Examination of electric power utility network applying IP router/MPLS router/wide-area Ethernet

Uptake of IP technology is increasing, thanks in part to its cost advantages. MPLS meanwhile is acknowledged as a high quality, extremely reliable network technology, while wide-area Ethernet technology is now becoming a cost-effective transmission method. In this paper, we examine the applicability of IP routers, MPLS routers and wide-area Ethernet for electric power utility networks. We show how IP router/MPLS router/wide-area Ethernet technologies satisfy the requirements of electric power applications with regard to transmission delay and packet loss. A Qos control is very effective in minimizing transmission delay time in each technology. Here we take into account the configuration costs, network flexibility, connectivity, traffic engineering, and virtual networks. For example, to save on configuration costs, wide-area Ethernet is the technology of choice. However if a high degree of reliability and high quality are required, a MPLS router is the best option.