|
|
|
|
Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS)
|
MPLS is quickly emerging as a strong contender for Metro networks around the world. MPLS technology first emerged within the communications industry for IP core networks based on Layer 3 IP router infrastructures, mainly as a mechanism to provide flow-based traffic engineering and more recently to deliver virtual-private-network (VPN) capabilities. MPLS increases network performance because it enables routing by switching at wireline speeds. MPLS has been a strong contender for metro networks because it provides simplicity and support, via encapsulation, of virtually all network protocols. Another strong point for MPLS is that it can ride over virtually any transport technology, including SDH/SONET, Ethernet over fiber and Resilient Packet Ring.
MPLS, exciting as it has been, faces several limitations. The fact that forwarding decisions are made in the network (not pre-configured) makes it difficult to determine what is going on in the network leading to issues of optimal resource allocation. The provisioning within an MPLS network is also relatively cumbersome. There are on-going efforts in MPLS to address these limitations, and MPLS itself should see a few changes in the coming years.
|
|
