MPLS v2.3 - Implementing Cisco MPLS MPLS v2.3

This design document is for the refresh of the Implementing Cisco MPLS (MPLS) v2.3 instructor-led training (ILT) course, which is used for the Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) Cisco CCIP® certification tract. The course is five days long and uses standard ILT form. This update to the course reflects the most-recent developments in network design and technologies, using real-world scenarios to help reinforce the learning of key objectives.

• Describe the features of MPLS
• Describe how MPLS labels are assigned and distributed
• Configure and troubleshoot frame-mode MPLS on Cisco IOS platforms
• Describe the MPLS peer-to-peer architecture and explain the routing and packet-forwarding model in this architecture
• Configure, monitor, and troubleshoot VPN operations
• Describe how the MPLS VPN model can be used to implement managed services and Internet access
• Describe the various Internet access implementations that are available and the benefits and drawbacks of each model
• Describe the tasks and commands that are necessary to implement MPLS TE

The primary audience for this course is as follows:

• The target audience for Implementing Cisco MPLS consists of network administrators and technicians—Cisco CCNP®, CCDP®, CCIE®, and CCIP routing and switching candidates—who are responsible for implementing and troubleshooting basic IP multicast-enabled networks within a single domain.

The secondary audience for this course is as follows:

• The course is targeted toward pre-sales and post-sales technical engineers who are responsible for designing, implementing, and troubleshooting MPLS networks or solutions that are based on MPLS technology.

Module 1: MPLS Features

• Lesson 1: Describing Basic MPLS Concepts
  • MPLS Overview
  • MPLS Terminology
  • MPLS Architecture Components
• Lesson 2: Describing MPLS Labels and Label Stack
  • MPLS Labels
  • MPLS Label Imposition
  • MPLS Label Stack
• Lesson 3: Identifying MPLS Applications
  • MPLS Services
  • MPLS IP Routing
  • MPLS VPNs
  • MPLS Traffic Engineering
  • MPLS Quality of Service
  • Any Transport over MPLS
  • Interactions Between MPLS services

Module 2: Label Assignment and Distribution

• Lesson 1: Discovering LDP Neighbors
  • Label-Distributing Protocols
  • LDP Session Establishment
  • Discovering LDP Neighbors
  • Negotiating LDP Sessions
• Lesson 2: Describing Typical Label Distribution in Frame-Mode MPLS
  • Propagating Labels Across a Network
  • Label Switched Paths
  • Propagating Labels by Using PHP
  • Impact of IP Aggregation on LSPs
  • Allocating Labels in a Frame-Mode MPLS Network
  • Distributing and Advertising Labels
  • Detecting Frame-Mode Loops
• Lesson 3: Describing Convergence in Frame-Mode MPLS
  • MPLS Steady-State Operation
  • Link Failure State
  • Routing Protocol Convergence After a Link Failure
  • MPLS Convergence After a Link Failure
  • Link Recovery Actions

Module 3: Frame-Mode MPLS Implementation on Cisco IOS Platforms

• Lesson 1: Using Cisco Express Forwarding Switching
  • Cisco IOS Platform Switching Mechanisms
  • Using Standard IP Switching
  • Cisco Express Forwarding Switching Architecture
  • Configuring IP Cisco Express Forwarding
  • Monitoring IP Cisco Express Forwarding
• Lesson 2: Configuring Frame-Mode MPLS on Cisco IOS Platforms
  • MPLS Configuration Tasks
  • Configuring the MPLS ID on a Router
  • Configuring MPLS on a Frame-Mode Interface
  • Configuring a Label-Switching MTU
  • Configuring IP TTL Propagation
  • Configuring Conditional Label Distribution
• Lesson 3: Monitoring Frame-Mode MPLS on Cisco IOS Platforms
  • Monitoring MPLS
  • Monitoring LDP
  • Monitoring Label Switching
  • Debugging MPLS and LDP
• Lesson 4: Troubleshooting Frame-Mode MPLS on Cisco IOS Platforms
  • Common Frame-Mode MPLS Issues
  • Solving LDP Session Startup Issues
  • Solving Label Allocation Issues
  • Solving Label Distribution Issues
  • Solving Packet-Labeling Issues
  • Solving Intermittent MPLS Failures
  • Solving Packet Propagation Issues

Module 4: MPLS Virtual Private Network Technology

• Lesson 1: Introducing Virtual Private Networks
  • Basic VPN Overview
  • VPN Implementation Models
  • Benefits and Drawbacks of VPNs
• Lesson 2: Introducing MPLS VPN Architecture
  • MPLS VPN Architecture
  • Methods of Propagating Routing Information Across the P-Network
  • Route Distinguishers
  • Route Targets
• Lesson 3: Introducing the MPLS VPN Routing Model
  • MPLS VPN Routing
  • Support for Internet Routing
  • Routing Tables on PE Routers
  • Identifying End-to-End Routing Update Flow
• Lesson 4: Forwarding MPLS VPN Packets
  • End-to-End VPN Forwarding Mechanisms
  • VPN Penultimate Hop Popping
  • Propagating VPN Labels Between PE Routers
  • Effects of MPLS VPNs on Label Propagation
  • Effects of MPLS VPNs on Packet Forwarding

Module 5: MPLS VPN Implementation

• Lesson 1: Using MPLS VPN Mechanisms of Cisco IOS Platforms
  • VRF Table
  • Need for Routing Protocol Contexts
  • VPN-Aware Routing Protocols
  • Using VRF Tables
  • Propagating BGP Routes—Outbound
  • Propagating BGP Routes—Inbound
  • Propagating Non-BGP Routes—Outbound
  • Propagating Non-BGP Routes—Inbound
• Lesson 2: Configuring VRF Tables
  • VRF Configuration Tasks
  • Creating VRF Tables and Assigning RDs
  • Specifying Export and Import RTs
  • Using MPLS VPN IDs
  • Assigning an Interface to a VRF Table
  • Typical Configuration to Enable VRFs
• Lesson 3: Configuring an MP-BGP Session Between PE Routers
  • Configuring BGP Address Families
  • Enabling BGP Neighbors
  • Configuring MP-BGP
  • Configuring MP-IBGP
  • Configuring MP-BGP Community Propagation
  • Disabling IPv4 Route Exchange
• Lesson 4: Configuring Small-Scale Routing Protocols Between PE and CE Routers
  • Configuring PE-CE Routing Protocols
  • Selecting the VRF Routing Context for BGP
  • Configuring Per-VRF Static Routes
  • Configuring RIP PE-CE Routing
  • Configuring EIGRP PE-CE Routing
  • Configuring SOO for EIGRP PE-CE Loop Prevention
• Lesson 5: Monitoring MPLS VPN Operations
  • Monitoring VRFs
  • Monitoring VRF Routing
  • Monitoring MP-BGP Sessions
  • Monitoring an MP-BGP VPNv4 Table
  • Monitoring Per-VRF Cisco Express Forwarding and LFIB Structures
  • Monitoring Labels Associated with VPNv4 Routes
  • Identifying Other MPLS VPN Monitoring Commands
• Lesson 6: Configuring OSPF as the Routing Protocol Between PE and CE Routers
  • Enhanced OSPF Hierarchical Model
  • Propagating OSPF Customer Routes
  • Implementing MPLS VPNs as an OSPF Superbackbone
  • Configuring OSPF PE-CE Routing
  • Using the OSPF Down Bit
  • Optimizing Packet Forwarding Across the MPLS VPN Backbone
  • Using the OSPF Tag Field
  • Sham Link
  • Configuring a Sham Link
• Lesson 7: Configuring BGP as the Routing Protocol Between PE and CE Routers
  • Configuring a Per-VRF BGP Routing Context
  • Reasons for Limiting the Number of Routes in a VRF
  • Limiting the Number of Prefixes Received from a BGP Neighbor
  • Limiting the Total Number of VRF Routes
  • Identifying AS-Override Issues
  • Identifying the Allow as Issue
  • Implementing SOO for Loop Prevention
• Lesson 8: Troubleshooting MPLS VPNs
  • Identifying Preliminary Steps in MPLS VPN Troubleshooting
  • Verifying the Routing Information Flow
  • Validating CE-to-PE Routing Information Flow
  • Validating PE–to-PE Routing Information Flow
  • Validating PE-to-CE Routing Information Flow
  • Identifying the Issues When Verifying the Data Flow
  • Validating Cisco Express Forwarding Status
  • Validating the End-to-End LSP
  • Validating the LFIB Status

Module 6: Complex MPLS VPNs

• Lesson 1: Introducing Overlapping VPNs
  • Participants in Overlapping VPNs
  • Typical Overlapping VPN Usages
  • Overlapping VPN Routing
  • Overlapping VPN Data Flow
  • Configuring Overlapping VPNs
• Lesson 2: Introducing Central Services VPNs
  • Access Characteristics of a Central Services VPN
  • Routing Characteristics of a Central Services VPN
  • Identifying Central Services VPN Data Flow Model
  • Configuring a Central Services VPN
  • Integrating a Central Services VPN with a Simple VPN
  • Identifying the RD Requirements When Integrating Central Services and Simple VPNs
  • Identifying the RT Requirements When Integrating Central Services and Overlapping VPNs
• Lesson 3: Using Advanced VRF Import and Export Features
  • Advanced VRF Features
  • Configuring Selective VRF Import
  • Configuring Selective VRF Export
• Lesson 4: Introducing the Managed CE Routers Service
  • Requirements of Managed CE Routers
  • VRF and RD Requirements
  • Configuring Managed CE Routers

Module 7: Internet Access and MPLS VPNs

• Lesson 1: Combining Internet Access with MPLS VPNs
  • Customer Internet Connectivity Scenarios
  • Internet Design Models for Service Providers
  • Internet Access Through Global Routing
  • Internet Access as a Separate VPN
  • Internet Access Through Route Leaking
• Lesson 2: Implementing Separate Internet Access and VPN Services
  • Classical Internet Access for a VPN Customer
  • Using Separate Subinterfaces
  • Accessing the Internet from Every Customer Site
  • Separate Internet Access Benefits and Limitations
• Lesson 3: Implementing Internet Access as a Separate VPN
  • Internet Access as a Separate VPN
  • Implementing Redundant Internet Access
  • Implementing Classical Internet Access for a VPN Customer
  • Implementing Internet Access from Every Customer Site
  • Implementing Wholesale Internet Access
  • Running an Internet Backbone in a VPN

Module 8: MPLS Traffic Engineering Overview

• Lesson 1: Introducing Traffic Engineering Concepts
  • Traffic Engineering Overview
  • Business Drivers for Traffic Engineering
  • Congestion Avoidance and Traffic Engineering
  • Traffic Engineering with a Layer 2 Overlay Model
  • Traffic Engineering with a Layer 3 Model
  • MPLS Traffic Engineering Model
• Lesson 2: Understanding MPLS TE Components
  • Traffic Tunnel Concepts
  • Traffic Tunnel Characteristics
  • Traffic Tunnel Attributes
  • Network Links and Link Attributes
  • Constraint-Based Path Computation
  • Traffic Engineering Process
  • Role of RSVP in Path Setup and Trunk Admission Control
  • Forwarding Traffic to a Tunnel
• Lesson 3: Configuring MPLS Traffic Engineering on Cisco IOS Platforms
  • MPLS TE Configuration Flowchart
  • Enabling Device-Level MPLS-TE Support
  • Configuring IGP for MPLS TE Support
  • Enabling Basic MPLS-TE on an Interface
  • Creating and Configuring a Traffic Tunnel
  • Mapping Traffic into Tunnels with Autoroute
• Lesson 4: Monitoring Basic MPLS TE on Cisco IOS Platforms
  • Monitoring MPLS TE Tunnels
  • Monitoring MPLS TE

• Lab 2-1: Establishing the Service Provider IGP Routing Environment
• Lab 3-1: Establishing the Core MPLS Environment
• Lab 5-1: Configuring Initial MPLS VPN Setup
• Lab 5-2: Running EIGRP Between PE and CE Routers
• Lab 5-3: Running OSPF Between PE and CE Routers
• Lab 5-4: Running BGP Between PE and CE Routers
• Lab 6-1: Establishing Overlapping VPNs
• Lab 6-2: Merging Service Providers
• Lab 6-3: Establishing a Common Services VPN
• Lab 7-1: Establishing Central Site Internet Connectivity with an MPLS VPN
• Lab 8-1: Implementing Basic MPLS TE

The knowledge and skills that a learner must have before attending this course include the following:

• Cisco CCNA® certification or the equivalent level of working knowledge and experience
• Building Scalable Cisco Internetworks
• Configuring BGP on Cisco Routers