MPLS Label

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 MPLS Unicast IP Routing
 MPLS introduces a new field that is used for
forwarding decisions.
 Although labels are locally significant, they have to
be advertised to directly reachable peers.
• One option would be to include this parameter into
existing IP routing protocols.
• The other option is to create a new protocol to
exchange labels.
 The second option has been used because there are
too many existing IP routing protocols that would
have to be modified to carry labels.

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 Label Distribution Protocol
 Defined in RFC 3036 and 3037
 Used to distribute labels in a MPLS network
 Forwarding equivalence class
• How packets are mapped to LSPs (Label
Switched Paths)
 Advertise labels per FEC
• Reach destination a.b.c.d with label x
 Neighbor discovery
• Basic and extended discovery

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 MPLS Unicast IP Routing Architecture

LSR
Exchange of Control plane
routing information
Routing protocol

IP routing table
Exchange of
labels
Label distribution protocol

Incoming Data plane Outgoing

IP packets IP packets
IP forwarding table
Incoming Outgoing
labeled packets labeled packets
Label forwarding table

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 MPLS Unicast IP Routing: Example

LSR
Control plane
OSPF: 10.0.0.0/8  1.2.3.4 OSPF: 10.0.0.0/8

RT: 10.0.0.0/8  1.2.3.4

LIB:

Data plane
10.1.1.1 FIB: 10.0.0.0/8  1.2.3.4 10.1.1.1

L=5 10.1.1.1 LFIB:

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 MPLS Unicast IP Routing: Example

LSR
Control plane
OSPF: 10.0.0.0/8  1.2.3.4 OSPF: 10.0.0.0/8

RT: 10.0.0.0/8  1.2.3.4

LDP: 10.0.0.0/8, L=5 LIB: 10.0.0.0/8  Next-hop L=3, Local L=5 LDP: 10.0.0.0/8, L=3

Data plane
10.1.1.1 FIB: 10.0.0.0/8  1.2.3.4 , L=3 L=3 10.1.1.1

L=5 10.1.1.1 LFIB: L=5  L=3 L=3 10.1.1.1

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 Label Allocation in Packet-Mode MPLS Environment

Label allocation and distribution in packet-mode MPLS

environment follows these steps:
• 1. IP routing protocols build the IP routing table.
• 2. Each LSR assigns a label to every destination in the IP
routing table independently.
• 3. LSRs announce their assigned labels to all other LSRs.
• 4. Every LSR builds its LIB, LFIB data structures based on
received labels.

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 Building the IP Routing Table

Routing table of A Routing table of B Routing table of C

Network Next-hop Network Next-hop Network Next-hop
X B X C X D

A B C D
FIB on A
Network Next hop Label Routing table of E Network X
X B — E Network Next-hop
X C

 IP routing protocols are used to build IP routing tables on all

LSRs.
 Forwarding tables (FIB) are built based on IP routing tables
with no labeling information.
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 Allocating Labels

Routing table of B
Router B assigns label 25 to
Network Next-hop
X C
destination X.

A B C D

Network X
E

 Every LSR allocates a label for every destination in the IP routing

table.
 Labels have local significance.
 Label allocations are asynchronous.
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 LIB and LFIB Set-up

Routing table of B
Router B assigns label 25 to
Network Next-hop
X C
destination X.

A B C D
Outgoing action is POP as B has
LFIB on B
Label Action Next hop received no label for X from
Network X C.
E
25 pop C
LIB on B Local label is stored in LIB.
Network LSR label
X local 25

LIB and LFIB structures have to be initialized on the LSR

allocating the label.
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 Label Distribution

LIB on B
Network LSR label
X local 25

X = 25 X = 25

A B C D

Network X
E

The allocated label is advertised to all neighbor LSRs, regardless

of whether the neighbors are upstream or downstream LSRs for
the destination.

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 Receiving Label Advertisement

LIB on A LIB on C
Network LSR label Network LSR label
X B 25 X B 25
X = 25 X = 25

A B C D
FIB on A
Network Next hop Label Network X
X B 25 E
LIB on E
Network LSR label
X B 25

 Every LSR stores the received label in its LIB.

 Edge LSRs that receive the label from their next-hop also store
the label information in the FIB.
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 Interim Packet Propagation

Label lookup is performed in

LFIB on B
LFIB, label is removed.
Label Action Next hop
25 pop C

IP: X Lab: 25 IP: X

A B C

FIB on A
Network Next hop Label
X B 25 E

IP lookup is performed in
FIB, packet is labeled.

Forwarded IP packets are labeled only on the path segments

where the labels have already been assigned.
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 Further Label Allocation

LIB on C
Network LSR label
X B 25
local 47
X = 47

A B C D

Router C assigns label 47 to

destination X. X
Network
E
LFIB on C
Label Action Next hop
47 pop D

Every LSR will eventually assign a label for every destination.

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 Receiving Label Advertisement

FIB on B LIB on B
Network Next hop Label Network LSR label
X C 47 X local 25
C 47
X = 47

A B C D

Network X
E
FIB on E LIB on E
Network Next hop Label Network LSR label
X C 47 X B 25
C 47
 Every LSR stores received information in its LIB.
 LSRs that receive their label from their next-hop LSR will also
populate the IP forwarding table (FIB).
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 Populating LFIB

FIB on B LIB on B
Network Next hop Label Network LSR label
X C 47 X local 25
C 47
X = 47

A B C D

LFIB on B
Label Action Next hop Network X

25 47 C E

 Router B has already assigned label to X and created an entry

in LFIB.
 Outgoing label is inserted in LFIB after the label is received
from the next-hop LSR.
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 Packet Propagation Across MPLS Network

Label lookup is performed in

LFIB on B
LFIB, label is switched.
Label Action Next hop
Ingress LSR 25 47 C
Egress LSR

IP: X Lab: 25 Lab: 47 IP: X

A B C

FIB on A LFIB on C
Network Next hop Label Label Action Next hop
X B 25 E 47 pop D

IP lookup is performed in
FIB, packet is labeled.
Label lookup is performed in
LFIB, label is removed.

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 Convergence in Packet-mode MPLS

Routing table of B FIB on B

Network Next-hop Network Next hop Label
X C X C 47

A B C D
LIB on B
Network LSR label Network X
X local 25 E
C 47
E 75
LFIB on B
Label Action Next hop
25 47 C

 After the LSRs have exchanged the labels, LIB, LFIB and FIB
data structures are completely populated.
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 Link Failure Actions

Routing table of B FIB on B

Network Next-hop Network Next hop Label
X C X C 47

A B
 C D
LIB on B
Network LSR label Network X
X local 25 E
C 47
E 75
LFIB on B
 Routing protocol neighbors and
Label Action Next hop LDP neighbors are lost after a
25 47 C link failure.
 Entries are removed from
various data structures.
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 Routing Protocol Convergence

Routing table of B FIB on B

Network Next-hop Network Next hop Label
X E X E —

A B
 C D
LIB on B
Network LSR label Network X
X local 25 E
C 47
E 75
Routing protocols rebuild the IP
LFIB on B routing table and the IP forwarding
Label Action Next hop
table.
25 47 C

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 MPLS Convergence

Routing table of B FIB on B

Network Next-hop Network Next hop Label
X E X E 75

A B
 C D
LIB on B
Network LSR label Network X
X local 25 E
C 47
E 75
LFIB and labeling information in
LFIB on B
Label Action Next hop
FIB are rebuilt immediately after
25 75 E
the routing protocol convergence,
based on labels stored in LIB.

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Chapter 1
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