* Businesses use site-to-site VPNs for WAN connectivity
VPNs have pretty much buried frame relay as a WAN technology, according to a survey by Forrester Research.
According to the report, 48% of businesses surveyed use site-to-site VPNs for WAN connectivity vs. just 23% that use either frame relay or ATM for the same purpose. And only half of the frame relay users say they have no plans to replace their networks with something else, which means VPNs could make even further inroads.
This makes sense given that it’s expensive to add site-to-site connections to a frame relay network, especially if the network is fully meshed. Every extra virtual circuit means added monthly fees. Avoiding meshed networks by using a hub-and-spoke configuration saves money but adds latency.
The likely replacement for fully meshed frame services is MPLS-based services that can fully mesh sites via a single connection to the service provider’s network. Additional sites can be added by connecting the new sites to the service and the provider takes care of the routing changes needed for them to join the VPN.
There’s nothing wrong with frame relay. It’s good solid technology that works and the gear to support it may already be paid off in many companies, making it worthwhile to keep it as long as it ain’t broke. According to some definitions, frame relay is a form of VPN. But frame relay is on its way to becoming just a niche service, used for specific applications suited to its unique characteristics or as an access technology to MPLS networks.
