Configuring Multi-Layer Header

Compression (MLHC)
MINI-LINK TN ETSI

OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS

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Copyright

© Ericsson AB 2014–2016. All rights reserved. No part of this document may be

reproduced in any form without the written permission of the copyright owner.

Disclaimer

The contents of this document are subject to revision without notice due to
continued progress in methodology, design and manufacturing. Ericsson shall
have no liability for any error or damage of any kind resulting from the use
of this document.

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 Contents

Contents

1 Introduction 1
1.1 Description 3
1.2 Planning Advice 4
1.3 Limitations 4

2 Prerequisites 6
2.1 Safety Information 6
2.2 Required Hardware 6
2.3 Required Licenses and Software 6
2.4 Required Documentation 7
Configuring MLHC Using CLI
3 Configuration and Operations Tasks 9
3.1 Configuring MLHC 9

Reference List 13

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Configuring Multi-Layer Header Compression (MLHC)

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 Introduction

1 Introduction

This instruction describes how to configure Multi-Layer Header Compression

(MLHC) in MINI-LINK TN, using CLI commands.

Figure 1 shows the configuration workflow for MLHC.

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 Configuring Multi-Layer Header Compression (MLHC)

Figure 1 Workflow for Configuring MLHC

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 Introduction

1.1 Description
MLHC improves the efficiency of Ethernet traffic transportation over Radio
Links by compressing Ethernet/MPLS (Layer 2), IP (Layer 3), and UDP (Layer
4) headers. The compression is disabled by default.

MLHC increases the maximum throughput at WAN interface by reducing the

size of the Ethernet frames transmitted over the Radio Link. The size is not
configurable as it only depends on the type of the Ethernet frame header.

Figure 2 shows the supported header types.

Ethernet Provider Bridge, Alternative 1

DA SA S-tag/C-tag C-tag T/L IPv4/IPv6 Header UDP

Ethernet Provider Bridge, Alternative 2

DA SA S-tag/C-tag C-tag T/L MPLS MPLS MPLS

L3 VPN: IP over MPLS over Ethernet

DA SA S-tag/C-tag C-tag T/L MPLS MPLS MPLS IPv4/IPv6 Header UDP

L2 VPN: Ethernet over MPLS over Ethernet

DA SA S-tag/C-tag C-tag T/L MPLS MPLS MPLS Content

DA SA S-tag/C-tag C-tag T/L IPv4/IPv6 Header UDP

L2 VPN: Ethernet PW over MPLS over Ethernet

DA SA S-tag/C-tag C-tag T/L MPLS MPLS MPLS CW Content

DA SA S-tag/C-tag C-tag T/L IPv4/IPv6 Header UDP

16812

Figure 2 MLHC Header Compression

MLHC is able to compress headers for the following transport services:

• Ethernet Provider Bridge

• L3 VPN — IP with MPLS over Ethernet

• L2 VPN — User configured

0 Ethernet with MPLS over Ethernet

0 Ethernet Pseudo-Wire (PW) with MPLS over Ethernet

When MLHC is enabled, the increased traffic capacity after decompression

could cause overloading of the switch port at the far end. To avoid capacity
overload at the far end, traffic shaping functionality must be enabled at the
near end.

For more information, see Technical Description, Reference [10].

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 Configuring Multi-Layer Header Compression (MLHC)

1.2 Planning Advice

To ensure proper node and network function, all configuration activities must be
planned in advance by skilled personnel.

1.3 Limitations
Before configuring MLHC, consider the following limitations:

• When a license is missing for an MLHC port at one side of the hop, the
compression channel is disabled in both directions.

• Multicast traffic and 1588 frames are not compressed.

• MLHC cannot be enabled when using an RL-IME with L1 Radio Link

Bonding enabled.

1.3.1 System Behavior

Ethernet LAN ports traffic and Radio Link traffic are transmitted through PtP
bus to the NPU Ethernet switch.

The PtP bus has limited throughput capacity, which depends on the equipment
configuration. The following throughput capacities are available:

1 Gbps

AMM 20pB NPU1 C/D – MMU3 A in APU slot

2 Gbps

AMM 2pB / 6pC / 6pD NPU3 B/C/D – MMU3 A in all slots

AMM 20pB NPU1 C – MMU3 A in HSU slot
NPU1 D - MMU3 A in all slots

When MLHC is enabled, the following is applicable:

• For MINI-LINK TN, the rate limit is automatically set to 500 Mbps.

• For MINI-LINK CN 510, the rate limit has to be configured.

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 Introduction

Note: For a hop with MINI-LINK CN 510 at one side and MINI-LINK TN at
the other side, make sure that the rate limit is configured for the side
with MINI-LINK CN 510.

For MINI-LINK TN, the automatic rate limit setting is applicable when
the SBL is MINI-LINK TN 5.4 or later.

For MINI-LINK CN 510, rate limit configuration is applicable when the

SBL is MINI-LINK CN 510 2.4 or later.

MLHC can only be enabled when the rate limit does not exceed the free PtP
capacity. The following examples describe allowed and not allowed MINI-LINK
TN configurations considering the PtP throughput capacity.

Example 1

The PtP bus has 1 Gbps throughput capacity. The SFP LAN interface is used
with 1000 Mbps. It is not possible to enable MLHC, as there is no capacity left
on the PtP bus, thus Ethernet traffic on the Radio Link cannot be enabled either.

Example 2

The PtP bus has 1 Gbps throughput capacity. The SFP LAN and the RJ45
LAN interfaces are used with 100 Mbps. It is possible to enable MLHC, as the
total PtP speed utilization is 700 Mbps.

Example 3

The PtP bus has 2 Gbps throughput capacity. It is possible to enable MLHC
with any possible LAN configurations.

Hops with NE Not Supporting MLHC at One Side

In a hop with NE supporting MLHC at one side and NE not supporting MLHC at
the other side, enabling MLHC causes WAN lower layer down if traffic stops
flowing between the NEs. However it does not cause traffic interruption.

It is recommended to disable MLHC on the NE when it is part of a hop with

an NE not supporting MLHC.

To restore traffic and bring the WAN to up status again, MLHC need to be
disabled and WAN administrative status need to be set to down and up again.

1.3.2 WAN Port Speeds and Rate Limitation

When MLHC is enabled, the increased traffic capacity could cause exceeding
the maximum speed supported by WAN ports at the near-end and at the
far-end, which could cause traffic outage in no relation to QoS requirements.
To avoid traffic outage, traffic rate limitation has to be enabled at both NEs.

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 Configuring Multi-Layer Header Compression (MLHC)

Rate limits have to be configured with the same value at the near-end and at
the far-end, that is, rate limits have to be symmetric in both traffic directions.

For hops with MINI-LINK TN at one side or at both sides, Table 1 shows the
maximum supported WAN port speed.

Table 1 Maximum WAN Speed with MLHC Enabled for Hops with MINI-LINK
TN at one side or at both sides
WAN Ports Capacity Maximum WAN Port Speed
Any 500 Mbps

2 Prerequisites

This section includes information about required preparation before configuring

MLHC.

2.1 Safety Information

Make sure that the information in the following documents has been understood
by the persons performing the procedures:
• Personal Health and Safety Information, Reference [6]
• System Safety Information, Reference [9]
• Supplementary Safety Information for MINI-LINK, Reference [8]

2.2 Required Hardware

The node must be equipped with the following hardware:

• MMU3 A

2.3 Required Licenses and Software

MLHC requires a license. For information about how to install a license, see
Installing and Managing Licenses, Reference [4].

Each MLHC port requires a license to enable compression.

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 Prerequisites

2.4 Required Documentation

Read through this document. Make sure that referenced documentation is
available during the configuration process by having the electronic CPI library
available on your PC. See Library Description, Reference [5] for information
about how to make the CPI library available.

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 Configuration and Operations Tasks

Configuring MLHC Using CLI

3 Configuration and Operations Tasks

To configure MLHC using CLI commands, perform the tasks described in the
following sections.

Note: The configuration can be prepared offline and transferred to the

node in the form of a CLI script, either remotely (when modifying the
configuration for an installed node) or on site (when installing a new
node).

The following additional information is applicable when using CLI commands:

• How to start a CLI session and navigate between different command

modes, see CLI User Guide, Reference [2].

• How to prepare a CLI script, see Preparing a CLI Script File Offline,
Reference [7].

• How to transfer a CLI script on site, see Transferring a CLI Script File on
Site, Reference [11].

• For a detailed description of each CLI command, see CLI Descriptions,

Reference [1].

3.1 Configuring MLHC

These example configuration scripts configure MLHC with MINI-LINK CN 510
at one side, and with MINI-LINK TN at the other side.

For the end with MINI-LINK CN 510, the example configuration script is as
follows:

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 Configuring Multi-Layer Header Compression (MLHC)

! In Global Configuration mode, display MLHC configuration:

! (config)#show mlhc port [<R/S/P>]
! This example displays MLHC configuration on port 1/1/1:
show mlhc port 1/1/1

! Change to the (config-mlhcport) submode:

! (config)#mlhcport <R/S/P>
! This example changes to (config-mlhcport) submode on port 1/1/1:
mlhcport 1/1/1

! Set MPLS compression type according to the expected MPLS traffic type:
! Note: The default MPLS compression type is 0.
! (config-mlhcport)#mpls <MPLS>
! This example sets MPLS compression type to MPLS only:
mpls 0

! Limit the traffic capacity of the MLHC port at the near end:
! Note: The default traffic capacity is low capacity.
! (config-mlhcport)#fe-port-capacity <FE-PORT-CAPACITY>
! This example sets the traffic capacity
! to 500 Mbps on the MINI-LINK CN 510:
fe-port-capacity 3

! Enable MLHC compression:

! (config-mlhcport)#[no] enable
enable

! Display MLHC configuration:

! (config-mlhcport)#show port
show port

! Exit to Global Configuration mode:

exit

For the end with MINI-LINK TN, the example configuration script is as follows:

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 Configuration and Operations Tasks

! In Global Configuration mode, display MLHC configuration:

! (config)#show mlhc port [<R/S/P>]
! This example displays MLHC configuration on port 1/7/1:
show mlhc port 1/7/1

! Change to the (config-mlhcport) submode:

! (config)#mlhcport <R/S/P>
! This example changes to (config-mlhcport) submode on port 1/7/1:
mlhcport 1/7/1

! Set MPLS compression type according to the expected MPLS traffic type:
! Note: The default MPLS compression type is 0.
! (config-mlhcport)#mpls <MPLS>
! This example sets MPLS compression type to MPLS only:
mpls 0

! Enable MLHC compression:

! (config-mlhcport)#[no] enable
enable

! Display MLHC configuration:

! (config-mlhcport)#show port
show port

! Exit to Global Configuration mode:

exit

Note: When the rate limit value exceeds the free PtP capacity, either the
switch port (WAN) or the RL-IME interface can be overloaded on the
far-end.

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 Reference List

Reference List

[1] CLI Descriptions, 22/1551-HRA 901 20

[2] CLI User Guide, 2/1553-HRA 901 20

[3] CLI Tool User Guide, 3/1553-HRA 901 20

[4] Installing and Managing Licenses, 9/1543-HRA 901 20

[5] Library Description, 1551-LZN 712 0425

[6] Personal Health and Safety Information, 124 46-2885

[7] Preparing a CLI Script File Offline, 16/1553-HRA 901 20

[8] Supplementary Safety Information for MINI-LINK, 124 46-HSD 101 16/1

[9] System Safety Information, 124 46-2886

[10] Technical Description, 46/221 02-HRA 901 20

[11] Transferring a CLI Script File on Site, 17/1553-HRA 901 20

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