MPLS and its Application in Virtual Private Networks (L2VPNs and L3VPNs)

Abstract

The need for an architecture containing all benefits from previous technologies ended in the creation of a new architecture MPLS by the IETF and its MPLS workgroup, in 1997. For telecommunications operators, this solution brought about the possibility to offer different services that cannot be provided using traditional IP routing techniques such as QoS in IP networks, Traffic Engineering and Virtual Private Networks (MPLS/VPN). MPLS allows the integration of IP level to any of the current techniques at the link level like FR, ATM, Ethernet, etc. This article examines the present status of Layer 3 — MPLS/VPN-BGP MPLS/VPN — and Layer 2 — EoMPLS, ATMoMPLS, FRoMPLS, PPPoMPLS, HDLCoMPLS —, and gives useful conclusions for services providers, especially the Data Transmission Business Unit of ETECSA.