MPLS in communication

networks.
«Computer networks and
telecommunications» (Additional
chapters).
 Icons and Symbols
Router Workgroup Switch

Edge Label
Network
Switch
Cloud,
Router

Line: Ethernet

Line: Serial
 Foundations of Traditional IP Routing

– Routing protocols are used to distribute Layer 3

routing information.
– Forwarding decision is made based on:
• Packet header
• Local routing table
– Routing lookups are independently performed
at every hop.
 Traditional IP Routing

– Every router may need full Internet routing

information.
– Destination-based routing lookup is needed on
every hop.
 Benefits of MPLS
– MPLS supports multiple applications
including:
• Unicast and multicast IP routing
• VPN
• TE
• QoS
• AToM
– MPLS decreases forwarding overhead on core
routers.
– MPLS can support forwarding of non-IP
protocols.
MPLS Architecture: Control
Plane
MPLS Architecture: Data
Plane
 MPLS Devices: LSRs

– The LSR forwards labeled packets in the MPLS

domain.
– The edge LSR forwards labeled packets in the
MPLS domain, and it forwards IP packets into
and out of the MPLS domain.
Label Switch Routers:
Architecture of LSRs
 LSRs:
Architecture of Edge LSRs
 Basic MPLS Example

 MPLS core routers swap labels and forward packets based on simple label
lookups.
 MPLS edge routers also perform a routing table lookup, and add or remove
labels.
 MPLS Concepts

Introducing MPLS Labels and

Label Stacks
 MPLS Labels
– Are 4 byte identifiers used for forwarding
decisions
– Define the destination and services for a
packet
– Identify a forwarding equivalence class (FEC)
– Have local significance
• Each LSR independently maps a label to
an FEC in a label binding.
• Label bindings are exchanged between
LSRs.
 FEC and MPLS
Forwarding
– An FEC is a group of packets forwarded:
• In the same manner
• Over the same path
• With the same forwarding treatment
– MPLS packet forwarding consists of:
• Assigning a packet to a specific FEC
• Determining the next hop of each FEC
– MPLS forwarding is connection-oriented.
 MPLS Label Format

• MPLS uses a 32-bit label field that contains

the information that follows:
– 20-bit label (a number)
– 3-bit experimental (Traffic Class - TC) field
(typically used to carry IP precedence value)
– 1-bit bottom-of-stack indicator (indicates whether
this is the last label before the IP header)
– 8-bit TTL (equal to the TTL in the IP header)
 MPLS Labels
– MPLS technology is intended to be used
anywhere regardless of Layer 1 media and
Layer 2 encapsulation.
– Frame-mode MPLS is MPLS over a frame-
based Layer 2 encapsulation
• The label is inserted between the Layer 2
and Layer 3 headers.
– Cell-mode MPLS is MPLS over ATM.
• The fields in the ATM header are used as
the label.
MPLS Labels: Frame-Mode
MPLS
 MPLS Label Stack
– Usually only one label is assigned to a packet,
but multiple labels in a label stack are
supported.
– These scenarios may produce more than one
label:
• MPLS VPNs (two labels): The top label points to
the egress router, and the second label
identifies the VPN.
• MPLS TE (two or more labels): The top label
points to the endpoint of the traffic engineering
tunnel and the second label points to the
destination.
• MPLS VPNs combined with MPLS TE (three or
more labels).
 Example: MPLS Label Stack

– The outer label is used for switching the packet in the

MPLS network (points to the TE destination).
– Inner labels are used to separate packets at egress
points (points to egress router and identifies VPN).
 Example: MPLS Label Stack
Format

– The PID in a Layer 2 header specifies that the

payload starts with a label (labels) followed by
an IP header.
– The bottom-of-stack bit indicates whether the
label is the last label in the stack.
– The receiving router uses the top label only.
 MPLS Label
Operations
– An LSR can perform these functions:
• Insert (impose or push) a label or a stack of
labels on ingress edge LSR
• Swap a label with a next-hop label or a stack
of labels in the core
• Remove (pop) a label on egress edge LSR
 MPLS Label Operations:
Frame Mode

• On ingress, a label is assigned and imposed.

• LSRs in the core swap labels based on the contents of the label
forwarding table.
• On egress, the label is removed and a routing lookup is used to
forward the packet.
 MPLS Concepts

Identifying MPLS Applications

 MPLS Applications
– MPLS is already used in many different
applications:
• Unicast IP routing
• Multicast IP routing
• MPLS TE
• QoS
• MPLS VPNs (course focus)
• AToM
 MPLS Unicast IP
Routing
– Basic MPLS service supports unicast IP routing.
– MPLS unicast IP routing provides enhancement over
traditional IP routing.
• The ability to use labels for packet forwarding:
• Label-based forwarding provides greater
efficiency.
• The FEC corresponds to a destination address
stored in the IP routing table.
• Labels support connection-oriented services.
• The capability to carry a stack of labels assigned to a
packet:
• Label stacks allow implementation of enhanced
applications.
 MPLS Multicast IP
Routing
– MPLS can also support multicast IP
routing:
• A dedicated protocol is not needed to
support multicast traffic across an MPLS
domain.
• The FEC is equal to a destination multicast
address stored in the multicast routing table.
 MPLS VPNs
– MPLS VPNs are highly scaleable and support IP
services
such as:
• Multicast
• Quality of QoS
• Telephony support within a VPN
• Centralized services including content and web hosting to a VPN
– Networks are learned via an IGP from a customer
or via BGP from other MPLS backbone routers.
– Labels are propagated via MP-BGP. Two labels are
used:
• The top label points to the egress router.
• The second label identifies the outgoing interface on
the egress router or a routing table where a routing lookup is performed.
– FEC is equivalent to a VPN site descriptor or VPN
routing table.
 MPLS TE
– MPLS TE supports constraints-based routing
– MPLS TE enables the network administrator to
• Control traffic flow in the network
• Reduce congestion in the network
• Make best use of network resources
– MPLS TE requires OSPF or ISIS with extensions
to hold the entire network topology in their
databases.
– OSPF and IS-IS should also have some
additional information about network
resources and constraints.
– RSVP is used to establish TE tunnels and to
propagate labels.
 MPLS QoS
– MPLS QoS provides differentiated types of
service across an MPLS network.
– MPLS QoS offers:
• Packet classification
• Congestion avoidance
• Congestion management.
– MPLS QoS is an extension to unicast IP routing
that provides differentiated services.
– Extensions to LDP are used to propagate
different labels for different classes.
– The FEC is a combination of a destination
network and a class of service.
Label Assignment and
Distribution
Discovering LDP Neighbors
 LDP Neighbor Session
Establishment
– LDP establishes a session in two steps:
• Hello messages are periodically sent on all
MPLS-enabled interfaces.
• MPLS-enabled routers respond to received hello
messages by attempting to establish a session
with the source of the hello messages.
– LDP link hello message is a UDP packet
sent to the “all routers on this subnet”
multicast address (224.0.0.2).
– TCP is used to establish the session.
– Both TCP and UDP use well-known LDP port
number 646.
 LDP Link Hello
Message

– Hello messages are sent to all routers reachable through

an interface.
– LDP uses well-known port number 646 with UDP for hello
messages.
– A 6-byte LDP identifier (TLV) identifies the router
(first 4 bytes) and label space (last 2 bytes).
– The source address used for an LDP session can be set by
adding the transport address TLV to the hello message.
 Label Space: Per-
Platform

 The label forwarding information base (LFIB) on an LSR does not contain
an incoming interface.
 The same label can be used on any interface and is announced to all
adjacent LSRs.
 The label is announced to adjacent LSRs only once and can be used on any
link.
 Per-platform label space is less secure than per-interface
label space.
 Negotiating Label
Space

– LSRs establish one LDP session per label

space.
• Per-platform label space requires only one
LDP session, even if there are multiple
parallel links between a pair of LSRs.
– Per-platform label space is announced by
setting the label space ID to 0, for example:
• LDP ID = 1.0.0.1:0
 LDP Neighbor
Discovery

• An LDP session is established from the router with the higher

IP address.
 LDP Session
Negotiation

– Peers first exchange initialization

messages.
– The session is ready to exchange label
mappings after receiving the first
keepalive.
Label Assignment and
Distribution
Introducing Typical Label
Distribution in Frame-Mode
MPLS
 MPLS Unicast IP Routing
Architecture
– MPLS introduces a label field that is used for
forwarding decisions.
– Although labels are locally significant, they have to
be advertised to directly reachable peers.
• One option would be to include this parameter in
existing IP routing protocols.
• The other option is to create a new protocol to
exchange labels.
– The second option has been used because there
are too many existing IP routing protocols that
would have to be modified to carry labels.
MPLS Unicast IP Routing Architecture
(Cont.)
MPLS Unicast IP Routing Architecture
(Cont.)
MPLS Unicast IP Routing Architecture
(Cont.)
 Label-Switched Path
– An LSP is a sequence of LSRs that forwards labeled
packets of a certain forwarding equivalence class.
• MPLS unicast IP forwarding builds LSPs based on the
output of IP routing protocols.
• LDP advertises labels only for individual segments in
the LSP.
– LSPs are unidirectional.
• Return traffic uses a different LSP (usually the reverse
path because most routing protocols provide
symmetrical routing).
– An LSP can take a different path from the one
chosen by an IP routing protocol (MPLS TE).
 LSP Building

The IP routing protocol determines the path.

 LSP Building (Cont.)

LDP propagates labels to convert the path to an LSP.

 PHP: Before

– Double lookup is not an optimal way

of forwarding labeled packets.
– A label can be removed one
hop earlier.
 PHP: After

• A label is removed on the router before

the last hop within an MPLS domain.
 PHP
– Penultimate hop popping optimizes
MPLS performance
(one less LFIB lookup).
– PHP does not work on ATM. (virtual path
identifier/virtual channel identifier
cannot be removed.)
– The pop or implicit null label uses a
reserved value when being advertised to
a neighbor.
 Label Allocation in a Frame-Mode MPLS
Network

• Label allocation and distribution in a

frame-mode MPLS network follows
these steps:
– IP routing protocols build the IP routing table.
– Each LSR assigns a label to every destination
in the IP routing table independently.
– LSRs announce their assigned labels to all
other LSRs.
– Every LSR builds its LIB, LFIB, and FIB data
structures based on received labels.
 Label Allocation in a Frame-Mode
MPLS Network: Building the IP
Forwarding Table

– IP routing protocols are used to build IP routing

tables on all LSRs.
– FIBs are initially built based on IP routing tables
with no labeling information.
 Label Allocation in a Frame-Mode
MPLS Network: Allocating Labels

– Every LSR allocates a label for every

destination in the IP routing table.
– Labels have local significance.
– Label allocations are asynchronous.
 Label Allocation in a Frame-Mode
MPLS Network: LIB and LFIB Setup

• LIB and LFIB structures have to be initialized on the LSR

allocating the label.
 Label Allocation in a Frame-Mode
MPLS Network: Labels and Table
Setup

– Router A allocates a label for X independently of router B.

 Label Distribution and Advertisement

• The allocated label is advertised to all neighbor LSRs,

regardless of whether the neighbors are upstream or
downstream LSRs for the destination.
 Label Distribution and
Advertisement:
Receiving Label Advertisement

– Every LSR stores the received label in its

LIB.
– Edge LSRs that receive the label from
their next hop also store the label
information in the FIB.
 Label Distribution and
Advertisement:
Interim Packet Propagation

• Forwarded IP packets are labeled only on the path

segments where the labels have already been assigned .
 Label Distribution and
Advertisement:
Further Label Allocation

• Every LSR will eventually assign a label for every

destination.
 Label Distribution and
Advertisement:
Receiving Label Advertisement

– Every LSR stores received information in its LIB.

– LSRs that receive their label from their next-hop LSR will also
populate the IP forwarding table.
 Populating the LFIB

– Router B has already assigned a label to network X and

created an entry in the LFIB.
– The outgoing label is inserted in the LFIB after the label is
received from the next-hop LSR.
Packet Propagation Across
an MPLS Network
 Loop Detection
– LDP relies on loop detection mechanisms
built into IGPs that are used to determine the
path.
– If, however, a loop is generated (that is,
misconfiguration with static routes), the TTL
field in the label header is used to prevent
indefinite looping of packets.
– TTL functionality in the label header is
equivalent to TTL in the IP headers.
– TTL is usually copied from the IP headers to
the label headers (TTL propagation).
 Normal TTL
Operation

• On ingress: TTL is copied from IP header to label header.

• On egress: TTL is copied from label header to IP header.
 TTL and Loop
Detection

Labeled packets are dropped when the TTL is decreased to 0.

 Disabling TTL
Propagation
– TTL propagation can be disabled.
– The IP TTL value is not copied into the TTL
field of the label, and the label TTL is not
copied back into the IP TTL.
– Instead, the value 255 is assigned to the
label header TTL field on the ingress LSR.
– Disabling TTL propagation hides core
routers in the MPLS domain.
– Traceroute across an MPLS domain does
not show any core routers.
 Traceroute with Disabled TTL Propagation

• The first traceroute packet (ICMP or UDP)

that reaches the network is dropped on
router A.
• An ICMP TTL exceeded message is sent to
the source from router A.
 Traceroute with Disabled
TTL Propagation (Cont.)

• The second traceroute packet that

reaches the network is dropped on
router D.
• An ICMP TTL exceeded message is
sent to the source from router D.
 Label Assignment and
Distribution
Introducing Convergence in Frame-Mode MPLS
 Steady-State Operation Description

• Occurs after the LSRs have exchanged the labels, and the LIB,
LFIB, and FIB data structures are completely populated
 Link Failure Actions

– Routing protocol neighbors and LDP neighbors are lost after a

link failure.
– Entries are removed from various data structures.
 Routing Protocol Convergence

• Routing protocols rebuild the IP routing table and the IP

forwarding table.
 MPLS Convergence

• The LFIB and labeling information in the FIB are rebuilt

immediately after the routing protocol convergence, based on
labels stored in the LIB.
 Link Recovery Actions

• Routing protocol neighbors are discovered after link recovery.

 Link Recovery Actions:
IP Routing Convergence

– IP routing protocols rebuild the IP routing table.

– The FIB and the LFIB are also rebuilt, but the label
information might be lacking.
 Link Recovery Actions:
MPLS Convergence
– Routing protocol convergence optimizes
the forwarding path after a link recovery.
– The LIB might not contain the label from
the new next hop by the time the IGP
convergence is complete.
– End-to-end MPLS connectivity might be
intermittently broken after link recovery.
– Use MPLS TE for make-before-break
recovery.
Operating and Configuring
Huawei VRP Devices
Operating Huawei VRP Software
 External Configuration
Sources

• Configurations can come from

many sources.
• Configurations will act in device
memory.
 Device connection

AR2200

Mini USB Console

S5700

Console
 Huawei VRP User Interface
Functions

– A CLI is used to enter commands.

– Operations vary on different
internetworking devices.
– Users type or paste entries in the
console command modes.
– Command modes have distinctive
prompts.
– Enter key instructs device to parse
and execute the command.
– Two primary modes are user mode
and system mode.
 CLI Command Line Views

View the running status

User View
and statistics of the device.

System View Set the system parameters

of the device.

Interface View Configure interface

parameters.

Protocol View Configure most routing

protocol parameters.

<Huawei>system-view
<Huawei>system-view
Enter
Enter system
system view,
view, return
return user
user view
view with
with Ctrl+Z.
Ctrl+Z.
[Huawei]interface
[Huawei]interface GigabitEthernet
GigabitEthernet 0/0/0
0/0/0
[Huawei-GigabitEthernet0/0/0]
[Huawei-GigabitEthernet0/0/0]
 CLI Help Features

<Huawei> d?
Partial Help
<Huawei> display h?
Command Line Help
<Huawei> ?
Complete Help

<Huawei> display ?

[Huawei]d?
[Huawei]d?
ddns
ddns dhcp
dhcp
dhcpv6
dhcpv6 diagnose
diagnose
display
display dns
dns
domain
domain dot1x
dot1x
 CLI Basic Device Setup

Command Function

sysname Configures the Device Name..

<Huawei>system-view
<Huawei>system-view
Enter
Enter system
system view,
view, return
return user
user view
view with
with Ctrl+Z.
Ctrl+Z.
[Huawei]sysname
[Huawei]sysname RTA
RTA
[RTA]
[RTA]

The system name should be assigned to uniquely

identify each device within an enterprise network.
 CLI Terminal Attributes

Command Function

idle-timeout Sets the timeout duration of the user connection.

screen-length Sets the number of lines displayed on each terminal screen

after a command is executed
history-command Sets the size of the history command buffer.
max-size

## Set
Set the
the size
size of
of the
the history
history command
command buffer
buffer to
to 20.
20.
<Huawei>system-view
<Huawei>system-view
[Huawei]user-interface
[Huawei]user-interface console
console 00
[Huawei-ui-console0]history-command
[Huawei-ui-console0]history-command max-size
max-size 20
20
## Set
Set the
the timeout
timeout duration
duration to
to 11 minute
minute and
and 30
30 seconds.
seconds.
[Huawei-ui-console0]idle-timeout
[Huawei-ui-console0]idle-timeout 11 30
30
 CLI Interface Configuration

RTA RTB

10.0.12.1/24
1.1.1.1/32
G0/0/0 G0/0/0

# Configure an IP address of 10.0.12.1/24 on interface G0/0/0

and an IP address of 1.1.1.1/32 on loopback interface 0.
<Huawei>system-view
[Huawei]interface GigabitEthernet 0/0/0
[Huawei-GigabitEthernet0/0/0]ip address 10.0.12.1 255.255.255.0
[Huawei-GigabitEthernet0/0/0]interface loopback 0
[Huawei-LoopBack0]ip address 1.1.1.1 32
 Configuration File Management System

Current- Saved-
Configuration File Save Configuration File

Load
RAM Flash
 Saving the Configuration File

Command Function

Save Save the current configuration

<Huawei>save
<Huawei>save
The
The current
current configuration
configuration will
will be
be written
written to
to the
the device.
device.
Are you sure to continue?[Y/N]y
Are you sure to continue?[Y/N]y
It
It will
will take
take several
several minutes
minutes toto save
save configuration
configuration file,
file, please
please
wait...............
wait...............
Configuration
Configuration filefile had
had been
been saved
saved successfully
successfully
Note:
Note: The configuration file will take effect
The configuration file will take effect after
after being
being activated
activated
 Configuring IP Addresses

– Unique addressing allows communication

between end stations.
– Path choice is based on destination address.
 Configuring Loopback
interface

[R1]interface loopback 0
[R1-LoopBack0]ip address 2.2.2.2 24

 Checking the routing table and the
possibility of a connection
[R2]ping 10.0.1.2
PING 10.0.1.2: 56 data bytes, press CTRL_C to break
Reply from 10.0.1.2: bytes=56 Sequence=1 ttl=253 time=36 ms
Reply from 10.0.1.2: bytes=56 Sequence=2 ttl=253 time=31 ms
Reply from 10.0.1.2: bytes=56 Sequence=3 ttl=253 time=31 ms
Reply from 10.0.1.2: bytes=56 Sequence=4 ttl=253 time=31 ms
 Reply from 10.0.1.2: bytes=56 Sequence=5 ttl=253 time=31 ms

--- 10.0.1.2 ping statistics ---

5 packet(s) transmitted
5 packet(s) received
0.00% packet loss
round-trip min/avg/max = 31/32/36 ms
 Checking the status of
[R2]display ip routing-table
routing tables
Route Flags: R - relay, D - download to fib
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Routing Tables: Public
Destinations : 19 Routes : 19

Destination/Mask Proto Pre Cost Flags NextHop Interface

2.2.2.2/32 OSPF 10 1562 D 10.0.12.1 Serial1/0/0

 3.3.3.0/24 Direct 0 0 D 3.3.3.3 LoopBack0
3.3.3.3/32 Direct 0 0 D 127.0.0.1 InLoopBack0
3.3.3.255/32 Direct 0 0 D 127.0.0.1 InLoopBack0
4.4.4.4/32 OSPF 10 1562 D 10.0.23.3 Serial2/0/0
10.0.1.0/24 OSPF 10 1563 D 10.0.12.1 Serial1/0/0
10.0.2.0/24 OSPF 10 1563 D 10.0.23.3 Serial2/0/0
10.0.12.0/24 Direct 0 0 D 10.0.12.2 Serial1/0/0
10.0.12.1/32 Direct 0 0 D 10.0.12.1 Serial1/0/0
10.0.12.2/32 Direct 0 0 D 127.0.0.1 InLoopBack0
10.0.12.255/32 Direct 0 0 D 127.0.0.1 InLoopBack0
10.0.23.0/24 Direct 0 0 D 10.0.23.2 Serial2/0/0
10.0.23.2/32 Direct 0 0 D 127.0.0.1 InLoopBack0
10.0.23.3/32 Direct 0 0 D 10.0.23.3 Serial2/0/0
10.0.23.255/32 Direct 0 0 D 127.0.0.1 InLoopBack0
127.0.0.0/8 Direct 0 0 D 127.0.0.1 InLoopBack0
127.0.0.1/32 Direct 0 0 D 127.0.0.1 InLoopBack0
127.255.255.255/32 Direct 0 0 D 127.0.0.1 InLoopBack0
255.255.255.255/32 Direct 0 0 D 127.0.0.1 InLoopBack0
 Checking the status of LDP
sessions between devices
[R2]display mpls ldp session
LDP Session(s) in Public Network
Codes: LAM(Label Advertisement Mode), SsnAge Unit(DDDD:HH:MM)
A '*' before a session means the session is being deleted.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
PeerID
 Status LAM SsnRole SsnAge KASent/Rcv
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
2.2.2.2:0 Operational DU Active 0000:00:11 46/46
4.4.4.4:0 Operational DU Passive 0000:00:10 43/43
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
TOTAL: 2 session(s) Found.
 Checking LDP LSP
routes
[R2]display mpls ldp lsp
LDP LSP Information
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
DestAddress/Mask In/OutLabel UpstreamPeer NextHop OutInterface
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
2.2.2.2/32 NULL/3 - 10.0.12.1 S1/0/0
2.2.2.2/32 1024/3 2.2.2.2 10.0.12.1 S1/0/0
2.2.2.2/32 1024/3 4.4.4.4 10.0.12.1 S1/0/0
*2.2.2.2/32 Liberal/1024 DS/4.4.4.4

3.3.3.3/32 3/NULL 2.2.2.2 127.0.0.1 InLoop0
3.3.3.3/32 3/NULL 4.4.4.4 127.0.0.1 InLoop0
*3.3.3.3/32 Liberal/1024 DS/2.2.2.2
*3.3.3.3/32 Liberal/1025 DS/4.4.4.4
4.4.4.4/32 NULL/3 - 10.0.23.3 S2/0/0
4.4.4.4/32 1025/3 2.2.2.2 10.0.23.3 S2/0/0
4.4.4.4/32 1025/3 4.4.4.4 10.0.23.3 S2/0/0
*4.4.4.4/32 Liberal/1025 DS/2.2.2.2
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
TOTAL: 8 Normal LSP(s) Found.
TOTAL: 4 Liberal LSP(s) Found.
TOTAL: 0 Frr LSP(s) Found.
A '*' before an LSP means the LSP is not established
A '*' before a Label means the USCB or DSCB is stale
A '*' before a UpstreamPeer means the session is in GR state
A '*' before a DS means the session is in GR state
A '*' before a NextHop means the LSP is FRR LSP
 Switching policy for LSR
Switch the policy to All for all LSR so that all static routes
and routes from dynamic routing protocols (such as IGP) can
be used to build LDP LSPs routes.
[R2]mpls
[R2-mpls]lsp-trigger all
 Configuring the input policy for LDP

If the labels received on the router are not controlled, then it will set a large
number of LSP routes, which will require a large amount of memory.
When configuring the input policy for LDP, the router must be configured to
receive labels only from the specified router and sets the LSPs route to it, while
saving resources.

[R1]ip ip-prefix prefix1 permit 10.0.12.0 24

[R1]mpls ldp
[R1-mpls-ldp]inbound peer 3.3.3.3 fec ip-prefix prefix1
[R1-mpls-ldp]quit
[R1]display mpls lsp
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
LSP Information: LDP LSP
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
FEC In/Out Label In/Out IF Vrf Name
2.2.2.2/32 3/NULL -/-
10.0.12.0/24 3/NULL -/-
10.0.1.0/24 3/NULL -/-
2.2.2.0/24 3/NULL -/-
MPLS Implementation on
Huawei VRP Platforms
 Configuring IGP on the Backbone
Network
AS100

CE1
10 AS 500
.1
G0
/
.1
3 OSPF Area 0 AS300
0/
0G .0
/2 PE1 P PE2
0/ 4
172.16.1.1/32
0/
0 10.1.34.0/24 10.1.45.0/24 10.1.56.0/24 CE3
VPN 1 (branch 1)
G1/0/0G0/0/0 G0/0/1G0/0/0 G0/0/1G0/0/0
AS200 0/
1
G0/
/0
/0
2 4
CE2 G0 .0/ 172.16.3.1/32
.23
.1 VPN3 (HQ)
10

172.16.2.1/32
VPN 2 (branch 2)

router id 3.3.3.3 router id 4.4.4.4 router id 5.5.5.5

ospf 1 ospf 1 ospf 1
area 0.0.0.0 area 0.0.0.0 area 0.0.0.0
network 3.3.3.3 0.0.0.0 network 4.4.4.4 0.0.0.0 network 5.5.5.5 0.0.0.0
network 10.1.34.0 0.0.0.255 network 10.1.34.0 0.0.0.255 network 10.1.45.5 0.0.0.255
network 10.1.45.0 0.0.0.255
 Configuring MPLS

CE1
10 AS 500
.1
G0 . 13 OSPF Area 0
/0 .0
/0 /
G0
24
AS100 /0 10.1.34.0/24 10.1.45.0/24 10.1.56.0/24 CE3
/0
VPN 1 (branch 1)
VPN 2 (branch 2) G1/0/0G0/0/0 G0/0/1 G0/0/0
G0/0/1G0/0/0
AS200 /0
/1
G0 4
2
CE2
G0
/0
/0
3 .0/ 172.16.3.1/32
.1 .2 VPN3 (HQ)
10

mpls lsr-id 4.4.4.4

mpls lsr-id 3.3.3.3 mpls mpls lsr-id 5.5.5.5
mpls mpls ldp mpls
mpls ldp # mpls ldp
# interface GigabitEthernet0/0/0 #
interface GigabitEthernet1/0/0 mpls interface GigabitEthernet0/0/0
mpls mpls ldp mpls
mpls ldp # mpls ldp
interface GigabitEthernet0/0/1
mpls
mpls ldp
 Symptoms of Common
Frame-Mode MPLS Issues
– The LDP session does not start.
– Labels are not allocated.
– Labels are not distributed.
– Packets are not labeled, although the labels
have been distributed.
– MPLS intermittently breaks after an interface
failure.
– Large packets are not propagated across the
network.
 LDP Session Startup
Issues
– Symptom
• LDP neighbors are not discovered.
– Diagnosis
• MPLS is not enabled on the adjacent router.
– Verification
• Verify with the show mpls interface
command on the adjacent router.
 LDP Session Startup Issues
(Cont.)
– Symptom
• LDP neighbors are not discovered.
– Diagnosis
• Packet filter drops LDP neighbor discovery
packets.
– Verification
• Verify access list presence with the show ip
interface command.
• Verify access list contents with the show
access-list command.
 LDP Session Startup Issues
(Cont.)
– Symptom
• LDP neighbors are discovered; the LDP session is
not established.

– Diagnosis
• The connectivity between loopback interfaces is
broken; the LDP session is usually established
between loopback interfaces of adjacent LSRs.
– Verification
• Verify connectivity with the extended ping
command.
 Intermittent MPLS Failures
After Interface Failure
– Symptom
• The overall MPLS connectivity in a router
intermittently breaks after an interface
failure.
– Diagnosis
• The IP address of a physical interface is used
for the LDP identifier. Configure a loopback
interface on the router.
– Verification
• Verify the local LDP identifier.
 Packet Propagation
Issues
– Symptom
• Large packets are not propagated across the network.
– Use of the extended ping command with varying
packet sizes fails for packet sizes close to 1500
packets.
• In some cases, MPLS might work, but MPLS VPN will fail.
– Diagnosis
• There are label MTU issues or switches that do not
support jumbo frames in the forwarding path.
– Verification
• Issue the traceroute command through the forwarding
path; identify all LAN segments in the path.
• Verify the label MTU setting on routers attached to LAN
segments.
• Check for low-end switches in the transit path.