What is MPLS: Answer to All Your Questions

MPLS loosely translates into a multi-protocol label switching system. It is a way to ensure reliable connections for real-time applications but it is extremely expensive to do so. It is simply a technique and many users out there confuse it with a service, it can deliver high-fi bandwidth for the wireless as well as the LAN networking but illogically it is extremely expensive and that is why common people/users use WAN as its alternative.

Order tracking is the most common thing that brings about the use of the MPLS system where an order is being tracked all the way from the shipping yard until it has made its entry at the buyer's door. It maintains and develops pre-determined highly efficient routes where everything is assigned properly such as how would the package be transported from one location to another and what preparations must be done in advance to ensure that the shipping of the product maintains the exact ETA as provided to the buyer.

Why MPLS is a necessary evil?

With the help of MPLS, the users are able to handle packets that have consistently particular characteristics in a steady way. The audio, video, or some other sort of surveillance system can be easily mapped to the low latency routes across the whole network which is an extremely difficult feat to pull off with the conventional routing systems. 

With the help of a pre-planned setup, the labels would be able to provide a way to attach additional information with the package such as in this case the package that needs to be tracked all the way until it reaches the buyer.

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MPLS related certification

CCNA is a routing and switching certification offered by CISCO technologies, the certification carries all the pros and cons as well as specific instructions that can help the users to grasp a perfect analogy of what MPLS means and what it is used for. MPLS configurations are all different, shockingly enough you might see a different IP address, configuration as well as port allocation with the CCNA training and exam questions.

This is another thing that makes exams and theories really tough and complicated for the common user to grasp. For your ease and satisfaction following is a list of questions that are often asked within the CCNA certification and a few that you must come around no matter what;

Question; which routing protocol do MPLS providers typically use internally in the provider’s network?

Talking about the internal routing plan, the MPLS providers have to use Multiprotocol border gateway protocol. The reason behind this approach is that this protocol can advertise or stream multiple routes while allowing a tentative separation between the customer’s routes.

Question; which private WAN technology should you recommend given the organization uses variable physical connectivity paths?

Multi-protocol label switching or MPLS would be the right candidate to go with, why? Because it allows for varied access links such as the serial leased lines, metro Ethernet, frame relay, and so on so. You can form a private WAN without having to interrupt or change the variable physical connectivity paths.

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Question; when using MPLS and OSPF, the PE routers function as what?

There is an area 0 or the backbone area that serves as the alpha internet connection center. CE routers can’t create the neighbor ships with other sites and that is MPLS PE needs to be dragged into the mix for either extending the area 0 or creating a separate area 0 network that is called the super backbone. 

Question; the customer can configure all of the EIGRP routers to use the same Autonomous System Number (ASN) is this statement correct?

Yes, of course, the customer has the liberty and the resources to configure each and every site with a different autonomous system number called ASN for the EIGRP, or all the sites can be configured with the same ASN. Truly, it depends on the type of site and what are the requirements of the user about a given site.

Benefits of using MPLS

There are various benefits of using the MPLS systems, some of them include scalability, performance, better bandwidth allocation, and utilization and a better end-user experience as well. There are no encryptions provided by the MPLS systems or networks but then it is alright because MPLS in itself is a virtual private network that is completely separate from the public network. It is therefore considered a secure transport mode and is not submissive to the Denial of Service attacks which regularly impact the pure-IP based networks in the long run.          

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