MPLS

Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) is a label switching technology that provides the ability to set up connection-oriented paths over a connectionless IP network. MPLS facilitates network traffic flow and provides a mechanism to engineer network traffic patterns independently from routing tables. MPLS sets up a specific path for a sequence of packets. The packets are identified by a label inserted into each packet.

MPLS is independent of any routing protocol but is considered multiprotocol because it works with protocols such as IP, ATM, Ethernet, and circuit emulation.

This section contains the following topics:

• Traffic Engineering for MPLS

• MPLS Label Stack

• MPLS Entropy Labels

• Label Edge and Label Switch Routers

• LSP Types