Configuring LDP

• This module will offer an introduction to configuring LDP on the Nokia

(fmr. Alcatel-Lucent) Service Router platform.

• This module assumes the reader is familiar with routing protocols,

and the overall concept of MPLS.

• RFC 5036: LDP Specification - https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc5036

 What is MPLS?
• MPLS is a service that allows data to be forwarded based on labels, rather
than routed based on IP headers.
• MPLS utilizes several underlying protocols to achieve its goal:
• LDP – Label Distribution Protocol – Allows LSRs (label switch routers) to build,
maintain, and exchange label bindings.
• Link-LDP: Allows label bindings (Transport labels) to be exchanged between directly-
connected peers.
• Targeted LDP: Allows label bindings (Service labels) to be exchanged between non directly-
connected peers.

• RSVP-TE – Reservation Protocol: Traffic Engineering – An extension of RSVP allowing

resources to be reserved across an IP/MPLS network.

• BGP-LU – Border Gateway Protocol: Labeled Unicast – An extension of BGP allowing

label bindings to be shared in UPDATE messages.
• Also referred to as MP-BGP (Multiprotocol Border Gateway Protocol).
 MPLS Elements
• PE Router – Provider edge router – Router at the edge of a service provider
network.
• P Router – Provider router – Router in the core of a service provider network.
• LSR – Label switch router – Router in the MPLS domain; responsible for swapping
labels.
• iLER – Ingress label edge router – Router at the edge of an MPLS domain;
responsible for pushing labels.
• eLER – Egress label edge router – Router at the edge of an MPLS domain;
responsible for popping labels.
• LSP – Label switched path – A tunnel through an MPLS network; signaled by an
underlying protocol (LDP, RSVP-TE, BGP-LU).
• FEC – Forwarding equivalence class – Defines a group of packets to be forwarded
over the same path, with the same forwarding treatment; only assigned at
ingress. Think of this as a prefix.
 CONTROL PLANE: Labels are signaled from egress/downstream (N6), to ingress/upstream (N1)

N1 N6

PE N2 N5 PE
iLER eLER

P LSP P
LSR LSR

N3 N4
DATA/FWD’ng PLANE: Traffic flows from ingress/upstream (N1), to egress/downstream (N6)
 Control Plane vs. Data Plane
• Control plane – Responsible for building the forwarding tables.
• Functions performed by the SF/CPM
• RIB – Routing information base
• LIB – Label information base

• Data plane – Responsible for forwarding packets based on

information in forwarding tables.
• Also referred to as the Forwarding Plane
• Functions performed by the IOM
• FIB – Forwarding information base
• LFIB – Label forwarding information base
 Control Plane vs. Data Plane
LOCAL/
IS-IS STATIC BGP LDP
DIRECT

Control Plane

RIB (Routing Information Base) LIB (Label Information Base)

Clear segmentation of the Control and Data (Forwarding) planes

Data (Forwarding) Plane

FIB (Forwarding Information Base) LFIB (Label Forwarding Information Base)
 CONTROL PLANE: Labels are signaled from egress/downstream (N6), to ingress/upstream (N1)

N1 N2 N5 N6
Link LDP Link LDP Link LDP Link LDP

IP/MPLS
Label Mapping Label Mapping
Message Message

N6’s LFIB
N1’s LFIB N2’s LFIB N5’s LFIB
Label FEC 6.6.6.6/32
FEC 6.6.6.6/32 FEC 6.6.6.6/32 FEC 6.6.6.6/32
Mapping Egress Label N/A
Egress Label 131022 (received) Egress Label 131033 (received) Egress Label 131066 (received)
Message
Ingress Label 131066 (generated)
Ingress Label 131011 (generated, N/A) Ingress Label 131022 (generated) Ingress Label 131055 (generated)
Operation POP
Operation PUSH Operation SWAP Operation SWAP

DATA/FWD’ng PLANE: Traffic flows from ingress/upstream (N1), to egress/downstream (N6)

• On router N6, LDP generates an ingress label binding for the FEC 6.6.6.6/32.
• LDP stores the ingress label binding for that FEC in N6’s LIB.
• LDP places the FEC’s ingress label binding, along with a POP operation, in the LFIB. LDP does not generate an egress label binding for this FEC.
• N6 signals the FEC’s ingress label binding to N5 via a Label Mapping Message.
• N5 stores the mapping received from N6 as an egress label binding for the FEC, and generates an ingress label binding for the same FEC.
• N5 places the FEC’s ingress label binding (generated by self) and egress label binding (signaled from N6),along with a SWAP operation, in its LFIB.
• (N5’s process repeats on N4, N3, and N2; with N2 generating an ingress label binding for the FEC, and signaling that label binding to N1).
• N1 stores the mapping received from N2 as an egress label binding for the FEC, and generates an ingress label binding for the same FEC.
• N1 places the FEC’s egress label binding (along with a PUSH operation) in its LFIB. LDP will not use the ingress label binding for this FEC.
 Goals
• Enable LDP on each Service Router.
• Add each network-facing router interface to LDP.
• Observe Link LDP session establishment via debug.
• Observe label signaling between Link LDP peers via debug.
• Confirm each SR has a label binding for every other SR’s “system”
address.
• Test the Transport Tunnel/LSP between N1 and N6 using OAM
commands.