# Again: What Exactly Is MPLS?

DevFeed: [Again: What Exactly Is MPLS?](<https://devfeed.tech/articles/again-what-exactly-is-mpls-11040.md>)

Original publisher: [Read original article](<https://blog.ipspace.net/2024/07/what-exactly-is-mpls/>)

Published: 2024-07-11T05:26:00Z

Content type: opinion

Language: en

Sources: [ipSpace.net blog](<https://devfeed.tech/sources/ipspace-net-blog.md>)

Topics: [Software-defined networking](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/sdn.md>), [MPLS VPN](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/mpls-vpn.md>), [networking](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/networking.md>), [SD-WAN](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/sd-wan.md>), [Routing (disambiguation)](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/routing.md>)

Tags: [analysis](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/analysis.md>), [blog-post](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/blog-post.md>), [mpls](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/mpls.md>), [mpls-vpn](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/mpls-vpn.md>), [network](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/network.md>), [routing](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/routing.md>), [sd-wan](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/sd-wan.md>), [traffic-engineering](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/traffic-engineering.md>), [vpn](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/vpn.md>)

## AI overview

This opinion piece distinguishes MPLS as a data-plane encapsulation supported by control-plane protocols from MPLS/VPN services commonly offered by service providers. It argues that cheaper public Internet, rather than a shift toward cloud computing alone, drove the decline of MPLS/VPN services, while noting that MPLS remains in use for several networking applications.

## Source excerpt

Brad Casemore published an interesting analysis explaining why Cisco should accept being a mature company with mature products (yeah, you have to subscribe to view it). I always loved reading his articles, but unfortunately, this time, he briefly ventured into the "I don't think this word means what you think it means" territory: MPLS worked - and it still works - but it provided optimal value in an earlier time when the center of gravity was not the cloud. The cloud challenged the efficacy of MPLS, and it wasn't long before SD-WAN, cloud connects, and interconnects [...] represented an implacable threat to a status quo that had once seemed unassailable. The second part of the paragraph is (almost) true, but it had nothing to do with MPLS. Read more ...