Many organizations are moving away from MPLS.
The reasons are valid:
- Cost
- Flexibility
- Cloud adoption
But in many cases, the transition happens without a clear network strategy.
The result isn’t always improvement.
Sometimes, it just introduces a different set of problems.
What MPLS Was Doing (That Gets Overlooked)
MPLS provided:
- Predictable performance
- Defined routing paths
- Built-in prioritization
It wasn’t flexible—but it was controlled.
When organizations remove MPLS, they often remove that control without replacing it.
What Happens Without a Strategy
1. Inconsistent performance across locations
Different internet connections behave differently. Without proper design, performance varies by site.
2. No true failover design
Having two circuits doesn’t automatically mean redundancy.
Without intentional configuration, failover may not work when it’s needed most.
3. Application issues become harder to diagnose
Voice, video, and cloud applications may degrade without clear visibility into why.
4. Over-reliance on “best effort” internet
Not all internet connections are equal—and not all are designed for business-critical traffic.
Why This Happens
Most transitions are driven by:
- Cost reduction goals
- Vendor recommendations
- Urgency to “modernize”
What’s often missing is:
- A defined performance standard
- A consistent design model
- Clear ownership of the network
A Better Approach
Organizations don’t need to keep MPLS to maintain control.
But they do need to replace its function.
That means defining:
- How traffic should behave
- What redundancy looks like
- What performance is acceptable
Technologies like SD-WAN can support this—but they don’t define it on their own.
Final Thought
Moving off MPLS is not the risk.
Doing it without a plan is.