Multi-Area and Multi-Instance Support

A router which does not have TE links within a specific IGP area/level does not have its router-id discovered in the TE database by other routers in this area/level. In other words, an auto-LSP of type P2P mesh cannot be signaled to a router which does not participate in the area/level of the ingress LER.

A mesh LSP can however be signaled using TE links all belonging to the same IGP area even if the router-id of the ingress and egress routers are interfaces reachable in a different area. In this case, the LSP is considered to be an intra-area LSP.

If multiple instances of ISIS or OSPF are configured on a router, each with its own router-id value, the TE database in other routers are able to discover TE links advertised by each instance. In such a case, an instance of an LSP can be signaled to each router-id with a CSPF path computed using TE links within each instance.

Finally, if multiple instances of ISIS or OSPF are configured on a destination router each with the same router-id value, a single instance of LSP is signaled from other routers. If the user shuts down one IGP instance, this is no op as long as the other IGP instances remain up. The LSP remains up and forwards traffic using the same TE links. The same behavior exists with a provisioned LSP.