MPLS Principle

Objectives

n Understand the concepts and functions of MPLS

n Understand the working principle and process of MPLS
n Understand the LDP protocol

2
Contents

n MPLS overview
n MPLS Concepts
n Label Switch Paths
n Label assignment and distribution
n LDP overview

3
 MPLS-- Multi-Protocol Label Switching

n Objective：
l MPLS combines high-speed switching technology of ATM with IP to realize
fast forwarding of IP packets
l Multi Protocol——It indicates that other protocols can be applied, including
all network layer protocols (e.g. IPV6 and IPX) and link layer protocols (e.g.
ATM, FR and PPP etc.)
l Label Switching——Attaching label with fixed length to the packet and
replacing IP forwarding process with this label

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 Traditional IP Forwarding

47.1 S2

47.1 S2 47.1 S2
S1 S2
47.1.1.1

S2 S1 47.1.0.0/16
S1
S2

n Features of Traditional IP Forwarding:

l Hop-by-hop forwarding
l Network devices need to know routes of entire network,
or packets forwarding in network segment will be failed
l Longest match principle

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 ATM Forwarding

n Features of ATM Forwarding

l Connection-oriented, provide QoS guarantee
l Link layer routing, use VPI/VCI parameters for hardware switching

n Shortcoming of ATM
l It is hard for all manufacturers to implement all functions due to over-
complicated technologies and ATM is unable to integrate with IP perfectly

n A few improvements on ATM can enhance forwarding capability of router

l Give up complicated route inquiry and change to simple fast label switching
l Change the global routing table to only locally functional label table

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 MPLS Overview

n Multi Protocol Label Switching

n MPLS is a kind of technology between layer 2 and layer 3, i.e. it is
a layer 2.5 technology
n Perform L3 routing on the edge of MPLS network and L2
switching inside of the MPLS network

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 Advantages of MPLS

n MPLS has the following advantages:

l Provide connection-oriented services for IP network
l Provide high quality Internet service
l Support high-bandwidth and high rate IP forwarding
l Guarantee QoS and security while providing IP services
l Have traffic engineering capability
l Support VPN function

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Contents

n MPLS overview
n MPLS Concepts
n Label Switch Paths
n Label assignment and distribution
n LDP overview

9
 MPLS Glossaries

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 MPLS Glossaries

n Label:
l It is a short fixed-length which is locally functioning identifier
between L2 frame header and L3 packet header and used for
packet forwarding.

n FEC：Forwarding Equivalence Class

l In forwarding process, process a group of packets in mode of
equivalence. Theoretically, MPLS specifies that FEC can be
identified and created via address, tunnel, COS etc., while in
MPLS implementation FEC is identified responding to route, so
we find that in MPLS one route corresponds to one FEC.
Normally, the same label is assigned to one FEC on one device.

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 MPLS Glossaries

n LSR：Label Switching Router

l LSR is the core switching router in MPLS network and it provides
label switching function and label distribution function.
n LER：Label Switching Edge Router
l It locates on the edge of MPLS network, and traffics flowing into
MPLS network are classified to different FECs by LER, which then
requests corresponding labels for these FECs. It provides functions of
traffic classification, label mapping and removal of label.
n LSP： Label Switching Path
l A FEC data stream are attached with specific labels on different
nodes and packets are forwarded according to these labels. The path
via which data stream flows is LSP.

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 MPLS network establishment

n FEC: It is a collection of data streams with some common attributes. In forwarding process,
these packets are processed by LSR in the same mode, for which, these packets are
equivalence. Packets having the same forwarding and processing mode include:
n Unicast packets with the same address prefix
n Multicast packets with the same destination address
n Belong to the same service level etc
n LDP – Label Distribution Protocol, used to assign label

Ingress
LERa LSP
LERd
LDP Protocol LSRy Egress
LERb LDP LERe
LSRx LSRz
LDP
MPLS
LERc Domain LERf

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 MPLS header

n Normally, MPLS packet header has 32 bits, where:

l 20 Bits are used for label
l 3-Bit EXP is not specified in protocol and is usually used for QoS
l 1-Bit S is used to mark stack bottom and it indicates MPLS labels can be
stacked.
l 8 bits are used for TTL

0 20 23 24 31
Label EXP S TTL 32bits

L2 MPLS IP Data
Header Header Header

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 Label Stack
n Two or more MPLS labels can also be called Label Stack.
Theoretically, it supports infinitely label stack so as to support
limitless services; that is the most sparkling point of MPLS
technology.
n In fact, the number of labels in one stack is also related to the MTU
value of specific hardware.
n Network layer header closely follows the label whose bottom of
stack is set to bit 1;
n Packet forwarding is based on the top label of stack. When receiving
one packet, LSR will check top label to determine the next hop.

L2 Top label Label Bottom Label L3

Header Header

Label 1

Bottom of Stack Bit Set

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 MPLS Working Principle

Label IP
Label IP Label IP

IP IP
LSR LSR

LER LER
Traditional IP Traditional IP
Forwarding Forwarding
MPLS Domain
Label Forwarding

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Contents

n MPLS overview
n MPLS Concepts
n Label Switch Paths
n Label assignment and distribution
n LDP overview

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 LSP Establishment Process

n There are three steps for establishing LSP in MPLS network:

l After booting up via network, routing protocols (BGP,
OSPF and IS-IS etc.) are enabled on nodes to establish
routing tables.
l Under the control of LDP, LIB is established on each
node according to routing table.
l Map the incoming labels and outgoing labels on
ingress LER, medium LSR and egress LER to form one
LSP.

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 LSP Establishment Process I—Establishment of
Routing Table
n Routing table is established on each router under the function of
dynamic routing protocol.

D est O ut
D est O ut 4 7 .1 1
4 7 .1 1 4 7 .2 2
4 7 .2 2 4 7 .3 3
4 7 .3 3
1 47.1
3
3
1 RC 2
RB 2

1
47.3 3 47.2
2
RA

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 LSP Establishment Process II—LIB establishment

n Under the control of LDP, LIB is established on each node

according to routing table.

1 47.1
3
3 RC 2
RB 1
1 Mapping: 40
2
0
47.3 3
i ng: 5 47.2
RA 2 pp
Ma

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 LSP Establishment Process III– LSP establishment
n Map the incoming labels and outgoing labels on ingress LER,
medium LSR and egress LER to form one LSP.

3 1
47.1
IP 47.1.1.1
1 RC
3 RB 2

1 2
47.3 3 47.2
2
IP 47.1.1.1
RA

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 PHP (Penultimate Hop Popping)

n There will be no label switching when packets arrive at the previous hop of egress
LSR, i.e. penultimate hop and just remove the old label and transmit packets
without label.
n Since label has been removed, it is not needed to forward the labeled packet .
Just read IP packet header and send it to destination address.

RC
RB

RA

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Contents

n MPLS overview
n MPLS Concepts
n Label Switch Paths
n Label assignment and distribution
n LDP overview

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 Label Assignment and Management

n Label Assignment Mode

l DoD: downstream-on-demand
l DU：downstream unsolicited

n Label Control Mode

l Ordered label distribution control mode
l Independent label distribution control mode

n Label Retention Mode

l Conservative Label Retention Mode
l Liberal Label Retention Mode

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 Label Assignment Mode——DoD

Use Label 40 for destination Use Label 30 for destination

address 171.68.1.0/24 address 171.68.1.0/24

Upstream Downstream

171.68.4.0/24 RA RB RC 171.68.1.0/24

Request Label for Destination Request Label for Destination

Address 171.68.1.0/24 Address 171.68.1.0/24

n Upstream LSRs request downstream neighbors for labels

n Downstream LSRs assign labels according to requests

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 Label Assignment Mode——DU

Triggered
Use Label 40 for destination Use Label 30 for destination
by Route
address 171.68.1.0/24 address 171.68.1.0/24
Upstream Downstream
171.68.4.0/24
RA RB RC 171.68.1.0/24

n Downstream LSRs send label mapping messages to upstream

neighbors actively
n Upstream LSRs save label mapping messages

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 Label Control Mode

Upstream Downstream

Label MappingLabel Mapping Label Mapping

n Ordered distribution: Only after receiving label mapping message from

downstream device, can the router send label mapping message to
upstream router; it can be used to display routes and multicast.

n Independent distribution: No matter whether having received label

mapping message returned from downstream device, the router will
immediately send label mapping message to its upstream device; delay
time is little for exchanging of label information
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 Label Retention Mode---Liberal Mode

n Mode: LSR maintains each label binding/mapping that receives,

and even the next hop is not a valid FEC next hop; if the next hop
changes, the old binding/mapping which were invalid before can
be used immediately.
n Advantage: Adapt to changes of network topology more quickly
n Shortcoming: Occupy more memory space LSR2

Label Bindings
for LSR5 LSR1 LSR3

LSR4’s Label
LSR3’s Label
LSR2’s Label LSR4
Valid
Next Hop

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 Label Retention Mode---Conservative Mode

n Mode: LSR only maintains valid label binding; if the next hop changes, it has to
request label again.
n Advantage: It occupies less memory.
n Shortcoming: It has a poor capability in applying to changes of network topology.

LSR2
Label Bindings
for LSR5 LSR1 LSR3
LSR4’s Label
LSR3’s Label
LSR2’s Label LSR4
Valid
Next Hop

Two label retention modes can meet different demands: processing

capability to label and adaptability to network changes

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Contents

n MPLS overview
n MPLS Concepts
n Label Switch Paths
n Label assignment and distribution
n LDP overview

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 LDP Concept

n In MPLS system architecture, label is assigned automatically,

which can be realized by enabling LDP and related performance
improvement protocols such as CR-LDP, RSVP, etc.
l LDP: Label Distribution Protocol
l LDP of Constraint-Based Routing (CR-LDP)
l RSVP: Resource Reservation Protocol
l MP-BGP: Multi-Protocol BGP

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 LDP Concept

n LDP: Label Distribution Protocol

n It can generate label dynamically
n Use TCP packet to deliver label information between two LDP
peers
n Main functions:
l Realize binding between FEC and label
l Establish and maintain label forwarding path

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 LDP Four Stages:

n LDP operation is conducted in four stages according to time

sequence as follows:

l Discovery stage: Discover LDP peers automatically by sending Hello

messages to neighboring LSRs periodically;

l Session Establishment and Maintenance stage: Implement TCP

connection and session between LSRs, and conduct initialization
(negotiation of various parameters);

l LSP Establishment and Maintenance state: Assign label for FEC to be

transmitted between LSRs and establish LSP;

l Removal of Session: When session holdtime is out, terminate the

session.

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 Establishment and Maintenance of LDP
Session
R1 Neighbor discovery: It is implemented by sending Hello R2
messages mutually (UDP/prot:646/IP:224.0.0.2).

Establish TCP connection: The peer with larger address initiates

connection actively.(TCP/port:646) M
Session initiation: Master sends initialization message which
carries negotiation parameters. M
Slave one checks if the parameter can be accepted. If it can,
slave router will send initialization message and carry
negotiation parameters. And then send Keepalive message. M

Master router checks if the parameter can be accepted. If it can,

master router will send keepalive message. M

After receiving Keepalive message mutually, session is established. M

Once received any error messages during this period, session

will be closed and TCP connection will be disconnected.

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 Extended LDP Introduction

n Extended LDP is used in L2 MPLS VPN and for assigning internal

Label

n When using Ext-LDP for signalling, LDP extensions can provide

new TLV to carry VC information.

n the PWid FEC Element (FEC type 128) and the Generalized PWid
FEC Element (FEC type 129) are the new FEC added to Ext-LDP

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 Summary

n MPLS basic conception

n MPLS working process
n LSP
n FEC
n label distribution
n LDP

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Thank you