Security Level: Internal Use Only

05/09/15

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

HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.

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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

MPLS

Connectionl
ess-oriented
control
Connectionle
plane
ss-oriented
forward
plane

Connectionle
ss-oriented
control
plane
Connectionoriented
forward
plane

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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 Analyze the IP header

and map the header
and map the header
to the next hop
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

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

LER

MPLS domain

LSR

LSR
LER

LSP
MPLS

LSR
LER

LSR Label Switch Router

LER Label Edge Router

LSP Label Switch Path

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Basic Working Process of MPLS

Core LSR
Edge LSR

IP

IP

Edge LSR

L1

traditional IP
forwarding

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IP

L2

Label
forwarding

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IP

L3

IP

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 L2 and L3 MPLS VPN.

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.

Support traffic engineering.

MPLS is connectionless oriented control plane and connectionoriented forward plane.

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Questions

Q1: Describe the reason and definition of MPLS.

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Summary

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This section describes:

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

19
Label

COS

22
S

23

31

TTL

L2 Header MPLS Header IP Header

32 bits

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 HeaderMPLS 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.
PPP Header(Packet over
SONET/SDH)
Ethernet

PPP Header

MPLS Header

Layer 3 Header

Ethernet Hdr

MPLS Header

Layer 3 Header

C/R EA
Frame relay

Flags DLCI

FECN DE
DATA

DLCI

FCS Flags

BECN EA
Label
ATM Cell Header

GFC

VPI

VCI

PTI CLP HEC

DATA

Label
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Encapsulation Format of MPLS

CCC Encapsulation Format
DA

SA

VLAN TAG

0x8847(0x8848Broadcast)

Label

L3Data

MartinioE Encapsulation Format

DA

SA

0x8847(0x8848Broadcast)

Tunnel

VC

Ethernet
Data

MartinioP Encapsulation Format

0x8847(0x8848Broadcast)

Tunnel

VC

Ethernet
Data

VMAN Encapsulation Format

DA

SA

0x8100

VLAN

VLAN TAG

L3Data

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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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LSP Label Switched Path

LSP
LSP
LPS
LSP

is a connection-oriented path with source and sink interfaces.

is configured with labels.
is configured with relevant operations.
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

P
Ingress

P P

Intermediate

PE
Egress

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

Tunne

VC

Data A

24

40

LER

LSP

Port 1
Port 2

Port 3

Data B
P

Tunnel

LSR

Port 1

VC

Tunne

VC

Port 2

l
1

24

24

40

40

Tunnel

VC

PE

24

Port 1
Port 2

Port 2

Port 1

Data A

Port 3
Port 1

P
1

Tunnel
3

VC
40

PE
2

Port 2

Tunnel

VC

Tunne
l

24

24

40

40

Data B
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VC

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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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Summary

This section describes:

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 encapsu

labels for service data in Port or Port_VLAN mode, thus
implementing virtual sharing of bandwidths.
Port 1
VLAN 88

VC
VC

VLAN 88

Port 1
VLAN 88

Tunnel
VCTRUNK

VCTRUNK

Port 2

VLAN 88
Port 2
MAC

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
VC
VC

VCTRUNK

VB1

nn l
Tu e

Tu
nn
e

VCTRUNK

VC
VC

Port 1

VC
VC

Port 2
MAC

VB2

LP

VB1
Port 2

Tunnel
VCTRUNK

LP

Port 1
VB2

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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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

HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.

This section describes:

Virtual shared dedicated service

Virtual shared LAN service

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Thank you
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