created equal. Some require fast speeds while others demand low latency. Still, some packets seek the cheapest route. Segment Routing is a fairly recent technology that is just now hitting maturity and enables service providers and enterprises to build a more software-defined, intelligent network to meet these modern network demands while also creating new service opportunities.
Network dynamics are constantly changing — hundreds of thousands of networks and systems must interoperate with each other to underpin many of the mission-critical services we've come to rely on today.
Think of a network as map. As the world evolves and cities grow, new highways, roads and bridges are added to alleviate traffic congestion.
Similar to motorists looking to get from one place to another in the most efficient way possible, network traffic, too, demands specific routes to transmit data from Point A to Point B. Sometimes it's the fastest route, while other times it's the most cost-efficient route. Still, some traffic requires low-latency paths.
In fact, the magnitude and pattern of the flow of routing information, according to research from the San Diego Supercomputer Center at the University of California San Diego, directly represents the connectivity stability of the Internet.
This is where Segment Routing comes in. Segment Routing serves as a GPS, of sorts, for all network traffic to follow, creating a more intelligent network while improving capacity utilization, leading to lower cost and greater user satisfaction.
Segment Routing dramatically reduces the number of protocols needed in service provider and enterprise networks alike by using the MPLS data plane and advertising the prefix labels with standard extensions to the ISIS and OSPF routing protocols.
Segment Routing is the future of MPLS, which provides reliable connections for real-time applications over a dedicated network to eliminate downtime. The technology offers tremendous advantages for a range of customers, such as service providers, financial institutions or any other company with a large network presence. But for all of its advantages, Segment Routing remains complex and requires configurations to deploy effectively.
World Wide Technology and its MPLS and Segment Routing practice offers expertise in network evaluation, high- and low-level designs and implementation services. Check out our Segment Routing labs below or get in touch with us to learn more about how we can work together to ensure your network delivers a great experience no matter the circumstances.