What is the best way to connect sites together? Businesses with multiple sites often need to connect those sites together in order to pass data, voice, or video conferencing traffic back and forth.  Sometimes all of the traffic is set up in a “hub and spoke” where a number of remote sites all connect back to one location (usually the corporate office or a collocation facility).  Other times, you need a “fully meshed” network where all of the sites communicate independently with one another without going through a host.  Either way, it’s import to consider what type of traffic you are sending, how much traffic you are sending, and your budget for the network.

If you are simply moving low priority data traffic between sites, then you can use almost anything that will fit within your budget.  I have seen businesses simply use dsl or cable at each of their locations for $50-$80 per month, per location, and it worked just fine.  However, although those two options are cheap, they generally don’t provide the reliability needed for proper voice and video applications and network latency can be a serious problem too.  The main culprit behind the latency issue is the variable upload speed and the number of hops throughout the system.  DSL and Cable are also not available in all areas around the country even in major metro areas.  As an upgrade to dsl or cable, you might look at Dedicated Internet T-1s.  They provide a more stable connection with generally less hops and better overall performance and are available in nearly all areas across the country.  Pricing generally ranges from $400-$600 per month per site for Dedicated Internet connections.

If you are planning to send voice or video traffic between the sites then you will need to consider a few other options.  From a quality standpoint, the best thing you can do is run a point to point connection between each of your locations.  There are no hops and it is essentially like running a single piece of cable down the street and connecting either end to your offices.  If your offices are setup in close proximity to each other and if you need a hub and spoke configuration, then this may be an option for you.  However, point to point connections are based on mileage and only allow for traffic to pass between the two locations so cost can become a major deterrent.  You can mitigate this factor by having them all connect back to a collocation facility but cost will still be a factor.

Another option to consider for any type of traffic is MPLS.  It offers a fully meshed solution, very low network latency, and allows you to prioritize traffic across the network (such as voice traffic has the priority over everything else).  Many carriers are beginning to offer MPLS solutions but it is not available (at a reasonable cost) in all areas across the country.  The cost for MPLS connections is generally about 10-20% higher than standard Dedicated Internet Connections but the increased performance is generally worth it when you are networking locations together.

To make an informed decision you will need to determine what type of traffic you will be sending across the network right away (and over the next two to three years).  Next you will need a complete list of all of your locations (and any future locations that you are planning to bring on board).  Finally, you will need to see what services are available at each of your locations.  If MPLS is within your budget, but it isn’t available at a couple of sites, then you may need to work on a hybrid plan.  Telecom agents or consultants can be a valuable resource when you are considering various options and carriers.  Find one you like and can trust and get their expert opinion on the best “route”.

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