Key Characteristics
A leased line is a dedicated communication channel rented from a telecommunications provider that connects two or more locations for private telecommunications use. Unlike traditional dial-up connections, leased lines provide a permanent, always-on connection between locations. They offer guaranteed bandwidth and are not shared with other customers, providing consistent performance and security.
Leased lines can be implemented using various technologies including copper wires, fiber optics, or wireless connections. They are often used by businesses that require reliable, high-speed, secure connections between locations. Leased lines provide symmetrical upload and download speeds and are available in various bandwidth capacities.
Advantages
- Dedicated Bandwidth: Exclusive use of the connection with guaranteed bandwidth
- Reliability: Highly reliable with consistent performance
- Security: Private connection not shared with other customers
- Symmetrical Speeds: Equal upload and download speeds
- Always On: Permanent connection that does not require dialing
- Predictable Performance: Consistent performance regardless of network congestion
- Quality of Service: Guaranteed quality of service levels
Disadvantages
- Cost: Expensive compared to other connection types
- Installation Time: Longer installation time for dedicated circuits
- Scalability: Difficult to scale bandwidth quickly
- Geographic Limitations: Availability may be limited in some areas
- Contract Commitment: Often requires long-term contracts
- Maintenance: Service provider handles maintenance with limited control
- Technology Dependence: Dependent on specific technologies and providers
Best Practices
- Needs Assessment: Assess bandwidth and performance requirements carefully
- Service Level Agreements: Negotiate comprehensive SLAs with providers
- Redundancy: Consider redundant connections for critical applications
- Monitoring: Monitor connection performance and availability
- Capacity Planning: Plan for future bandwidth requirements
- Vendor Selection: Carefully select and evaluate service providers
- Documentation: Document leased line configurations and procedures
- Testing: Regularly test failover and backup procedures
Use Cases
- Branch Office Connectivity: Connecting remote offices to headquarters
- Data Center Interconnect: Connecting geographically distributed data centers
- Cloud Connectivity: Dedicated connections to cloud services
- Financial Services: Secure, reliable connections for trading systems
- Healthcare: Connecting hospitals and medical facilities securely
- Government: Secure connections for government agencies
- Education: Connecting educational institutions reliably
- Media Broadcasting: High-bandwidth connections for content delivery