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MPLS Basics
Network Architecture
The MPLS network is typically composed of two main devices, the LER and the label switch router (LSR). The LER is, as the name implies,
located at the edge of the MPLS network and is responsible for the insertion of labels before transmission in the MPLS network. The LSR is a
core device that performs label operation and packet forwarding through the MPLS-enabled network.
Packets travel across the MPLS-enabled network via a specific route referred to as the label switched path (LSP). This path is unidirectional
and is defined between ingress edge routers to an egress edge router. In bidirectional communication, return traffic does not necessarily take
the same path as the original traffic; therefore, independent LSP assignment is necessary for each direction.
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MPLS Cloud
LSP
Site A
Site B
Customer
Edge
Customer
Edge
Label Edge
Router
LER
Label Edge
Router
LER
Label Switch
Routers
LSR
The Label
The MPLS label is inserted between the layer 2 and layer 3 and is 32 bits long.
Layer 5-7
Layer 4
TCP - UDP
Layer 3
Layer 2.5
MPLS label
Layer 2
Layer 1
Optical - electrical
Destination
MAC
Source MAC
Ethertype
0x8847
0x8848
MPLS Label
MPLS label
COS
IP Packet
Stack Bit
Ethernet FCS
TTL
Site A
Site B
Customer
Edge
1. Packet is received at LER.
It is inspected and
based on the FEC
a label is applie
Customer
Edge
2. Labeled packet is forwarded
in network. At each LSR,
the label is swapped
Testing Needs
Testing MPLS networks usually involves ensuring connectivity and resiliency and measuring performance. The following scenarios represent
typical MPLS edge to MPLS edge, MPLS core to customer edge and VPN/stacking tests.
Customer Edge to Customer Edge
This basic test scenario involves sending untagged packets from the customer edge to ensure that they are properly tagged and serviced
through the MPLS network. This test can be used to measure end-to-end performance or to ensure that the network is properly configured via
a network-loading test.
Site A
Site B
Customer
Edge
Customer
Edge
Site A
Site B
Customer
Edge
Customer
Edge
Site A
Site B
Customer
Edge
Customer
Edge
Adds Label
Adds Label
Site A
Site B
Customer
Edge
Customer
Edge
Test Tools
The Packet Blazer FTB-8510B Ethernet Test Module and FTB-8510G 10 Gigabit Ethernet Test Module provide comprehensive test solutions
for the analysis and qualification of MPLS networks.
Multiple Streams Generation
Up to 10 streams can be generated with independent parameters at the MAC, MPLS, IP and UDP layer. At the MPLS layer, streams can be
generated with up to two layers with all fields of the MPLS label available for configuration.
Streams can be provisioned with either Ethernet/MPLS encapsulation or with Ethernet/MPLS/IP/UDP encapsulation
Frame size up to 16 000 can be configured for jumbo frame testing with or without MPLS enabled
Stream Selector: up to 10
independent streams available
Per-stream
encapsulation selection
MPLS Configuration
Stacked Header configuration:
Up to two MPLS labels available
Figure 8. MPLS related configuration in the Packet Blazer test frame configuration
Traffic Analysis
Analysis is performed on incoming traffic with specific statistics on MPLS tagged traffic:
TX and RX frame
counters of MPLS traffic
Real-time bandwidth of
all MPLS-tagged traffic
Conclusion
MPLS efficiently increases the traffic forwarding process while still implementing essential routing processes across the core. However, the
deployment of MPLS requires unique testing scenarios to assess the performance and reliability of the network and to guarantee service
levels. EXFO offers compact, portable, comprehensive MPLS test solutions to efficiently qualify Ethernet services from end-to-end, validating
metro and core tunneling technologies.
APPNOTE211.1AN