Introduction to Multi Protocol
Label Switching (MPLS)
Presented By:
Tripti Batra, AM (NW)
Gagan Aggarwal, AM (SW)
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Agenda
Motivation behind MPLS
Basics
Components and Protocols
Operations
Network Management Centre (NMC)
Security
Billing
Operators providing MPLS Services
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Motivation
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Motivation
IP
– The first defined and used protocol
– De facto the only protocol for global
Internet working
………but there are disadvantages
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Motivation (Contd...)
• Connectionless
• Large IP Header to process
• Slower than switching
• Usually designed to follow shortest path
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Motivation (Contd…)
ATM
– Connection Oriented (supports QoS)
– Fast packet switching with fixed length
packets
– Integration of different prioritized traffic
in real time because of guaranteed
delivery
………but there are disadvantages
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Motivation (Contd...)
ATM Disadvantages
Complexity
Expensive
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Motivation (Contd...)
IDEA
Combine the features of Layer 2 and Layer 3
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MPLS Definition
Multi Protocol :
Indifferent towards protocol used at Layer 2
Label
Labels instead of IP addresses for processing
Switching:
Routing at the speed of Switching
MPLS is an Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF)-specified framework
that provides efficient forwarding, routing and switching of traffic flow
through the network.
As data, video, and voice networks are converging on one platform, the
need for Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) is a natural progression.
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BASICS OF MPLS
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MPLS Basics
Multi Protocol Label Switching is arranged between
Layer 2 and Layer 3
Layer 3
IP MPLS
Layer 2
ATM, Ethernet
Layer 1
SDH, CSMA
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MPLS Basics (Contd…)
Flow Management
Independent of Layer-2 protocols
Maps IP-addresses to fixed length label
Interfaces to existing routing protocols
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MPLS Promises
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MPLS Promises
Improves packet-forwarding performance in
the network
Supports QoS and CoS for service
differentiation
Improves network scalability
Integrates IP and ATM in the network
Builds interoperable networks providing multi
vendor interoperatibility
Reduces the complexity of network
operations
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Leased Line Network
Lucknow
Mumbai
Pune Delhi
Leased line Network
Bangalore Kolkotta
Ernakulam Chennai
Hyderabad
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MPLS Network
Ahmedabad
Lucknow
Mumbai
Delhi
Pune
MPLS Network
Bangalore
Kolkotta
Ernakulam Chennai
Hyderabad
Router
Links
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Components and Protocols
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MPLS Components
Label
- Identifies the path a packet should traverse
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MPLS Components (Contd…)
LSP
LER
LSR LSR
LER
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MPLS Components (Contd…)
Label Edge Router (LER)
- Operates at the edge of the access network
& MPLS network
- Responsible for assignment and removal of
labels
- Supports Multiple Protocols connected to
dissimilar networks (such as frame relay, ATM,
and Ethernet)
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MPLS Components (Contd…)
Label Switching Router (LSR)
- High Speed Router that operates in the core of
MPLS network
Label Switched Path (LSP)
- Path formed from source to destination
- Two options to set up an LSP:
a) hop-by-hop routing
b) explicit routing
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MPLS Components (Contd…)
Forward Equivalence Class (FEC)
- Group of packets that share the same
requirement
- A path is a representation of a FEC
Label Distribution Protocol (LDP)
- IETF defined protocol for explicit signaling and
management
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MPLS Components
Label Information Base (LIB)
-Table maintained by the Routers
-Contents of the table specify the mapping
between a label and an FEC
Example of LIB Table:
Incoming Port Outgoing Port
Input Port Output Port
Label Label
1 3 3 6
2 9 1 7
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MPLS Operations
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MPLS Operations
Steps Involved:
– label creation and distribution
– table creation at each router
– label-switched path creation
– label insertion/ table lookup/forwarding
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MPLS Operations
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Network Management
Centre
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Network Management Centre
(NMC)
Network management plays a vital role in
monitoring and controlling an MPLS
network for Redundancy and Reliability.
NMC controls the following factors:
LSP usage-Congestion Control
Label distribution
Creation of VPNs
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MPLS Features
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MPLS Features
Traffic Engineering
Efficient Link Utilization
Class of Service (CoS)
Differentiated types of service across an MPLS
network.
Virtual Private Networks (VPNs)
A VPN is a private connection over an shared network
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Security
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Security
MPLS networks provide separation of
address and traffic
Packets from one VPN do not inadvertently go to
another VPN
Malicious spoofing is impossible
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Security (Contd...)
Provider Edge/Customer Edge Router Relationship
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MPLS Costing
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Factors affecting Costing
BW required
Number of MPLS Ports required
Period of hiring of ports
Uptime Requirement (SLA)
Prioritized Traffic (Class of Service)
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How Cost Effective is MPLS?
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Point to Point MPLS VPN
Just for 10 sites the cost factor is 1/8th of Leased
Lines.
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Tariff Chart (*BSNL port charges)
Class of Bandwidth 64K 128K 1Mbps 2Mbps
Service
Gold 99 % 0.77L 1.38L 5.84L 12.32L
Silver 50% 0.58L 1.04L 4.38L 9.24L
Best 25% 0.38L 0.69L 2.92L 6.16L
effort
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MPLS Operators
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MPLS Operators
Service Providers:
BSNL, Tata Tele Services, Bharti Telecom,
Reliance Infocomm……
Hardware Suppliers:
Cisco, Juniper, Nortel, Alcatel, Huawei…..
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