Situatie

MPLS (Multiprotocol Label Switching) is a high-performance forwarding technique used in modern networks. It directs data from one node to the next based on short path labels rather than long network addresses, speeding up traffic flow and improving scalability.

How does MPLS work?

1. When a packet enters the MPLS network (ingress router), it gets assigned a label

2. MPLS routers (Label Switch Routers, LSRs) forward packets based on the label, not the IP header

3. Labels are swapped at each hop according to the MPLS forwarding table

4. At the exit router (egress), the label is removed, and the packet is forwarded based on its original IP address.

Key Concepts

• Labels: Short fixed-length identifiers (usually 20 bits) added to packets

• Label Edge Router (LER): Router that adds/removes labels at network edges

• Label Switch Router (LSR): Router that forwards packets based on labels inside the MPLS network

• Forwarding Equivalence Class (FEC): Group of packets forwarded the same way.

Advantages of MPLS

• Speed: Labels simplify and accelerate packet forwarding

• Scalability: Supports large-scale networks efficiently

• Traffic Engineering: Allows path control to optimize bandwidth and avoid congestion

• Supports multiple protocols: Works with IP, ATM, Frame Relay, etc.

Basic MPLS Configuration Example (Cisco IOS)

mpls ip
interface GigabitEthernet0/0
mpls ip
interface GigabitEthernet0/1
mpls ip

Use Cases

• Service Provider VPNs (like VPLS and L3VPN)

• Traffic Engineering for optimized routing

• MPLS-based QoS and fast reroute.

Solutie

Tip solutie

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