Transparent LAN Service

Transparent LAN Service (TLS) is a managed service that connects multiple remote Local Area Networks (LANs) over a shared carrier network, making them appear as a single, contiguous network for the business. It provides a high-speed, cost-effective way to link business sites, like branches or data centers, without the complexity of managing the wide area network (WAN) infrastructure yourself. The service is "transparent" because the business doesn't need to worry about the carrier's underlying technology, and it is designed to provide seamless, high-speed Ethernet connectivity. 

Key Features and Benefits

• Transparency: The connected LANs function as a single, contiguous network for the customer, regardless of the underlying carrier network technology (e.g., MPLS) used to transport the data. This allows customers to retain control over their own Layer 2 management protocols and VLAN tags.

• High Speed: TLS supports high-bandwidth connections, traditionally offering speeds from 10 Mbps to 1000 Mbps (Gigabit Ethernet) and potentially up to 10 Gbps or more with newer related services.

• Scalability & Flexibility: The service is designed for scalability, allowing businesses to purchase only the bandwidth needed and easily increase it as their needs grow, often with "plug-and-play" flexibility.

• Connectivity Options: It provides options for both:

  • Point-to-Point connections (known as Ethernet Relay Service or EPL) between two specific locations, ideal for dedicated links between data centers or headquarters and a branch office.

  • Multipoint-to-Multipoint connections (known as Ethernet Multipoint Service or E-LAN) that allow any-to-any connectivity among multiple sites.

• Managed Service: The service is often offered as a fully managed solution, where Masslocal handles the configuration, monitoring, and maintenance of the necessary network equipment, simplifying WAN management for the customer.

• Security: Data privacy is protected through the use of dedicated virtual connections and screening software, ensuring traffic is isolated from other customers on the shared backbone.

• Applications: It is primarily targeted at businesses and government agencies needing high-speed data transfer for applications like database replication, e-mail, voice-over-IP (VoIP), and general office connectivity between various locations. 

Essentially, TLS (which falls under their broader Ethernet Services portfolio) simplifies connecting distributed offices or data centers, making them perform as a single, efficient, and high-speed network

What are some businesses that use or benefited from Masslocal TLS?

While specific public case studies often focus on newer technologies like 5G and SD WAN,  Transparent LAN Service (TLS) (part of its broader Ethernet Services portfolio) is a foundational service typically used by large organizations that need high-speed, seamless connectivity between multiple physical locations. 

Masslocal mentions that the following types of organizations commonly benefit from or use the underlying technology:

• Government Agencies: Various U.S. government departments are major clients of Masslocal's network services, including the Department of Defense (DOD), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and the Department of Justice (DOJ). These agencies require secure, high-capacity networks to link numerous offices and data centers across the country.

• Financial Institutions: Banks and global financial services firms with multiple branches and headquarters use the service to ensure secure and real-time data replication, e-mail, and VoIP communications. The need for low latency and high bandwidth for critical applications makes TLS an ideal fit. A specific retail bank used Masslocal Ethernet services to upgrade over 1,000 branches for better speed and scalability.

• Educational Institutions: Universities and multi-campus school districts rely on TLS for distance learning applications, centralized database access, and inter-campus network integration, requiring significant bandwidth to support student and faculty needs.

• Wholesale Carriers: Other telecom providers use Masslocal's wholesale TLS offering to provide wireless backhaul (connecting cell towers to the core network) and to facilitate Ethernet exchanges for their own customers.

• Healthcare Providers: Large hospital systems and clinics use these services for transferring large medical images, supporting in-hospital telehealth, and ensuring timely vital information delivery via reliable networks.