2013/6/20

Security Level: Internal Use Only

MPLS Basis
Optical Network Product Service Department
www.huawei.com

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Huawei Confidential

Preface
This course is developed on the basis of multi-protocol label switching technology (MPLS). The purpose of this course is to introduce basic knowledge on the MPLS technology and describe actual application of MPLS in MSTP transport network.

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Guidelines

The key point of this course lies in MPLS technical details and working principle. The difficulty of this course lies in the understanding of actual application of MPLS in MSTP transport network.

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References

MPLS principle basis MPLS L2 VPN principle Data board deployment guide

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Objectives

After completing this course, you should be able to: Know the concept and development of MPLS. Understand MPLS technical details and working principle Understand actual application of MPLS in transport network.

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Contents

Introduction to MPLS MPLS technical details and working

principle

Actual application of MPLS

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MPLS

MPLSMulti-Protocol Label Switching

Multi-Protocol: supports multiple L3 protocols, such as IP, IPv6 and IPX. These protocols are located between L2 and L3, so they are also called L2.5 protocols. Label: is a short, equal-length, processable information content with partial meaning only, topology information excluded. Switching: MPLS packet switching and forwarding are based on labels. For an IP service, when IP packets enter in the MPLS network, the router in the entrance analyzes the contents of the IP packet and chooses proper labels for these IP packets. All nodes in the MPLS network then depend on these simple labels for forwarding. When the IP packets leave the MPLS network, these labels are separated by the edge router on the exit.

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Origin: to Combine IP and ATM

IP
Connectionles s-oriented control plane Connectionles s-oriented forward plane

MPLS
Connectionles s-oriented control plane Connectionoriented forward plane

ATM
Connectionoriented control plane Connectionoriented forward plane

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Traditional IP Forwarding
Analyze the IP header and map the header to the next hop Analyze the IP header and map the header to the next hop Analyze the IP header and map the header to the next hop

The IP header is analyzed at every hop, so the efficiency is low. QoS is hard to be deployed and the efficiency is low.

All routers need to know all routes of the entire network.

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ATM Switching Process

Virtual channel connection (VCC) Virtual path connection (VPC)

UNI UNI NNI VC switching VPI = 1 VCI = 1

NNI VP switching VPI = 2 VCI = 44 VC switching VPI = 26 VCI = 44 VPI = 20 VCI = 30

Connection-oriented with N2 problems Routing depends on the link layer and is based on VPI/VCI or labels. The QoS and real-time services can be ensured.
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A Technology Combining Advantages of ATM and IP +

R
Router

X
ATM switch

X
MPLS Router

Layer 3 routing: expandability and flexibility

Layer 2 switching: high reliability and traffic engineering management

Multi-protocol label switching: MPLS

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Basic Concepts of MPLS

LER IP

MPLS domain
LSR LER

LER

LSR

LSP
MPLS

LSR LER

LSRLabel Switch Router

LERLabel Edge Router

LSPLabel Switch Path

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Basic Working Process of MPLS

Core LSR Edge LSR Edge LSR

IP

IP

L1

IP

L2

IP

L3

IP

traditional IP forwarding

Label forwarding

traditional IP forwarding

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Advantages of MPLS

The short and fixed-length label replaces the IP header as the forwarding

basis to improve the forwarding speed.

IP and ATM are better combined. Value-added services are provided without affecting the efficiency.

VPN Traffic engineering QoS

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Why use MPLS

MPLS combines flexible connection and expandability of the network layer with reliable transmission and QoS of ATM label forwarding. MPLS supports multiple standard routing protocols, such as BGP and OSPF.

MPLS supports multiple label generation protocols, such as LDP and RSVP. MPLS supports multiple network layer protocols, such as IPv4, IPv6 and IPX. MPLS solves the problem of QoS. MPLS features high performance of label forwarding. LSP is the tunnel of the public network, so MPLS has natural dominance of implementing VPN. MPLS avoids N2 problems of traditional VPN in configuration and management. The control on VPN is implemented on PE, thus facilitating management and expansion. Each VPN forms an independent address; that is, VPNs can reuse their addresses. Control service isolation and interconnection between services of VPN.

MPLS supports L2 and L3 MPLS VPN.

Support traffic engineering.

MPLS is connectionless oriented control plane and connection-oriented forward plane.

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Questions

Q1: Describe the reason and definition of MPLS.

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This section describes:

Summary

Basic concepts of MPLS

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Contents

Introduction to MPLS MPLS technical details and working principle Actual application of MPLS

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Encapsulation Formats and Labels of MPLS

0 Label 19 COS 22 S 23 TTL 31 32 bits

L2 Header

MPLS Header IP Header

Data

The MPLS packet header consists of 32 bits (four bytes): 20 bits are used as labels. Three bits are Experimental, often used as class of service (CoS), but unspecified in the protocol. One bit is S, used to nest labels and identify whether it is stack bottom or not. In this case, the label can be expanded infinitely. Eight bits are TTL. The MPLS packet header is located in front of the IP header (L3) and behind L2 header. Different encapsulation types determine the location of the MPLS header. The labels (VPI/VCI) of other ATM/FR are a part of the MPLS protocol stack.
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Label Stack

L2 Header

MPLS Header MPLS Header IP Header

Data

In theory, the label stack can be nested infinitely and thus infinite service support capability can be provided. This is

the best feature of MPLS.

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Position of MPLS in the Protocol Stack

MPLS is often located between L2 link layer and L3 IP header. After an IP packet is added with the MPLS header, L2 packet header encapsulation is still needed. ATM and FR adopt VPI/VCI and DLCI of previous packet headers as the labels.

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Encapsulation Format of MPLS

CCC Encapsulation Format
DA 6 SA 6 VLAN TAG 4 0x8847(0x8848Broadcast) 2 Label 4 L3Data N

MartinioE Encapsulation Format

DA 6 SA 6 0x8847(0x8848Broadcast) 2 Tunnel 4 VC 4 Ethernet Data N

MartinioP Encapsulation Format

0x8847(0x8848Broadcast) Tunnel 4 VLAN VC 4 VLAN TAG Ethernet Data N L3Data

VMAN Encapsulation Format

DA SA 0x8100

2
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Introduction to Relevant Concepts

FEC: Forwarding Equivalence Class, a set of packets (such as a data packet with the same destination address prefix) with similar or identical characteristics which may be forwarded the same way; that is, they may be bound to the same MPLS label.

LSP: Label Switch Path: an FEC data stream is endowed with specific labels
at different nodes. Data forwarding is performed based on the labels. The path of FEC data stream is LSP.

LSR: Label Switching Router. LSR is the core switch of the MPLS network,

providing label switching and distribution functions.

LER: Label Switching Edge Router. On the edge of MPLS network, the traffic in the MPLS network is divided into different FEC by LER and relevant labels are requested for FEC. LER provides the traffic classification,

label mapping and label removal functions.

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LSPLabel Switched Path

LSP is a connection-oriented path with source and sink interfaces. LSP is configured with labels. LPS is configured with relevant operations. LSP determines the data output interface.

LSP
Ingres s

LSR

The basic unit of the MPLS network is LSR. A network consisting of LSR is MPLS domain (edge router and core router).

Egress

MPLS Core router (LSR) MPLS edge router (LER)

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Operations to Data by LSP

LSP defines three operations: Ingress: The data enters from the user equipment to MPLS network edge equipment and the data packets need be encapsulated. Egress: When the data enters from the MPLS network core equipment to the edge equipment, MPLS label need be removed. Intermediate (Transit): When the data enters from one to the other equipment in the MPLS network core, the label is switched.

PE Ingress

P P Egress

PE

Intermediate

Port P (Provider): This port refers to a port accessing the core network of the service provider. The port for Huawei equipment refers to a port accessing data packets encapsulated in MPLS format. Port PE (Provider Edge): This port is an edge port of the service provider and connects to the user equipment. The port here accesses common Ethernet frames. If data packets encapsulated in MPLS format are accessed and no processing on MPLS encapsulation is needed, the port can be configured as PE.
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Setup and Structure of LSP

The setup of LSP is a process that you bind FEC with the label and inform the adjacent LSR on the LSP of the binding. To set up the label mapping relationship between adjacent LSRs, you can: 1. Configure static labels without the informing process. 2. Use the label distribution protocol or other protocols. The setup of LSP is performed by segments.

Structure of LSP
VC VC

Tunnel

Take Martinio encapsulation format as an example. An LSP consists of a Tunnel and VC.Tunnel is a tunnel of the LSP and VC point-to-point connection is performed.

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Forwarding Process of LSP

1. The packets in the network are divided into forwarding equivalence class (FEC) according to the characteristics. The packets featuring the same FEC

pass the same path (LSP) in the MPLS domain. LER assigns a short and
fixed-length label for the FEC packets and then forwards the label from a relevant port.

2. The input/output label mapping table is created on the LSR along the LSP.

For the received label packets, LSR follows the label to find out relevant
NHLFE in the table and replaces the old label with a new one. Then LSR forwards the label by packets.

3. At the exit of the MPLS domain, the label is removed and the standard IP

packet is recovered.

At the network entrance, MPLS assigns FEC featuring special packets and the router can simply forward these packets, compared with regular network layer forwarding. As a result, the forwarding speed is improved.
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Cases of LSP Consisting of Static Labels

PE 1 Tunnel 3 3 VC 24 40 P 3 3

LER

LSP

Data A

2
Port 1 Port 2

Port 3 Port 1 Port 2

Data B
P Tunnel VC P Tunnel

LSR
VC P
Port 1

Tunnel 3
Port 2

VC 24

PE 2

1
1

3
3

24
40

2
2

3
3

24
40
Port 3 Port 1 Port 2 Port 1

Data A
VC 24 40

P 1

Tunnel 3 3

VC 24 40

P 2 3

Tunnel 3 3

P 1

Tunnel 3

VC 40

PE
Port 2

Data B
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Creating LSP Using MPLS Signaling

Label Distribution Protocol (LDP) is specially used to distribute labels in the MPLS protocol. LDP uses information in the route forwarding table to confirm how to forward data. The information in the route forwarding table is collected by using the IGP and BGP protocols. However, LDP does not relate to all kinds of route protocols directly, but indirectly uses the route information.

LDP is not the unique label distribution protocol. Expanding the existing BGP and RSVP protocols can also support label distribution of MPLS.
Applications of MPLS also need expansion of some route protocols. MPLS-based VPN application needs the expansion of the BGP protocol and MPLS-based traffic engineering needs the expansion of OSPF or IS-IS protocol.
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Questions

Q1: Describe the structure of the MPLS packet header and know the range of labels (maximum value). Q2: Describe operations of LSP.

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This section describes:

Summary

MPLS encapsulation format Relevant concepts of MPLS Concept of LSP and setup and forwarding of LSP

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Contents

Introduction to MPLS MPLS technical details and working principle Actual application of MPLS

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Point-to-Point Virtual Shared Dedicated Service

Point-to-point virtual shared dedicated service can encapsulate labels for service data in Port or Port_VLAN mode, thus implementing virtual sharing of bandwidths.
Port 1
VLAN 88 VLAN 88 Port 2 MAC

Port 1 VLAN 88

VC VC
VCTRUNK

Tunnel
VCTRUNK

VLAN 88

Port 2
MAC

In the preceding figure, the VCTRUNK between two sites forms an LSP. Encapsulate relevant labels (Tunnel+VC) for different Port data to share bandwidth and isolate from each other.
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Virtual shared LAN service

Virtual shared LAN can create LSP bandwidth sharing through different LP ports and VCTRUNK ports of VB, thus implementing virtual sharing of bandwidths. Port 1 Port 2

VB1

VB2 LP

VCTRUNK

VCTRUNK
VB1

VB1 Port 1

Port 2

VC VC

Tunnel
VCTRUNK Port 1 LP VB2 MAC

Port 2 MAC VB2 LP

In the preceding figure, the VCTRUNK between two sites forms an LSP. Encapsulate relevant labels (Tunnel+VC) for different Port data to share bandwidth and isolate from each other.
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Questions

Q1: Describe the application modes of MPLS in optical network transmission equipment. Q2: In actual application of MPLS, how to choose the relevant encapsulation mode?

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Summary

This section describes:

Virtual shared dedicated service Virtual shared LAN service

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Thank you
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