IP VPN with Colt MPLS: secure site connectivity

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Secure Site Connectivity with Colt MPLS

Reliable IP VPN solutions for companies

Fully managed MPLS site connectivity with Colt: private, SLA-backed, national and international.

Colt IP VPN offers a fully managed MPLS infrastructure for national and international company locations. A private network, separate from the Internet, ensures maximum security and stability, ideal for companies with high performance and data protection requirements.

In a nutshell:

Two variants: IP VPN Access for self-managed routers or IP VPN Plus as a global managed service model
Full control: Managed routers, service bandwidths from 2 Mbit to 10 Gbit and five service classes for flexible performance
High security: Separate address spaces, firewall protection and optional IPSec encryption
Maximum availability: 99.99 percent SLA, supplemented by backup options via DSL, Internet or Mobile communications
Global reach: Access via Colt fiber optic network and certified partner networks worldwide

The solution: SAVECALL supports companies in choosing the optimal network solution: independent, transparent and with access to exclusive carrier conditions.

What this article covers: This article explains the two Colt IP VPN variants, the access paths into the MPLS network, the security mechanisms and the service classes. The core question: How do you network your locations securely and efficiently across national and international borders?

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What is IP VPN with Colt MPLS?
Variants of IP VPN: Access and Plus
Access variants and global coverage
Security in Colt IP VPN
Classes of service and QoS
How SAVECALL supports
FAQ

What is IP VPN with Colt MPLS?

Colt IP VPN is a fully managed MPLS network (Multiprotocol Label Switching) that connects company locations over a private network separated from the Internet.

In our last article, we looked at products related to Ethernet Site Connectivity with Colt. Today we take a closer look at Colt’s MPLS product, called IP-VPN. Unlike the Ethernet products, Colt’s MPLS product is managed “end to end”. All networking is realized via a private secured network that has no points of contact with the Internet.

How MPLS differs from the modern alternative SD-WAN is something we cover in detail on our WAN pages.

Variants of IP VPN: Access and Plus

The Colt IP VPN product is available in two versions: IP VPN Access and IP VPN Plus. Access is the “small” MPLS solution. It is primarily aimed at companies that want to use their own managed routers at their sites. IP VPN Plus, on the other hand, gives you the option of setting up a global MPLS network for locations distributed around the world.

Both have the following key data: Colt IP VPN Plus Colt IP VPN Access Transmission technology MPLS Managed router Yes No Protocols IPv4 & IPv6 Service bandwidth 2 Mbit/s to 10 Gbit/s Service classes 5 Routing protocols RIP, BGP, OSPF, EIGRP, static Data encryption 3DES (optional) Multi-VPN Yes No Customer interface Ethernet 10/100BASE-T, 1000Base-F, 10G Base-For cable only for Colt IP VPN Access If the technical key data are still fairly similar, there are many differences, especially in the options: Colt IP VPN Plus Colt IP VPN Access Global MPLS Yes Classes of service Yes Yes Multi-VPN Yes DHCP relay Yes Multicast Yes Prioritization on access Yes Private IP address space Yes Yes LFI below 1 MBit/s Yes Network-based Internet access Yes Yes Online evaluations Yes Yes

Access variants and global coverage

The product offers global network coverage. Colt can offer a connection via MPLS with its own fiber optic network as well as with 155 strictly tested partner networks. If neither Colt’s own connection nor one via a certified MPLS partner is feasible, there is also the option of accessing an external Internet line and thus connecting to the MPLS network. For this purpose, a CPE router managed by Colt is connected to any Internet connection (DSL, SDSL, LTE, etc.). A so-called tunnel is then set up via a secure IP Sec connection between the CPE router and the Colt network access point. This includes installation, management, peering bandwidth and service gateway.

SAVECALL secures corporate networks with IPsec tunnel connection via Colt MPLS

Security in Colt IP VPN

In the area of security, Colt takes care to prevent intrusion attempts, label spoofing and DoS attacks. IP VPN Access and Plus offers here:

Separate address spaces per VPN
Inherent separation of MPLS routing instances
Firewall protection of Internet access
Filtering of physical ports (avoidance of label spoofing)
IPSec via the MPLS network (additional option with IP VPN Plus)

Classes of service and QoS

The service availability is 99.99% and can be extended even further with various additional options. Service Option Explanation Dual Entry Two fiber optic feed lines to the building, with self-healing rings. DSL Backup Additional CPE router managed by Colt with automatic emergency switchover to DSL backup line. Dual Access Two Colt CPEs on two access lines, with Virtual Router Redundancy Protocol (VRRP) and automatic emergency switchover. Internet backup Additional CPE router managed by Colt with automatic emergency switchover to backup Internet connection. Mobile communications backup Access via 3G cellular in the event of main access line failure to the Colt IP VPN service. The Colt MPLS offers five classes of service as follows:

SAVECALL optimizes data traffic with intelligent prioritization and service classification in the corporate network

How SAVECALL supports your site connectivity

Whether a managed MPLS network like Colt IP VPN or an SD-WAN alternative: SAVECALL finds the right site connectivity for your requirements across more than 80 carriers. The experts at SAVECALL will be happy to advise you on the various networking options without obligation. Independent of technology and provider. Do you have questions about Colt or another provider or technical solutions? Please feel free to contact us!

Conclusion on IP VPN and MPLS with Colt

A Colt MPLS network offers companies an attractive option for both national and international Site Connectivity. A carrier-managed MPLS network is a good solution for medium-sized companies that have no or only one focused IT department and prefer to buy in an SLA rather than manage a network themselves. Due to the sharp drop in the cost of MPLS networks, this can now be realized at a very low cost.

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Written by

Frank Frommknecht

Key Account Consultant, SAVECALL

Has supported companies for over 20 years in selecting and optimizing their connectivity solutions. His focus: making complex telecommunications understandable from the customer’s perspective and strategically finding the right solution.

Sources

Colt Technology Services, “IP VPN / MPLS”, colt.net (as of 2026)
IETF, RFC 4364 “BGP/MPLS IP Virtual Private Networks (VPNs)”, rfc-editor.org
SAVECALL, “Enterprise WAN: SD-WAN, MPLS & Ethernet”, savecall.de/en/wan

Frequently asked questions about IP VPN and MPLS with Colt

What is Colt IP VPN?

Colt IP VPN is a fully managed MPLS network (Multiprotocol Label Switching) that connects company locations over a private network separated from the Internet. Traffic runs end to end across a secured infrastructure with no points of contact with the public Internet. This delivers high security, predictable performance and guaranteed service levels. Colt operates the network nationally and internationally and adds backup options where required. SAVECALL compares Colt neutrally against more than 80 carriers.

What is the difference between IP VPN Access and IP VPN Plus?

IP VPN Access is the compact MPLS solution for companies that want to use their own managed routers at their sites. IP VPN Plus is the globally managed managed-service model and enables a worldwide MPLS network for distributed locations. Plus additionally offers global MPLS, Multi-VPN, DHCP relay, multicast and prioritization on access. The technical key data such as bandwidth from 2 Mbit to 10 Gbit and five service classes are similar for both variants. Which variant fits depends on your site structure and operating model.

How secure is a Colt MPLS IP VPN?

A Colt MPLS IP VPN is considered very secure because traffic runs over a private network separated from the Internet. Colt guards against intrusion attempts, label spoofing and DoS attacks. Every VPN receives separate address spaces, the MPLS routing instances are inherently separated and Internet access is protected by a firewall. Physical ports are filtered to prevent label spoofing. With IP VPN Plus, traffic can additionally be encrypted via IPSec over the MPLS network.

What availability does Colt IP VPN offer?

Colt IP VPN offers a service availability of 99.99 percent and can be secured further with several redundancy options. These include Dual Entry with two fiber optic feed lines, DSL backup, Dual Access with two CPEs and VRRP, Internet backup and mobile communications backup over a fallback connection. All backup variants switch over automatically if the main line fails. This keeps business-critical sites reachable even during a line fault. The right redundancy level depends on how business-critical the site is.

How is a site connected to the Colt MPLS network?

Colt connects sites via its own fiber optic network or via 155 strictly tested partner networks. If no direct connection is possible, a site can also be connected over an external Internet line. For this, a Colt-managed CPE router is attached to any Internet connection such as DSL, SDSL or LTE. A secure IPSec connection between the CPE router and the Colt network access point creates a tunnel into the MPLS network. Installation, management, peering bandwidth and service gateway are all included.

MPLS or SD-WAN: which fits site connectivity better?

MPLS and SD-WAN solve different requirements. A managed MPLS network like Colt IP VPN scores with predictable performance, guaranteed SLAs and high security, but is less flexible and more expensive. SD-WAN bundles multiple Internet lines, is cheaper and scales faster, yet depends on the quality of the underlay. A hybrid of both is often the best fit. SAVECALL assesses both approaches vendor-neutrally and finds the right solution for your locations.