TECHNOLOGY

MPLS

Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) is an IETF defined protocol that is primarily used in service provider core networks. It provides traffic engineering (TE), bandwidth management, and QoS functionalities to connection less networks through its ability to build label switched paths (LSPs) across them.

Labels are attached to packets that assist MPLS in forwarding the packet across the LSP. A labeled packet is a packet into which a label has been encoded. In some cases, the label resides in an encapsulation header, such as Pseudowire, which exists specifically for this purpose.

The HSX 6000 is used as a provider edge node in an IP/MPLS network. To date, the primary MPLS functionality implemented in the HSX 6000 is to create Pseudowires across an MPLS network over TE tunnels. This is achieved through the MPLS control plane and can be comprised of the open shortest path first (OSPF) protocol — with TE extensions — resource reservation protocol (RSVP)-TE, or intermediate system to intermediate system (ISIS), and the label distribution protocol (LDP).