MPLS

             Short for Multiprotocol Label Switching, MPLS is a process where data packets are given labels. When the data packets are transmitted over a network connection, instead of having to examine the packet contents to determine the network destination, the label contents can be examined and sent to its destination in a more efficient manner. This can improve data transmission speeds because there is no need to use a routing table to do a lookup on where the data packet is being routed to.

               Due to the virtual paths between network nodes, MPLS is not dependent on an OSI model data link layer. It also virtually eliminates the necessity to use layer-2 networks for different types of network traffic. By including the MPLS header, containing one or more labels, to each data packet, networks gain a much needed improvement in data transmission efficiency, helping to decrease costs in the end.