Performance Analysis of MPLS and MPLS-DiffServ for Real-time Applications

Abstract

The increasing demand for QoS in real-time applications such as VoIP has led to the development of advanced networking techniques. This study focuses on analyzing the performance of MPLS networks with and without the use of DiffServ. Using OPNET simulation software to evaluate key performance metrics, a network was created and implemented. The metrics include end-to-end delay, packet delay variation, jitter, queuing delay, throughput, and utilization. Results demonstrate that MPLS-DiffServ performs better by minimizing jitter, reducing end-to-end delay, and enhancing throughput. The integration of MPLS as a forwarding mechanism, with DiffServ, as a QoS mechanism, guarantees effective prioritization of voice traffic and better network resource utilization, making it ideal for real-time applications. The study concludes that MPLS-DiffServ achieves superior performance than MPLS-only configurations, providing lower delays and enhanced network reliability. It is, therefore, recommended to adopt MPLS with DiffServ for critical services, leverage MPLS-VPN for improved traffic management, and transition to IPv6 to address future network demands. This study demonstrates the importance of combining MPLS and DiffServ to meet the requirements of modern networking environments.