Introduction To MPLS: Session Rst-1601

INTRODUCTION TO MPLS
SESSION RST-1601
RST-1601
9776_05_2004_c1 © 2004 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. 1
Agenda
• Background
• Technology Basics
What Is MPLS? Where Is it Used?
• Label Distribution in MPLS Networks
LDP, RSVP, BGP
• Building MPLS-Based Services
VPNs
AToM
Traffic Engineering
• Configurations
Configuring MPLS, LDP, TE
• Summary
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© 2004 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. Printed in USA.

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BACKGROUND
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Terminology
• Acronyms
PE—Provider Edge router
P—Provider Core router
CE—Customer Edge router (also referred to as CPE)
ASBR—Autonomous System Boundary Router
RR—Route Reflector
• TE—Traffic Engineering
TE head end—router that initiates a TE tunnel
TE midpoint—router where the TE tunnel transits
• VPN—Collection of sites that share common policies
• AToM—Any Transport over MPLS
Commonly known scheme for building layer 2 circuits over MPLS
Attachment circuit—layer 2 circuit between PE and CE
Emulated circuit—pseudowire between PEs
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Evolution of MPLS
• From tag switching

• Proposed in IETF—later combined with other
proposals from IBM (ARIS), Toshiba (CSR)
Cisco Calls a MPLS Group Cisco Ships Traffic Engineering

BOF at IETF to Formally Chartered MPLS TE Deployed
Standardize by IETF
Tag Switching Cisco Ships MPLS VPN Large Scale
MPLS (Tag Deployed Deployment
Switching)
1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001

Time
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What Is MPLS?
• Multi Protocol Label Switching

• MPLS is an efficient encapsulation mechanism
• Uses “Labels” appended to packets
(IP packets, AAL5 frames) for transport of data
• MPLS packets can run on other Layer 2 technologies
such as ATM, FR, PPP, POS, Ethernet
• Other Layer 2 technologies can be run over an
MPLS network
• Labels can be used as designators
For example—IP prefixes, ATM VC, or a bandwidth
guaranteed path
• MPLS is a technology for delivery of IP Services
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Original Motivation of MPLS
• Allow core routers/networking devices to switch

packets based on some simplified header
• Provide a highly scalable mechanism that was
topology driven rather than flow driven
• Leverage hardware so that simple forwarding
paradigm can be used
• It has evolved a long way from the original goal
Hardware became better and looking up longest best
match was no longer an issue
By associating labels with prefixes, groups of sites or
bandwidth paths or light paths new services such as MPLS
VPNs and traffic engineering, GMPLS were now possible
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MPLS as a Foundation for

Value-Added Services
Provider Any
Traffic IP+Optical
Provisioned IP+ATM Transport
Engineering GMPLS
VPNs over MPLS
MPLS
Network Infrastructure
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TECHNOLOGY BASICS
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Label Header for Packet Media
0 1 2 3
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1
Label EXP S TTL
Label = 20 Bits
COS/EXP = Class of Service, 3 Bits
S = Bottom of Stack, 1 Bit
TTL = Time to Live, 8 Bits
• Can be used over Ethernet, 802.3, or PPP links

• Uses two new Ethertypes/PPP PIDs
• Contains everything needed at forwarding time
• One word per label
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Encapsulations
PPP Header PPP Header Label Layer 2/L3 Packet

(Packet over SONET/SDH)
One or More Labels Appended to the Packet
LAN MAC Label Header MAC Header Label Layer 2/L3 Packet
ATM MPLS Cell Header GFC VPI VCI PTI CLP HEC DATA
Label
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Forwarding Equivalence Class
Determines How Packets

Are Mapped to LSP
• IP prefix/host address
• Layer 2 circuits (ATM, FR, PPP, HDLC, Ethernet)
• Groups of addresses/sites—VPN x
• A bridge/switch instance—VSI
• Tunnel interface—traffic engineering
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MPLS Concepts
At Edge: In Core:
• Classify packets • Forward using labels
(as opposed to IP addr)
• Label them
• Label indicates service class
Label Imposition and destination
Label Swapping or Switching
At Edge:
Edge Label Remove Labels and
Switch Router Forward Packets
(ATM Switch or Label Disposition
Router)
Label Switch Router (LSR)
• Router
• ATM switch + Label
Switch Controller
Label Distribution Protocol
• Create new services via flexible classification

• Provide the ability to setup bandwidth guaranteed paths
• Enable ATM switches to act as routers
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MPLS Operation
1a. Existing Routing Protocols (e.g. OSPF, IS-IS) 4. Edge LSR at
Establish Reachability to Destination Networks Egress Removes
Label and Delivers
1b. Label Distribution Protocol (LDP) Packet
Establishes Label to Destination
Network Mappings
2. Ingress Edge LSR Receives Packet,

Performs Layer 3 Value-Added
3. LSR Switches Packets
Services, and “Labels” Packets
Using Label Swapping
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LABEL DISTRIBUTION
IN MPLS NETWORKS
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Unicast Routing Protocols
• OSPF, IS-IS, BGP are needed in the network

• They provide reachability
• Label distribution protocols distribute labels for
prefixes advertised by unicast routing
protocols using
Either a dedicated Label Distribution Protocol (LDP)
Extending existing protocols like BGP to
distribute labels
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• Defined in RFC 3035 and 3036

• Used to distribute labels in a MPLS network
Uses a TCP session—multiple sessions require multiple
TCP sessions
• Forwarding equivalence class

How packets are mapped to LSPs (Label Switched Paths)
• Advertise labels per FEC

Reach destination a.b.c.d with label x
• Discovery
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Router Example: Forwarding Packets

Address
I/F
Prefix
Address Address
I/F I/F
Prefix Prefix 128.89 0
128.89 1 128.89 0 171.69 1
171.69 1 171.69 1
…
… …
128.89
0
0 128.89.25.4 Data
1 128.89.25.4 Data
1
128.89.25.4 Data 128.89.25.4 Data
171.69
Packets Forwarded
Based on IP Address
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MPLS Example: Routing Information
In Address Out Out In Address Out Out In Address Out Out

Label Prefix I’face label Label Prefix I’face Label Label Prefix I’face Label
128.89 1 128.89 0 128.89 0

171.69 1 171.69 1
… … … … … …
0 128.89
0
1
You Can Reach 128.89 Thru Me

You Can Reach 128.89 and 1
171.69 Thru Me
Routing Updates
You Can Reach 171.69 Thru Me 171.69
(OSPF, EIGRP, …)
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MPLS Example: Assigning Labels

Label Prefix I’face Label Label Prefix I’face Label Label Prefix I’face Label
- 128.89 1 4 4 128.89 0 9 9 128.89 0 -

- 171.69 1 5 5 171.69 1 7
… … … … … … … … … … … …
0 128.89
0
1
Use Label 9 for 128.89

Use Label 4 for 128.89 and 1
Label Distribution
Use Label 7 for 171.69 171.69
Protocol (LDP)
(Downstream Allocation)
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MPLS Example: Forwarding Packets

Label Prefix I’face Label Label Prefix I’face Label Label Prefix I’face Label
- 128.89 1 4 4 128.89 0 9 9 128.89 0 -

- 171.69 1 5 5 171.69 1 7
… … … … … … … … … … … …
0 128.89
0
128.89.25.4 Data
1
9 128.89.25.4 Data
128.89.25.4 Data 4 128.89.25.4 Data 1
Label Switch Forwards

171.69
Based on Label
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Label Distribution Modes
• Downstream unsolicited
Downstream node just advertises labels for prefixes/FEC
reachable via that device
Previous example
• Downstream on-demand
Upstream node requests a label for a learnt prefix via the
downstream node
Next example—ATM MPLS
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ATM MPLS Example: Requesting Labels
In Address Out Out In In Address Out Out In In Address Out Out

Label Prefix I’face Label Label I/F Prefix I’face Label label I/F Prefix I’face Label
128.89 1 128.89 0 128.89 0

171.69 1 171.69 1
… … … … … …
1 0 128.89
1 2 0
I Need a Label for 128.89
I Need Another Label for 128.89
I Need a Label for 128.89 3 1
I Need a Label for 171.69 I Need a Label for 171.69
Label Distribution
I Need a Label for 128.89 171.69
Protocol (LDP)
(Downstream Allocation on Demand)
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ATM MPLS Example: Assigning Labels

- 128.89 1 4 4 2 128.89 0 9 9 1 128.89 0 -

- 171.69 1 5 8 3 128.89 0 10 10 1 128.89 0 -
… … 5 2 171.69 1 7 … …
1 0 128.89
1 2 0
Use Label 4 for 128.89 3 1
Use Label 5 for 171.69 Use Label 7 for 171.69
Use Label 8 for 128.89 171.69
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ATM MPLS Example: Packet Forwarding

- 128.89 1 4 4 2 128.89 0 9 9 1 128.89 0 -

- 171.69 1 5 8 3 128.89 0 10 10 1 128.89 0 -
… … 5 2 171.69 1 7 … …
1 0 128.89
1 2 0
128.89.25.4 Data
9 128.89.25.4 Data
128.89.25.4 Data
4 128.89.25.4 Data 1
Label Switch Forwards 171.69

Based on Label
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Why Multiple Labels with ATM?
If Didn’t Allocate Multiple Labels:

• Cells of different packets would have same label (VPI/VCI)
• Egress router can’t reassemble packets
In In Address Out Out

I/F Label Prefix I/F Label
1 5 128.89 0 3
2 8 128.89 0 3
Cells … … … … …
5
5 Help!
Packet 5
5
1 0
128.89
Packet 8 2
8 3 3 3 3 3 3
8
8
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Multiple Labels
Multiple Labels Enables Edge Router

to Reassemble Packets Correctly

1 5 128.89 0 3
2 8 128.89 0 7
Cells … … … … …
5
5 Much Better!
Packet 5
5
1 0
128.89
Packet 8 2
8 7 3 7 3 7 3
8
8
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Label Merge
• Done by default for packet networks—unique label
advertised per FEC
• Requires VC merge for ATM networks
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LDP: Label Merge
IGP—Equal Cost Multipath
Prefix 129.161/16
Prefix 129.161/16
Labels for Prefix 129.161 Are Advertised Along Both Paths

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VC Merge
With ATM Switch that Can Merge VC’s:

• Can reuse outgoing label • Fewer labels required
• Hardware prevents cell • For very large networks
interleave
1 5 128.89 0 3
2 8 128.89 0 3
Cells … … … … …
5
5
Packet 5
5
1 0
128.89
Packet 8 2
8 3 3 3 3 3 3
8
8
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Label Retention Modes
• In downstream unsolicited mode—label mapping

advertisements are received for all routes from all peers
• Liberal label retention
These mappings are retained regardless of whether the LSR is the
next hop for the advertised mapping
Once Labels are allocated to a prefix these labels are retained
Reaction to routing changes is fast
• Conservative label retention

Used with DOD mode
Label mappings are retained only if they are used to
forward packets
Can save some label space—however, reacts slower to changes
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Label Allocation Modes
• Independent mode
Labels are allocated independently of neighbors’ bindings
As long as the router has routes—it allocates a label
irrespective of the neighbor
• Ordered mode
Labels are allocated only after the bindings from neighbors
are received
Takes care of propagation delays in routing changes
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LDP
• Neighbor discovery
Discover directly attached neighbors—pt-to-pt links
(including Ethernet)
Establish a session
Exchange prefix/FEC and label information
• Extended neighbor discovery

Establish peer relationship with another router that is
not a neighbor
Exchange FEC and label information
May be needed to exchange service labels
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TDP and LDP
• Tag distribution protocol—Cisco proprietary

Pre-cursor to LDP
Used for Cisco tag switching
• TDP and LDP supported on the same device

Per neighbor/link basis
Per target basis
• LDP is a superset of TDP

• Uses the same label/TAG
• Has different message formats
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Other Label Distribution Protocols: RSVP
• Used in MPLS traffic engineering

• Additions to RSVP signaling protocol
• Leverage the admission control mechanism of
RSVP to create an LSP with bandwidth
• Label requests are sent in PATH messages and
binding is done with RESV messages
• EXPLICT-ROUTE object defines the path over
which setup messages should be routed
• Using RSVP has several advantages
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Other Label Distribution Protocols: BGP
• Used in the context of MPLS VPNs

• Need multiprotocol extensions to BGP
• Routers need to be BGP peers
• Label mapping info carried as part of NLRI
(Network Layer Reacheability Information)
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MPLS Control and Forwarding Planes
• Control plane used to distribute labels—BGP, LDP, RSVP

• Forwarding plane consists of label imposition, swapping and
disposition—no matter what the control plane
• Key: There is a separation of control plane and
forwarding plane
Basic MPLS: destination-based unicast
Labels divorce forwarding from IP address
Many additional options for assigning labels
Labels define destination and service
Resource Multicast Explicit Virtual

Destination-Based IP Class
Reservation Routing and Static Private
Unicast Routing of Service
(e.g., RSVP) (PIM v2) Routes Networks
Label Information Base (LIB)
Per-Label Forwarding, Queuing, and Multicast Mechanisms

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Control and Forward Plane Separation
Route
RIB Routing Updates/
Process Adjacency
Label Bind
LIB MPLS Updates/
Process Adjacency
MFI FIB
MPLS Traffic IP Traffic
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Label Stacking
• There may be more than one label in an MPLS packet

• As we know labels correspond to forwarding
equivalence classes
Example—there can be one label for routing the packet to an egress point
and another that separates a customer A packet from customer B
Inner labels can be used to designate services/FECs, etc.
E.g. VPNs, fast reroute
• Outer label used to route/switch the MPLS packets in
the network
Outer Label
• Last label in the stack is marked
with EOS bit
• Allows building services such as TE Label
MPLS VPNs LDP Label
Traffic engineering and fast re-route VPN Label
VPNs over traffic engineered core
Any transport over MPLS Inner Label IP Header
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MPLS VPNS
LAYER 2 AND LAYER 3
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What Is a VPN?
• VPN is a set of sites which are allowed to

communicate with each other
• VPN is defined by a set of administrative policies
Policies determine both connectivity and QoS
among sites
Policies established by VPN customers
Policies could be implemented completely by
VPN service providers
Using BGP/MPLS VPN mechanisms
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What Is a VPN? (Cont.)
• Flexible inter-site connectivity

Ranging from complete to partial mesh
• Sites may be either within the same or in different

organizations
VPN can be either intranet or extranet
• Site may be in more than one VPN

VPNs may overlap
• Not all sites have to be connected to the same

service provider
VPN can span multiple providers
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VPNs
• Layer 2 VPNs
Customer endpoints (CPE) connected via Layer 2 such as
Frame Relay DLCI, ATM VC or point-to-point connection
If it connects IP routers then peering or routing relationship
is between the endpoints
Multiple logical connections (one with each endpoint)
• Layer 3 VPNs
Customer end points peer with provider routers
Single peering relationship
No mesh of connections
Provider network responsible for
Distributing routing information to VPN sites
Separation of routing tables from one VPN to another
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LAYER 3 VPNS
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Service Provider Benefits
of MPLS-Based VPNs
VPN B VPN A
VPN C VPN C
Multicast
VPN B
Hosting
Intranet
VPN A
VoIP
Extranet
VPN A
VPN B
VPN C VPN C
VPN A VPN B
Overlay VPN MPLS-Based VPNs

• Pushes content outside the network • Enables content hosting inside
• Costs scale exponentially the network
• Transport dependent • “Flat” cost curve
• Groups endpoints, not groups • Transport independent
• Complex overlay with QoS, tunnels, IP • Easy grouping of users and services
• Enables QoS inside the VPNs
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Using Labels to Build an IP VPN
Cust A A A Cust A
---- ----
--- ---
---- ----
B
----
---
----
Cust A
B MPLS
----
---
---- Network
Cust B Cust B
• The network distributes labels to each VPN

Only labels for other VPN members are distributed
Each VPN is provisioned automatically by IP routing
• Privacy and QoS of ATM without tunnels or encryption
Each network is as secure as a Frame Relay connection
• One mechanism (labels) for QoS and VPNs—no tradeoffs
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How Does It Work?
• Simple idea
Use a label to designate VPN prefix
Route that VPN packet to egress PE advertising that prefix
Use the IGP label to the VPN packet to the egress node
• How is it done?
Routers need to maintain separate VPN routing tables
called VRFs (Virtual Routing and Forwarding Tables)
Routers then export and import routes using BGP
extensions to identify and separate one VPNs routes
from another
Routers then exchange labels for VPN routes in addition to
IGP routes
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RFC 2547: MPLS VPNs
CE
CE iBGP—VPNv4 VRF
Label Exchange
VRF
LDP LDP LDP PE

PE
iBGP—VPNv4 iBGP—VPNv4 CE
PE
CE
Overlapping Addresses Are VRF
CE Made Unique by Appending RD

and Creating VPNv4 Addresses
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Control Plane Path
No Direct Peering Between CEs
VPN A VPN A
Routing Relationship
CE CE
IPv4 Route
Exchange
PE PE
P P
VPNv4 Routes Advertised via BGP

Labels Exchanged via BGP
• RD—8 Byte field—assigned by provider—significant to the provider network only

• VPNv4 Address: RD+VPN Prefix
• Unique RD per VPN makes the VPNv4 address unique
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Data Plane Path

Routing Relationship
VPN A VPN A
IPv4 IPv4
CE CE
IPv4 IPv4
IPv4
Forwarded PE PE
Packet
Vpnv4 Routes Advertised via BGP
Labels Exchanged via BGP
IPv4
• Ingress PE is imposing 2 labels
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MPLS-Based IP-VPN Architecture
• Scalable VPNs
Add more PEs if more VPNs are needed VPN Membership-
No N^2 mesh Based on Logical Port
VPNs are built in to the cloud
• IP QoS and traffic VPN A VPN A
engineering Site 2 Site 3
• Easy to manage and MPLS Network
no VC mesh provisioning
Corp A MPLS VPN Renault Corp B
required
Site 1 Site 2
• Provides a level of MPLS VPN Bankcorp
security/separation
equivalent to
Frame Relay and ATM Corp B Corp B
Site 3 Site 1
• Supports the Traffic Separation at Layer 3
deployment Each VPN Has Unique RD
of new value-added applications
• Customer IP address freedom
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Key Features
• No constraints on addressing plans used by

VPNs—a VPN customer may:
Use globally unique and routable/non-routable addresses,
Use private addresses (RFC1918)
• Security:
Basic security is comparable to that provided by FR/ATM-
based VPNs without providing data encryption
VPN customer may still use IPSec-based mechanisms
e.g., CE-CE IPSec-based encryption
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Key Features (Cont.)
• Quality of Service:
Flexible and scaleable support for a CoS-based networks
• Scalability:
Total capacity of the system isn’t bounded by the capacity
of an individual component
Scale to virtually unlimited number of VPNs per VPN
Service Provider and scale to thousands of sites per VPN
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Key Features (Cont.)
• Connectivity to the Internet:

VPN Service Provider may also provide connectivity to the
Internet to its VPN customers
Common infrastructure is used for both VPN and the
Internet connectivity services
• Simplifies operations and management for VPN

Service Providers:
No need for VPN Service Providers to set up and manage a
separate backbone or “virtual backbone” for each VPN
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BGP/MPLS VPN: Summary
• Supports large scale VPN service

• Increases value add by the VPN
Service Provider
• Decreases Service Provider cost of providing
VPN services
• Mechanisms are general enough to enable VPN
Service Provider to support a wide range of VPN
customers
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LAYER 2 VPNS
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Layer 2 VPNs
Similar to L3VPN
• Designate a label for the circuit
• Exchange that label information with the egress PE
• Encapsulate the incoming traffic (Layer 2 frames)
• Apply label (learnt through the exchange)
• Forward the MPLS packet (l2 encapsulated to
destination on an LSP)
• At the egress
Lookup the L2 label
Forward the packet onto the L2 attachment circuit
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Architecture
Attachment Circuit
Ethernet VLAN, FR DLCI, ATM VC, PPP Session
VPN A VPN A
CE CE
PE PE
Emulated VC/Pseudowire
Labels Exchanged via Directed LDP
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Frame Relay over MPLS: Example
VC1—Connects DLCI 101 to DLCI 201
VC2—Connects DLCI 102 to DLCI 202
Directed LDP
Label Exchange for VC1—Label 10
Label Exchange for VC2—Label 21
PE2
PE1 101 10 50 101 10 90
102 21 50 102 21 90 DLCI 201

DLCI 101
DLCI 102 Neighbor LDP— DLCI 202

Neighbor LDP—
Label 50 Label 90
Frame Frame
Relay MPLS Relay
Backbone
MPLS LSP
CPE Router, CPE Router,
FRAD Any Transport FRAD
over MPLS
(AtoM) Tunnel
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Summary
• Easy way of transporting Layer 2 frames

• Can be used to transport ATM AAL5 frames, cells,
FR DLCI, PPP sessions, Ethernet VLANs
• Point-to-point transport with QoS guarantees
• Combine with TE and QoS to emulate Layer 2
service over a packet infrastructure
• Easy migration towards network convergence
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MPLS TRAFFIC ENGINEERING
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What Is MPLS Traffic Engineering?
• Process of routing data traffic in order to balance

the traffic load on the various links, routers, and
switches in the network
• Key in most networks where multiple parallel or
alternate paths are available
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Why Traffic Engineering?
• Congestion in the network due to changing traffic

patterns
Election news, online trading, major sports events
• Better utilization of available bandwidth
Route on the non-shortest path
• Route around failed links/nodes
Fast rerouting around failures, transparently to users
Like SONET APS (Automatic Protection Switching)
• Build new services—virtual leased line services
VoIP toll-bypass applications, point-to-point bandwidth
guarantees
• Capacity planning
TE improves aggregate availability of the network
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IP Routing and the Fish
R8 R3
R4
R5
R2
R1
R6
R7
IP (Mostly) Uses Destination-Based Least-Cost Routing

Flows from R8 and R1 Merge at R2 and Become Indistinguishable
From R2, Traffic to R3, R4, R5 Use Upper Route
Alternate Path Under-Utilized

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The Problem with Shortest-Path
• Some links are DS3, some
Node Next-Hop Cost are OC-3
B B 10 • Router A has 40Mb of traffic for
C C 10 Route F, 40Mb of traffic for Router G
D C 20
• Massive (44%) packet loss at
E B 20
Router B->Router E!
F B 30
Changing to A->C->D->E
G B 30
won’t help
Router B Router F
35M
OC-3 b Dro OC-3
Router A ps! Router E
ffic DS3
b Tr a Router G
80M
OC-3
OC-3 DS3
Router C DS3 Router D

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How MPLS TE Solves the Problem
• Router A sees all links

Node Next-Hop Cost
B B 10 • Router A computes paths on
C C 10 properties other than just
D C 20
shortest cost
E B 20
F Tunnel 0 30 • No link oversubscribed!
G Tunnel 1 30
Router B Router F
OC-3 OC-3
Router A Router E
DS3
b Router G
40M
OC-3
OC-3 40Mb DS3
Router C DS3 Router D

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TE Fundamentals: “Building Blocks”
Path Calculation—Uses IGP

Advertisements to Compute
“Constrained” Paths
IGP (OSPF or ISIS) Used to RSVP/TE Used to Distribute

Flood Bandwidth Information Labels, Provide CAC, Failure
Between Routers Notification, etc.
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Information Distribution
• You need a link-state protocol as your IGP

IS-IS or OSPF
• Link-state requirement is only for MPLS-TE!

Not a requirement for VPNs, etc!
• Why do I need a link-state protocol?

To make sure info gets flooded
To build a picture of the entire network
• Information flooded includes link, bandwidth,

attributes, etc.
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Example
RESV
RESV
RESV PATH
PATH
TE Headend PATH TE Tail End
• PATH messages are sent with • Packets are mapped to the

requested bandwidth tunnel via
• RESV messages are sent with Static routed
label bindings for the TE tunnel Autoroute
• Tunnels can be explicitly routes Policy route
• Admission control at each hop • Packets follow the tunnel—LSP
to see if the bandwidth
requirement can be met
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Benefits of TE over Policy Routing
• Policy Routing
Hop-by-hop decision making
No accounting of bandwidth
• Traffic Engineering
Headend-based
Accounts for available link bandwidth
Admission control
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Applications of MPLS TE:
MPLS Fast Reroute
R8 R9
R3
R4
R2
R1 R5
R7
R6
Mimic SONET APS
Reroute in 50ms or Less
• Multiple hops can be by-passed; R2 swaps the label which R4

expects before pushing the label for R6
• R2 locally patches traffic onto the link with R6
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Link Protection
Router A Router B Router D Router E
Router X Router Y
Router C
• Primary tunnel: A -> B -> D -> E

• Backup tunnel: B -> C -> D (preprovisioned)
• Recovery = ~50ms
*Actual Time Varies—Well Below 50ms in Lab Tests, Can Also Be Higher
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Node Protection
Router A Router B Router D Router E Router F
Router X Router Y
Router C
• Primary tunnel: A -> B -> D -> E -> F

• Backup tunnel: B -> C -> E (pre-provisioned)
• Recovery = ~100ms
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TE DEPLOYMENT SCENARIOS
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Tactical TE Deployment
Requirement: Need to Handle Scattered Congestion Points in the Network
Solution: Deploy MPLS TE on Only Those Nodes That Face Congestion
MPLS Traffic Engineering Bulk of Traffic Flow

Tunnel Relieves Congestion Points Eg. Internet Download
Internet
Service Provider
Backbone
Oversubscribed
Shortest Links
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Full Mesh TE Deployment

Requirement: Need to Increase “Bandwidth Inventory” Across the Network
Solution: Deploy MPLS TE with a Full Logical Mesh over a Partial Physical
Mesh and Use Offline Capacity Planning Tool
Service Provider
Backbone
VPN Site A VPN Site B
Partial Mesh of Full Mesh of MPLS

Physical Connections Traffic Engineering Tunnels
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1-Hop TE Deployment
Requirement: Need Protection Only—Minimize Packet Loss
Lots of Bandwidth in the Core
Solution: Deploy MPLS Fast Reroute for Less than 50ms Failover Time with
1-Hop Primary TE Tunnels and Backup Tunnel for Each
Service Provider
Backbone
VPN Site A VPN Site B

Primary 1-Hop TE Tunnel
Backup Tunnel
Physical Links
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Virtual Leased Line Deployment

Requirement: Need to Create Dedicated Point-to-Point Circuits with Bandwidth
Guarantees—Virtual Leased Line (VLL)
Solution: Deploy MPLS TE (or DS-TE) with QoS; Forward Traffic from L3 VPN
or L2 VPN into a TE Tunnel; Unlike ATM PVCs, Use 1 TE Tunnel for
Multiple VPNs Creating a Scalable Architecture
Traffic Engineered Tunnels

with Fast Reroute Protection
VPN Site A
Service Provider
Backbone
Central Site
Primary Tunnel
VPN Site B Backup Tunnel
Tight QoS—
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Policing, Queuing Etc.

8216_05_2003_c1
MPLS TE Summary
• Useful for rerouting traffic in congested

environments
• Build innovative services like virtual leased line
• Build protection solutions using MPLS FRR
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MPLS and QoS
• IP QoS mechanisms are leveraged for MPLS

• IP Precedence bits copied into MPLS EXP field
• IP DSCP can be mapped to MPLS EXP
• WRED, queuing can be done on MPLS EXP
• DiffServ mechanisms provide similar per hop
behavior with MPLS
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Configuring MPLS
Router# configure
Step 1 terminal
Enables Configuration Mode
Router(config)# ip
Step 2 cef [distributed]
Configures Cisco Express Forwarding
Router(config)# Specifies the Interface to Configure

Step 3 interface interface
Router(config-if)# Configures MPLS Hop-by-Hop Forwarding for a

Step 4 mpls ip Specified Interface
Router(config-if)# Configures the Use of LDP for a Specific Interface;

Sets the Default Label Distribution Protocol for the Specified
Step 5 mpls label protocol
Interface To Be LDP, Overriding Any Default Set by the Global
ldp
MPLS Label Protocol Command
Router# configure
Configures the Use of LDP on All Interfaces;
terminal
Step 6 Router(config)# mpls Sets the Default Label Distribution Protocol for All Interfaces
label protocol ldp To Be LDP
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Show Commands
Router# show mpls interfaces show mpls ip binding [vrf vpn-name] [network
Interface IP Tunnel Operational {mask | length} [longer-prefixes]]
Ethernet1/1/1 Yes (tdp) No No [local-label {atm vpi vci | label [- label]}]
Ethernet1/1/2 Yes (tdp) Yes No [remote-label {atm vpi vci | label [- label]}]
Ethernet1/1/3 Yes (tdp) Yes Yes [neighbor address] [local]
POS2/0/0 Yes (tdp) No No [interface interface] [generic | atm]
ATM0/0.1 Yes (tdp) No No (ATM labels) show mpls ip binding summary
ATM3/0.1 Yes (ldp) No Yes (ATM labels)
ATM0/0.2 Yes (tdp) No Yes
Router# show mpls ldp discovery Router# show mpls ip binding 194.44.44.0 24
Local LDP Identifier: 194.44.44.0/24
118.1.1.1:0 in label: 24
Discovery Sources: in vc label: 1/37 lsr: 203.0.7.7:2 ATM1/0.8
Interfaces: Active egress (vcd 56)
POS2/0 (ldp): xmit/recv out label: imp-null lsr: 155.0.0.55:0 inuse
LDP Id: 155.0.0.55:0 Router#
Tunnel1 (ldp): Targeted -> 133.0.0.33
Targeted Hellos:
118.1.1.1 -> 133.0.0.33 (ldp): active, xmit/recv
LDP Id: 133.0.0.33:0
118.1.1.1 -> 168.7.0.16 (tdp): passive, xmit/recv
TDP Id: 168.7.0.16:0
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TE: Configuration
Router(config-if)#
Step 1 mpls traffic-eng Enables MPLS Traffic Engineering Tunnels on an Interface
tunnels
Enables RSVP for IP on an Interface and Specifies the
Router(config-if)# ip
Amount of Bandwidth That Will Be Reserved;
Step 2 rsvp bandwidth
For a Description of the ip rsvp Command Syntax, See the
bandwidth
Quality of Service Solutions Command Reference
Configures an OSPF Routing Process for IP; You Are Placed
in Router Configuration Mode;
Router(config)#
The process-id is an Internally Used Identification
Step 1 router ospf
Parameter for an OSPF routing process; It Is Locally
process-id
Assigned and Can Be Any Positive Integer; Assign a Unique
Value for Each OSPF Routing Process
Router(config-
router)# mpls
Step 2 traffic-eng Turns on MPLS Traffic Engineering for OSPF Area 0
area 0
Router(config-
Specifies that the Traffic Engineering Router Identifier for
router)# mpls
Step 3 traffic-eng router-id The Node Is the IP Address Associated with Interface
loopback0
loopback0
Show mpls traffic-eng Å>
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SUMMARY
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8216_05_2003_c1
MPLS: The Key Technology for L2 and L3
Service Delivery
ATM IP IP+ATM: MPLS Brings IP and ATM Together

Services Services
• Eliminates IP “over” ATM overhead and complexity
• One network for Internet, Business IP VPNs, and transport
IP
PNNI MPLS
IP+ATM Switch
Network-Based VPNs with MPLS: a Foundation for

Value-Added Service Delivery
• Flexible user and service grouping (biz-to-biz)
• Flexibility of IP and the QoS and privacy of ATM
• Enables application and content hosting inside each VPN
• Transport independent
• Low provisioning costs enable affordable managed services
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MPLS: The Key Technology for L2 and L3

Service Delivery
MPLS Traffic Engineering

• Provides Routing on diverse paths to avoid congestion
• Better utilization of the network
• Better availability using Protection Solution (FRR)
Guaranteed Bandwidth Services

• Combine MPLS Traffic Engineering and QoS
• Deliver Point-to-point bandwidth guaranteed pipes
• Leverage the capability of Traffic Engineering
• Build Solution like Virtual leased line and Toll Trunking
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MPLS: The Key Technology for
IP Service Delivery
Optical IP
Services Services IP+Optical Integration
• Eliminates IP “over” Optical Complexity
IP
• Uses MPLS as a control Plane for setting up lightpaths
(wavelengths)
O-UNI MPLS • One control plane for Internet, Business IP VPNs, and
optical transport
IP+Optical Switch
Frame Frame
Relay Relay
Any Transport over MPLS
• Transport ATM, FR, Ethernet, PPP over MPLS
• Provide Services to existing installed base
• Protect Investment in the installed gear
• Leverage capabilities of the packet core
ATM • Combine with other packet based services such as MPLS VPNs
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Further Reading
• http://www.cisco.com/go/mpls
• MPLS and VPN Architectures—Jim Guichard, Ivan
Papelnjak—Cisco Press®
• Traffic Engineering with MPLS—Eric Osborne, Ajay
Simha—Cisco Press
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8216_05_2003_c1
Q AND A
RST-1061
Complete Your Online Session Evaluation!
WHAT: Complete an online session evaluation

and your name will be entered into a
daily drawing
WHY: Win fabulous prizes! Give us your feedback!
WHERE: Go to the Internet stations located
throughout the Convention Center
HOW: Winners will be posted on the onsite
Networkers Website; four winners per day
RST-1061

8216_05_2003_c1
RST-1061

8216_05_2003_c1

Introduction To MPLS: Session Rst-1601

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INTRODUCTION TO MPLS

© 2004 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. Printed in USA.

© 2004 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. Printed in USA.

• From tag switching

Cisco Calls a MPLS Group Cisco Ships Traffic Engineering

1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001

• Multi Protocol Label Switching

© 2004 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. Printed in USA.

• Allow core routers/networking devices to switch

MPLS as a Foundation for

© 2004 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. Printed in USA.

Label Header for Packet Media

Label EXP S TTL

• Can be used over Ethernet, 802.3, or PPP links

© 2004 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. Printed in USA.

PPP Header PPP Header Label Layer 2/L3 Packet

One or More Labels Appended to the Packet

Forwarding Equivalence Class

Determines How Packets

© 2004 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. Printed in USA.

• Create new services via flexible classification

2. Ingress Edge LSR Receives Packet,

© 2004 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. Printed in USA.

Unicast Routing Protocols

• OSPF, IS-IS, BGP are needed in the network

© 2004 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. Printed in USA.

• Defined in RFC 3035 and 3036

• Forwarding equivalence class

• Advertise labels per FEC

Router Example: Forwarding Packets

128.89 1 128.89 0 171.69 1

© 2004 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. Printed in USA.

In Address Out Out In Address Out Out In Address Out Out

128.89 1 128.89 0 128.89 0

You Can Reach 128.89 Thru Me

MPLS Example: Assigning Labels

In Address Out Out In Address Out Out In Address Out Out

- 128.89 1 4 4 128.89 0 9 9 128.89 0 -

Use Label 9 for 128.89

© 2004 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. Printed in USA.

In Address Out Out In Address Out Out In Address Out Out

- 128.89 1 4 4 128.89 0 9 9 128.89 0 -

Label Switch Forwards

Label Distribution Modes

© 2004 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. Printed in USA.

In Address Out Out In In Address Out Out In In Address Out Out

128.89 1 128.89 0 128.89 0

ATM MPLS Example: Assigning Labels

In Address Out Out In In Address Out Out In In Address Out Out

- 128.89 1 4 4 2 128.89 0 9 9 1 128.89 0 -

Use Label 8 for 128.89 171.69

© 2004 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. Printed in USA.

In Address Out Out In In Address Out Out In In Address Out Out

- 128.89 1 4 4 2 128.89 0 9 9 1 128.89 0 -

Label Switch Forwards 171.69

Why Multiple Labels with ATM?

If Didn’t Allocate Multiple Labels:

In In Address Out Out

© 2004 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. Printed in USA.