Ethernet Local Area Network (ELAN)
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Any-to-any Ethernet connectivity across your global enterprise
Point-to-point connections work fine when two locations need to talk. But modern enterprises don’t work that way. Your branches, data centers, regional offices and partner sites all need to communicate with each other without traffic being funneled through a central hub that adds latency and creates a single point of failure.
Ethernet LAN Service (ELAN) delivers any-to-any Layer 2 connectivity across a managed MPLS backbone, giving geographically distributed sites the experience of sharing a single Ethernet LAN. You keep full control of your routing environment. We handle the infrastructure that makes it possible.
The limits of point-to-point thinking in a multisite world
Hub-and-spoke WAN architectures made sense when most traffic flowed to and from a central data center. That model breaks down as applications distribute across cloud platforms, regional hubs and branch environments where every site increasingly needs to reach every other site directly.
Enterprises managing multisite connectivity without a purpose-built Layer 2 fabric often encounter the same set of compounding problems:
- Traffic between branch sites routes through a central hub, adding latency and creating unnecessary congestion
- Adding new sites requires individual circuit provisioning to each existing location
- Mixed traffic types require separate handling or conversion overhead
- Class of service is either absent or requires expensive add-ons
- Multiple provider relationships mean fragmented SLAs and inconsistent performance
By extending Ethernet semantics across a resilient IP backbone, GTT creates a flat, fully meshed connectivity fabric where every site can reach every other site directly.
With ELAN, you can:
- Enable direct site-to-site communication without backhauling traffic through a central hub
- Carry IP and non-IP traffic across the same connection with no encapsulation or protocol conversion required
- Prioritize latency-sensitive applications through built-in Class of Service at no additional cost
- Scale to new locations by adding a single connection to the ELAN fabric
- Maintain complete ownership of your routing table and IP addressing
What sets GTT ELAN apart
Any-to-any connectivity without hub dependency
When a hub is congested or temporarily unavailable, every dependent site feels it. ELAN eliminates
that architectural chokehold.
Without GTT
- Branch-to-branch traffic routes through a central hub, adding latency at every hop
- Hub congestion or failure impacts all connected sites simultaneously
- Optimizing traffic paths requires ongoing manual configuration as the network grows
- Inter-site latency increases with every location added to the topology
With GTT
- Fully meshed fabric enables direct site-to-site traffic without a central transit point
- Any single site failure is isolated so other sites continue communicating without disruption
- Traffic takes the most direct path through GTT’s IP backbone automatically
- Latency profile remains consistent as the network scales to additional locations
Results
Network architects gain a flat, resilient topology that performs uniformly regardless of how many sites are connected.
Full routing control. No shared tables, no compromises
For enterprises with specific compliance requirements or complex routing policies, a tradeoff of
routing control or IP address management is unacceptable. ELAN keeps that authority entirely with you.
Without GTT
- Shared routing environments expose parts of your traffic topology to provider infrastructure
- IP addressing schemes may conflict with provider requirements or partner networks
- Legacy and non-IP traffic types require separate handling or protocol conversion
- Limited ability to enforce routing policy decisions at the WAN boundary
With GTT
- ELAN provides a fully isolated Layer 2 transport
- You manage your own IP addressing with no provider-imposed constraints or overlap risks
- IP and non-IP traffic ride the same connection without encapsulation or conversion
- Full control over routing decisions at every site, including policy-based routing and traffic engineering
Results
Your network operates exactly as your team designed it. The provider delivers the transport; you define the routing behavior.
Built-in class of service for application-aware traffic management
Not all traffic is equal. ELAN treats the differences as a design requirement, not an optional add-on.
Without GTT
- All traffic types compete for bandwidth with no differentiation by application priority
- Latency-sensitive applications suffer during periods of high utilization
- Achieving QoS requires additional configuration, separate services or extra cost
- End-user experience for real-time applications is unpredictable under load
With GTT
- P-bit prioritization segments traffic into four Classes of Service at no additional charge
- Latency-sensitive traffic receives guaranteed priority treatment
- Bulk and background traffic is managed without degrading high-priority application flows
- Consistent application performance is maintained across all sites regardless of overall network load
Results
Real-time collaboration tools and time-sensitive applications perform reliably across your entire ELAN footprint.
Flexible bandwidth that matches how you actually use the network
Connectivity costs should reflect actual usage, not worst-case projections. GTT’s ELAN
bandwidth model is built around how enterprise traffic actually behaves.
Without GTT
- Fixed bandwidth commitments force over-provisioning to handle occasional traffic spikes
- Idle capacity on low-traffic sites is paid for but never used
- Burst events during peak periods degrade performance with no headroom available
- Separate per-site bandwidth pools cannot share headroom across the organization
With GTT
- Burstable ports accommodate traffic spikes without requiring dedicated burst capacity at every site
- Aggregate Committed Data Rate (ACDR) plans allow bandwidth sharing across ports
- Flat-rate billing available for predictable, high-utilization environments
- Bandwidth configuration scales with your traffic patterns, not against them
Results
Sites with variable usage profiles share available headroom, and high-utilization locations benefit from flat-rate predictability.
Global reach backed by 24/7 management and stringent SLAs
A technically sound architecture only delivers value when it performs reliably at scale, across every
location, every hour of the day. GTT’s ELAN service is built on a globally distributed network with
continuous monitoring and contractually backed performance commitments.
Without GTT
- Coverage gaps at remote or international locations require additional provider relationships
- SLA terms vary across providers, creating inconsistent performance commitments by region
- Fault resolution requires coordination across multiple vendors with no single accountable party
- Visibility into network performance is fragmented across separate management portals
With GTT
- ELAN that spans hundreds of Points of Presence globally, with NNIs to partner networks for seamless last-mile reach
- Unified SLAs cover availability (99.999%), packet loss (=0.1%) and jitter (=2ms) across all connected locations
- 24/7 Network Operations Centers monitor every circuit and own fault resolution end-to-end
- GTT EnvisionDX delivers real-time metrics, order status and billing in a single management portal
Results
Global enterprises get a single service with consistent performance standards and a single point of accountability.
How it works
GTT ELAN operates as a managed Layer 2 service, delivering Ethernet connectivity across our global
backbone. Each site connects to the ELAN fabric through a dedicated port. Traffic between sites travels
across the MPLS core in isolated virtual circuits, maintaining the separation and performance characteristics
of a private LAN across any distance.
1
Design and
architecture
We begin by mapping your site inventory and traffic patterns and application requirements. Our team designs the ELAN topology to match your traffic behavior and growth trajectory. For organizations integrating ELAN alongside SD-WAN or MPLS, we design the services to work as a unified network layer.
2
Provisioning and deployment
GTT coordinates local access delivery to each site through our global Points of Presence and established NNI partner relationships. Port types ranging from Fast Ethernet through 100 Gigabit Ethernet are supported depending on site requirements. ELAN tagging (802.1Q) and Q-in-Q tag stacking (802.1AD) provide additional segmentation flexibility during deployment. Each site is provisioned and tested before joining the live ELAN fabric.
3
Ongoing operations and visibility
From go-live, your ELAN service is monitored continuously by GTT’s global NOC teams. The GTT EnvisionDX portal gives you real-time access to performance metrics, utilization data and fault status across every connected site. When issues arise, our operations teams own the resolution with no need for you to coordinate across multiple vendor relationships.
Discover more in our WAN portfolio
Managed SD-WAN
Transform your WAN with dynamic network traffic management. SD-WAN technology benefits include flexibility, speed, security and cost control.
MPLS
Backed by end-to-end SLAs and high-speed broadband, our multiprotocol label switching services open up a connected network with leased lines for all your business locations, whether down the street or across the globe.
Ethernet
Secure reliable connectivity, available in diverse configurations and bandwidth speeds.
Frequently asked questions
Can WAN services support voice and video communications?
Yes, GTT WAN services can support real-time applications like VoIP and video conferencing by ensuring low latency and sufficient bandwidth speeds.
What are the security considerations for WAN services?
Security is crucial for all types of WAN services—Encryption, firewalls, instruction detection systems and VPNs are often used to secure data transmitted over WAN services. This security orchestration plays a role in WAN optimization for the best digital transformation.
How can businesses choose the best WAN service provider?
Businesses of all sizes should consider their specific needs and factors such as reliability, performance, scalability, customer support, cost and coverage levels to determine the best fit (all of which are available with GTT).
Our Gartner rating
Connect every location as if they share a single network
Hub-and-spoke topologies were built for a different era. If your business requires direct, low-latency connectivity between multiple locations, ELAN is the architecture that delivers it.