Services

Technology Training: Communications Courses: MPLS: Technological Understanding of MPLS VPN's

Course Objectives:

Upon completion of this course the student will be able to:

• Explain MPLS and MPLS VPNs from a conceptual standpoint
• Describe the architecture & components of MPLS VPNs
• Compare and contrast the Label Distribution Protocols employed in MPLS and MPLS VPNs
• Explain the use of BGP and modified BGP for MPLS VPNs
• Describe how Quality of Service and traffic engineering are delivered using MPLS VPNs

Course Type:

The course is taught in class with an instructor. This course is 2 days in length.

Prerequisite:

Firm understanding of Wide Area Networking protocols, TCP/IP, routing, and Local Area Networking.

Audience:

Individuals that need to gain a technical understanding of the MPLS VPNs specifically Systems Engineers, Network Administrators, Network Consultants, Technical Architects, and Security Consultants.

Course Description:

This course reviews the concepts of MPLS switching and delivers a detailed coverage of the Multi-Protocol Label Switching from a standards approach. The course covers in detail the MPLS VPNs as per RFC2547bis.

Course Outline:

Introduction

• The IP Routing Paradigm
• Data Processing
• Limitations of IP Routing
• Enterprise vs. Service Providers
• Enabling Internet Technologies
• MPLS as a Solution
• The concept of MPLS
• Examples of Label Technology
• Benefits of MPLS
• Applications of MPLS

Concepts and Terminology

• Definition of a Label
• Definition of a Shim
• Label Switch Router
• Label Edge Router
• Label Switch Path
• Label Information Base
• Forward Equivalence Class
• Label Stacks
• TLV
• Label Distribution Protocol
• Establishing an LSP
• Traffic Flow Aggregation and Splitting
• Popping and Attaching Labels

The Label

• Shim Review
• Layers and Labels
• Frame Relay and ATM
• Ethernet, Gig, and 10 Gig
• OSPF, BGPv4, IGRP, and E-IGRP
• Shims detailed
• Encapsulation
• Implementations

ICMP

• ICMP Overview
• MPLS and ICMP
• ICMP Messages
• ICMP Structure
• Examples of MPLS and ICMP

Signalling Protocols — Label Distribution Protocol

• Architecture of LDP
• LSP Establishment
• Label Binding
• Unsolicited vs. Ordered
• Liberal vs. Conservative
• LDP & TCP
• Message Format
• Encoding Detailed
• Examples of Encoding

Signalling Protocols — Constraint-based Routed Label Distribution Protocol

• Architecture of CR-LDP
• Benefits of CR-LDP
• Routing and TLVs
• Node and Abstract Node
• Pre-emption
• Route Pinning
• Resource Class
• CR-LDP Formats
• CR-LDP Messages
• TLC Encoding
• Messages with Examples

Signalling Protocols — Resource Reservation Protocol — TE

• RSVP Overview
• PATH and Messages
• RSVP Header Format
• RSVP Messages
• TE Header
• TE Messages
• RSVP-TE LSP Setup Flow
• New RSVP-TE Objects
• New C-types
• RSVP-TE Label Request & Label Objects
• LSP Tunnel IP Session Object
• ERO & RRO Objects
• Path Additional Data Object

MPLS and ATM

• ATM Overview
• Drivers for MPLS over ATM
• Updated Terminology
• ATM-MPLS Models
• RFC 2684
• Shims and Encoding
• Implementations of MPLS and ATM
• ATM Label Stack Encoding
• Passing SHIM fields across ATM
• VC Merge & Non-VC Merge ATM-LSRs
• Communication from edge to edge LSRs

BGP 4 and MPLS

• Overview of BGP
• IBGP vs. MPLS
• Extensions to BGPv4
• MBGP
• BGP-MPLS operation Messages

Virtual Private Networks

• A brief review of VPN
• VPN Overlay & Peer Models
• VPN Peer Model Key Technologies
• Constrained Distribution of Routing
• Communities
• VPN-IP Address
• BGP in PE, IGP within the Provider Network
• MPLS as the forwarding Mechanism

MPLS QoS Support

• IP QoS Overview
• IntServ QoS Model
• MPLS RSVP-TE Support of IntServ QoS
• Diff-Serv QoS Model
• MPLS Support of Diff-Serv

Conclusion

• MPLS Analyzers
• Internet Initiatives
• Wrap up Q&A