multiprotocol label switching (MPLS)

A mechanism in high-performance telecommunications networks that directs data from one network node to the next based on short path labels rather than long network addresses. This saves the time needed for a router to look up the address of the next node to forward the packet to. MPLS is called multiprotocol because it works with the Internet Protocol (IP), Asynchronous Transport Mode (ATM), and frame relay network protocols.