Training Solutions

Exploring MPLS

The Internet has to evolve on many fronts with regard to routing, QoS, addressing, efficiency and security. Multi Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) belongs to the group of technologies designed to achieve this evolution. MPLS is designed to make the Internet fast, scalable, manageable, carry heavy traffic, support QoS and support new routing architectures. This course is designed for those who need to understand how to deploy and manage MPLS networks. The course consists of three part, the first part is the MPLS technology aspects that deal with MPLS concepts, terminology, and signaling protocols. Next we cover MPLS applications such as IP-VPN, Layer 2 VPN, QoS, Traffic Engineering, and Voice over MPLS. These concepts and applications are explained with examples. This is followed by a description of key MPLS troubleshooting techniques, IPv6 and a look ahead at new developments in MPLS.

Learning Objectives

After completing this course, the student will be able to:
• Explore the benefits and rationale for MPLS
• Sketch the MPLS architecture,
• Use the MPLS terminology and explain key concepts
• Describe the use of MPLS signaling protocols
• Show how MPLS network faults are identified and isolated
• List and explain the applications of MPLS
• Sketch the MPLS solutions for IP-VPN and Layer 2 VPN solutions
• Learn how MPLS is used to support QoS
• Describe different methods for deploying MPLS in IPV6-based networks
• Show how Traffic Engineering (TE) operations are executed in an MPLS network
• Sketch the redundancy solutions in MPLS networks (e.g. FRR)
• Explain the purpose and motivation for MPLS-TP

Intended Audience

This course is appropriate for technical audiences that wish to understand the benefits that MPLS offers, its network architecture and options for signaling, and the major applications that it supports.

Suggested Prerequisites

• ATM and IP Fundamentals (Instructor Led)

Course Length

2 Days Instructor Led

Course Outlines / Knowledge Knuggets

1. Introduction
1.1. Evolving Internet
1.2. IP routing protocols (RIP, BGP, OSPF)
1.3. Why use MPLS?
1.4. MPLS applications

2. MPLS Networks
2.1. MPLS domain
2.2. Network components (LER, LSR)
2.3. Label Switched Path (LSP)
2.4. Forward Equivalence Class (FEC)

3. MPLS Labels
3.1. Label structure
3.2. Shim headers
3.3. Label forwarding information base
3.4. Label binding and distribution concepts

4. LSP Operations
4.1. Hop-by-hop routed LSPs
4.2. Explicit routed LSPs
4.3. LSP setup examples

5. MPLS Protocols
5.1. Label Distribution Protocol (LDP)
5.2. Label distribution scenario with RSVP
5.3. BGP for label distribution and route advertisement
5.3.1. Signaling
5.3.2. Peering Groups
5.3.3. Communities and filtering
5.3.4. Route Reflectors

6. L2VPNs with MPLS
6.1. P2P
6.1.1. Pseudowires
6.2. VPLS & H-VPLS
6.3. End-to-end scenario
6.3.1. Signaling
6.3.2. Traffic

7. L3VPN/IP VPN with MPLS
7.1. VRFs
7.2. End-to-end scenario
7.2.1. Signaling
7.2.2. Traffic

8. MPLS and QoS
8.1. LSP with RSVP
8.2. Differentiated services
8.3. DSCPs and PHBs
8.4. E-LSPs and L-LSPs

9. MPLS and Traffic Engineering
9.1. Goals of TE and MPLS solution
9.2. OSPF-TE constraint advertisement
9.3. Fast re-route and label spaces

10. Troubleshooting in MPLS
10.1. MPLS OAM
10.2. LSP PING
10.3. LSP traceroute
10.4. Debug MPLS

11. IPV6 in MPLS Networks
11.1. MPLS all-dual stack
11.2. 6PE; 6VPE
11.3. 6VPE deployment exercise

12. MPLS – Looking ahead

CATALOG

Download our course catalog!

2010 Catalog,
pdf format (7.8 MB)