AR Series Routers VRP3.

30 Training Presentation Slides

MPLS L2 VPN
ISSUE 1.0

Huawei-3Com Training Center

Objectives
Provide

a architectural overview to MPLS

L2 VPN
Give

a rough discussion to data flow of

general MPLS L2 VPN

Provide

a general discussion to Martini

and Kompella signaling method

Course Contents
MPLS L2 VPN Overview
MPLS L2 VPN Data Flow
Signaling Methods

Whats L2 VPN
rt5

rt2

dlci:506
dlci:504

dlci:201
dlci:203

SB

We will refer to these VPNs as

"Layer 2 VPNs" because the
service provider providers only a
layer 2 interface to its customer,
and the customer is responsible
for creating and managing the
layer 3 overlay.

rt1
dlci:102
dlci:103

SC
Frame Relay Network

dlci:605
dlci:604
dlci:302

dlci:405

SA
dlci:406

rt6

rt3

dlci:301

rt4

Traditional

L2 VPN is based on circuit-like technology.

It just use virtual circuit to construct connections among VPN

sites.

It provide better flexibility than leased line.

Problems of Traditional L2 VPN

However, many of these service providers would like to replace their
Frame Relay or ATM infrastructures with an IP infrastructure.
Problems

Too complex control information

Too much configuration Jobs

Total system has to share same l2 technology.

MPLS

L2 VPN intends to solve all these problems by following

technologies:

Solution 1: Tunnel Technology

Solution 2: Pre-provision

Solution 3: IP Backbone

Basic Scenarios of MPLS L2 VPN

rt5

rt2
dlci:201
dlci:506

dlci:504

dlci:203

rt1
dlci:605

dlci:102
dlci:103

rt6

dlci:604
dlci:302

dlci:405

rt3

dlci:301
rt4

dlci:406

Tunnel
Emulated Virtual Circuit

Obviously,

this solution provide better scalability and flexibility.

Whats tunnel?
Label:17

A
B

LFIB of A
in

Label:18

Label:101

NHLFE

in

push 17, send to B

101 pop, send to up layer

Tunnel

LFIB of B

NHLFE

Label:100
in

LFIB of C

NHLFE

17 Swap 18, send to C

18 pop, send to up layer

100 Swap 101, send to A

push 100, send to B

just has the traditional meanings. Tunnel here just

could be GRE or other tunnel. Certainly, two MPLS LSPs can

do same job.
X

and Y here indicate the data transported in the tunnel.

Whats Emulated VC?

Below

scenarios illustrate how to connect 2 local Frame Relay

DLCI by 2 MPLS LSP emulated VC in a MPLS tunnel.

(Question: why we need tunnel?)
EVC LSP
dlci 150

1000

LFIB of A
in
NHLFE

101

B
2000
LFIB of B

Dlci:150 push 1000, send to C

C

18

17
101

in

Tunnel LSP

NHLFE

C
dlci 250

100

in

NHLFE

LFIB of C

Dlci:250 push 2000, send to A

push 17, send to B

17 Swap 18, send to C

pop, send to up layer

100 Swap 101, send to A

18 pop, send to up layer

1000

2000 pop, send to dlci 150

push 100, send to B

send to dlci 250

How do these VCs and tunnels work?

L2 frame
150

250

18 1000

17 1000
A

C
B

LFIB of A
in
NHLFE

LFIB of B

Dlci:150 push 1000, send to C

C
101

in

NHLFE

in

NHLFE

LFIB of C

Dlci:250 push 2000, send to A

push 17, send to B

17 Swap 18, send to C

pop, send to up layer

100 Swap 101, send to A

18 pop, send to up layer

1000

2000 pop, send to dlci 150

This

is MPLS L2 VPN!

push 100, send to B

send to dlci 250

But MPLS L2 VPN is not only this!

We

have seen basic thoughts of MPLS L2 VPN. But that not all.

Since following essential questions still havent been answered:

How to transmit L2 data in the MPLS network according control

information which is illustrated in before slides?
Whats the encapsulation?
How to simulate different l2 network behaviors in MPLS network?

How to establish all the control information?

How to establish the tunnel?
How to establish the EVC (Emulated Virtual Circuit)?

10

Course Contents
MPLS L2 VPN Overview
MPLS L2 VPN Data Flow
Signaling Methods

11

MPLS L2VPN Data Flow

L2

Encapsulation

Data

12

Flow Model

L2 Data Encapsulation
Generally,

L2 data transmitted in backbone has 3 parts of

encapsulation:

Tunnel Header
It contains the information needed to transport the L2 PDU across
backbone;

Demultiplexer Field
It is used to distinguish individual emulated virtual circuits within a
single tunnel;

Emulated VC Encapsulation
It contains the information about the enclosed layer 2 PDU which is
necessary in order to properly emulate the corresponding layer 2
protocol.

13

Tunnel & Demultiplexer Encapsulation

Tunnel

here could be based on any tunnel encapsulation

technology: MPLS, GRE, etc.

MPLS
Here

label should be used be as demultiplexer Field.

is a typical encapsulation manner:

S

Tunnel Label

EXP

14

S
TTL

EVC Label

EXP

TTL

Emulated VC Encapsulation
Quotes

from draft-martini-l2circuit-encap-mpls-04.txt

In most cases, it is not necessary to transport the layer 2

encapsulation across the network; rather, the layer 2 header
can be stripped at R1(the ingress edge router), and reproduced
at R2(the egress edge router). This is done using information
carried in the

control word, as well as information that

may already have been signaled from R1 to R2.

Tunnel

Demultiplexer Control word

15

L2 Encapsulations

Control Word Details

Flags
The

is protocol specific.

value of the length field, if non-zero, can be used to

remove any padding.

The

sequence number could be used to guarantee ordered

packet delivery.

16

Layer 2 Frame Encapsulation

Layer

2 frames could be transmitted

Frame Relay

ATM AAL5 CPCS-SDU

ATM Cell

Ethernet VLAN

Ethernet

HDLC

PPP

Following are the Protocol-Specific Details for flags

17

Frame Relay

B:

BECN

F:

FECN

D:

DE

C:

C/R

18

ATM AAL5 CPCS-SDU

T: Transport

type

E:

EFCI

L:

CLP

C:

Command / Response

19

Ethernet VLAN & Ethernet

Ethernet

frame without the preamble or FCS is transported as

a single packet. The control word is OPTIONAL.

The

4 byte VLAN tag is transported as is, and MAY be

overwritten by the egress router.

20

PPP & HDLC

The

HDLC PDU is transported in its entirety, including the

HDLC address, control and protocol fields, but excluding

HDLC flags and the FCS.
The

PPP PDU is transported in its entirety, including the

protocol field, but excluding any media-specific framing

information, such as HDLC address and control fields or FCS.

21

MPLS L2VPN Data Flow

L2

Encapsulation

Data

22

Flow Model

L2 Data Flow Model

What

MPLS L2 VPN stipulate is L2 network, and all L2

network could be classified as:

LAN: Ethernet, Ethernet with VLAN

WAN: Frame Relay, ATM, HDLC, PPP, Ethernet (PTP), Ethernet

with VLAN (PTP)

So,

all MPLS L2 VPN could be classified as:

VPLS: Virtual private LAN service

VPWS: Virtual private Wire service

23

VPWS Scenarios
CE2
dlci:201

PE2

dlci:102
CE1

dlci:203

dlci:103

dlci:302 CE3

PE3

PE1
VPWS

dlci:301

provide simple point-to-point services. CE must

configure a VC to any site it willing to communicate with.

24

PE Model
PE

model in VPWS is very simple: they just works the same

thing like WAN switch. Just take MPLS-emulated VC like PVC

in frame relay network. (Another approximated conclusion is:
Just take tunnel as interface, and take EVC as PVC)

25

VPWS Data Forwarding Information

Before

L2 data forwarding happening, all equipment involved

must have the forwarding information established.

IP
CE2

DLCI

IN

102

100

NHLFE

IP

swap 101, send to PE2

CE1

CE2

CE1
P
PE2

PE1

IN
102

NHLFE

IN

push 1000; push 100, send to P

26

NHLFE

101

pop; send to up layer

1000

pop; send DLCI 201

DLCI
201

VPWS Data Flow

CE2
dlci:201

201
demultiplexer
control word
tunnel

PE2

dlci:203

1001000

102

dlci:102
dlci:103

CE1

dlci:302 CE3
dlci:301

PE1

The
In

PE3

forwarding action is simple: just searching and sending.

order to communication with CE2 & CE3, CE1 has to

configure 2 address maps. The total system works like a

Frame Relay network.

27

VPLS Scenarios
CE2

PE2

P
CE1
CE3

PE3

PE1
VPLS

provide an LAN-like services. Any CE only need 1

connection to PE.

28

PE Model
PE

here simulate a virtual LAN switch for each VPN. VSI

works in a same manner with LAN Switch.

MAC Address Table

Physical Ethernet Interfaces

MAC Interface

Logical Ethernet Interfaces

Control Flow
Tunnel LSP

Data Flow

incoming LSP

Forwarding Engine

out going LSP

VSI: Virtual Switching Instances

29

VPLS Forwarding Information

Just

like LAN switch, VPLS forwarding information is not

completely established before data forwarding happen.

VSI has been established before the happening of data

forwarding, which means that MPLS tunnel and VC LSP has
been established.

MAC address table contents are dynamically maintained by

forwarding action.

30

VPLS Data Flow

When

data forwarding happens, VPLS dynamically establish

some control information (Just like LAN Switch).

CE2
VSI of the VPLS in PE1
MAC

Interface

E0

E0

Interface

E1

PE2

MAC address table Interface List

E0

A, B

Attributes

MAC

E0

E0

Physical Link

VIF 0

out lsp:(100, 1000)

in lsp:(201,2000)

VIF 1

out lsp:(150, 1500)

in lsp:(301,3000)

101 1000 A, B

Interface

E1

VSI of the VPLS in PE2

MAC address table Interface List

E0

E1
CE1

A, B

A, B

100 1000 A, B

MAC

Interface

Interface

Attributes

VIF 0

E0

Physical Link

VIF 0

out lsp:(200, 2000)

in lsp:(101,1000)

VIF 1

out lsp:(250, 2500)

in lsp:(301,3000)

E0

PE1
IN

150 1500 A, B

P
151 1500 A, B

NHLFE

100

Swap 101, send to PE2;

150

Swap 151, send to PE3;

200

Swap 201, send to PE1;

MAC address table Interface List

250

Swap 251, send to PE3;

MAC

300

Swap 301, send to PE1;

350

Swap 351, send to PE2;

PE3
VSI of the VPLS in PE3

31

Interface
VIF 0

A, B
E0

E1 CE3

MAC

Interface

E1

E0

Interface

Attributes

E0

Physical Link

VIF 0

out lsp:(300, 3000)

in lsp:(151,1500)

VIF 1

out lsp:(350, 3500)

in lsp:(251,2500)

Course Contents
MPLS L2 VPN Overview
MPLS L2 VPN Data Flow
Signaling Methods

32

Signaling Methods

General
Martini

Concept

Method

Kompella

33

Method

General Concept
Signaling

is not an very accuracy item. Basically, signaling

here has relation with following three technologies:

Tunnel Signaling

VC Signaling

VPN Topology Discovery

34

Tunnel Signaling
Tunnel

Signaling is the technology used to establish tunnel.

Some of them are used very widely (not limit in L2 VPN):

MPLS Tunnel
LDP/CR-LDP
RSVP-TE

PE

PE

Traditional Tunnel
L2TP
GRE

IPSEC

PE

35

VC Signaling
VC

signaling means the technology used to establish

emulated VC between PES. Major differences among different

MPLS L2 VPN technologies lies in this point.
Typical

VPWS technologies

Martini Solution (LDP)

Kompella Solution (BGP)

Typical

CE
Dlci 290, name vc1

I bind vc1 with label1000

VPLS technologies

Martini Extensive Solution (LDP)

Other Solutions (LDP or BGP)

I bind vc1 with label2000

PE

Dlci 190, name vc1

CE

36

PE

VPN Topology Discovery

VPN

topology discovery means the distribution of the site

information that make up of VPN. It is a very important

element of constructing scalable L2 VPN.
Most

implementation adopts BGP as topology discovering

technology.
VPLS V1

VPLS V1

37

VPLS V1

Signaling Methods

General
Martini

Concept

Method

Kompella

38

Method

Martini MPLS L2 VPN

Martini

L2 VPN is defined by following 2 drafts:

draft-martini-l2circuit-encap-mpls-04

draft-martini-l2circuit-trans-mpls-08

Martini

solution is a VPWS technology:

Tunnel Signaling Technology: LDP

VC Signaling Technology: LDP Remote Peer

39

Basic Thoughts of Martini Signaling

Major

tasks of Martini Signaling are:

Tunnel signaling
LDP is used to establish MPLS tunnels between PEs. However,
other tunnels also could be used.

VC signaling
PE names each attached VC by a 32 bits number: VC-ID.
LDP remote peer relationship is established between 2 PES, then it
is used to distribute and maintain label & VC bindings.
(1,1000;PE1)
(1,2000;PE2)

VC-ID:1
DLCI:100 PE1

PE2

CE1

40

VC-ID:1
DLCI:200
CE2

How could LDP do it?

A

new LDP FEC TLV is defined:

VC FEC

41

Fields in VC FEC
C

= 1 means control word will present on this VC.

VC

Type: Frame Relay DLCI, ATM AAL5 VCC transport, ATM

transparent cell transport, Ethernet VLAN, Ethernet, HDLC,

PPP, CEM, ATM VCC cell transport, ATM VPC cell transport
Group

ID: An arbitrary 32 bit value which represents a group

of VCs that is used to create groups in the VC space.

VC

ID: A non zero 32-bit connection ID that together with the

VC type, identifies a particular VC.

Interface parameters: This variable length field is used to

provide interface specific parameters, such as interface MTU.

42

Signaling Details
Tunnel

IN

Signaling

It could be based on any form of signaling technology.

NHLFE

IN

push 201, send to b

pop, send to up layer

PE2
100

NHLFE
push 101, send to c
pop, send to up layer

PE1
200

LDP Label Mapping

DCLI 500

PE1

d
(PE1,100;a)
(PE2,201;b)

CE1

IN
100
200

NHLFE

b
P

(PE1,101;c)

DCLI 600

(PE2,200;d)

Swap 101, send to d

Swap 201, send to a

43

PE2

CE1

Signaling Details
VC

IN

Signaling
LDP Remote Peer, Downstream Unsolicited label distribution
IN

NHLFE

PE2
100
dlci 500
1000

NHLFE
push 101, send to c
pop, send to up layer
push 1000, send to PE1
pop, send to dlci 600

PE1
200
dlci 600
2000

push 201, send to b

pop, send to up layer
push 2000, send to PE2
pop, send to dlci 500

(VC1,1000;PE1)
DCLI 500

CE1

PE1

IN

(VC1,2000;PE2)

b
NHLFE

PE2

44

DCLI 600

Swap 101, send to d

Swap 201, send to a

100
200

CE1

Summary of Martini Solution

Its

simple, and so it is efficient. (VPLS signaling could be

simply based this solution).

It

just provide point to point connecting services, so it seems

that it is too simple.

45

Signaling Methods

General
Martini

Concept

Method

Kompella

46

Method

Kompella MPLS L2VPN Solution

Kompella

draft-martini-l2circuit-encap-mpls-04

draft-kompella-ppvpn-l2vpn-00.txt

Kompella

solution is defined by following 2 drafts

solution is a VPWS technology:

Tunnel Signaling Technology: LDP

VC Signaling Technology: BGP

significant features

Topology auto discovery

Auto Configuration

47

General Concept
Kompella

is a similar L2 VPN solution as Martini solution

They share same tunnel technology.

They are based on similar transporting encapsulation.

Basic thoughts of VC signaling are same: establish a binding

between 2 simplex LSP and a VC.

Compares

to Martini solution, Kompella solution provides 3

additional features

Topology auto discovery. (Martini just provide point to point

connection services)

Automatic configuration. (Just plug CE, then it will work) .

Layer 2 interworking.

48

Basic Thoughts of Kompella Signaling

Signaling

Protocols

MBGP(BGP Multiprotocol Extensions): A series of extended

communities are defined. They are used both for topology
discovery and VC signaling.

Basic

thoughts of Kompella Signaling

PE identify each attached CE with a CE-ID. CE-IDs are unique

in the scope of one VPN.

PE use MBGP to distribute bindings of each attached CE (say

CEI) with a list of labels to all other PEs. Any other PE will pick
one label in the list for the VC encapsulation when it want to
forward traffic from one of its own attached CE to CEI.

BGP extended community RT (Route Target) is used to

distinguish different VPNs.

49

Rough Overview-Tunnel Signaling

By

common LDP (or other tunnel technology), tunnels could

be established between all PEs.

IN

NHLFE

PEB

Push 201, send from a;

PEC

Push 301, send from a;

100

Pop, send to up layer;

150

Pop, send to up layer;

PEA

IN

NHLFE

PEA

Push 101, send from b;

PEC

Push 351, send from b;

200

Pop, send to up layer;

250

Pop, send to up layer;

PEB

CE:1

CE:2

c
PEC
CE:3

50

B
IN

NHLFE

PEA

Push 151, send from c;

PEB

Push 251, send from c;

300

Pop, send to up layer;

350

Pop, send to up layer;

Rough Overview-VC Signaling

IN

NHLFE

1-2

Push 2000, send to PEB;

1-3

Push 3000, send to PEC;

1000

Pop, send to up layer;

1001

Pop, send to up layer;

Here need a mapping algorithm!

RT(100:1),CE-ID(1),
Label Block(1000, 1001)

PEA

CE:1

NHLFE

2-1

Push 1000, send to PEA;

2-3

Push 3001, send to PEC;

2000

Pop, send to up layer;

2001

Pop, send to up layer;

RT(100:1),CE-ID(2),
Label Block(2000, 2001)
RT(100:1),CE-ID(1),
Label Block(1000, 1001)

RT(100:1),CE-ID(3),
Label Block(3000, 3001)

PEB

RT(100:1),CE-ID(3),
Label Block(2000, 2001)

RT(100:1),CE-ID(3),
Label Block(3000, 3001)

PEC
CE:3

C
You

IN

IN

NHLFE

3-1

Push 1001, send to PEA;

3-2

Push 2001, send to PEB;

3000

Pop, send to up layer;

3001

Pop, send to up layer;

neednt configure CE-CE connections manually!

51

CE:2

Rough Overview: Data Flow

IN

NHLFE

IN

NHLFE

1-2

Push 2000, push 201; send from a;

2-1

Push 1000, push 101; send from b;

1-3

Push 3000, push 301; send from a;

2-3

Push 3001, push 351; send from b;

1000

Pop, send from 2-1;

2000

Pop, send from 1-2;

1001

Pop, send from 3-1;

Pop, send from 3-2;

Pop, send to up layer;

201 2000

2001

100

200

Pop, send to up layer;

150

Pop, send to up layer;

1->2

250

Pop, send to up layer;

PEA
PEB

CE:1

CE:2

351 2001

151 1001
3->1

2->3
PEC
CE:3

52

IN

NHLFE

3-1

Push 1001, push 151; send from c;

3-2

Push 2001, push 251; send from c;

3000

Pop, send from 1-3;

3001

Pop, send from 2-3;

300

Pop, send to up layer;

350

Pop, send to up layer;

CE-Labels Binding: Analysis

As

we have discussed, Its naturally to ask all labels bind with one CE

should be continuous.
Could

it be one contiguous block?

The amounts of labels of a CE reflects amounts of remote CEs it need to

connect with. When a new CE is added to the VPN, and if one
contiguous label block is used, here are following 2 solutions:
Reallocation: Reallocate attached added VC and reallocate all labels bound
with the respect CE.
Pre-provision: pre-allocate local VCs (Frame Relay DLCIs, ATM VPI/VCIs
etc. ) and labels corresponded for future usage.

Reallocation is not a good solution. Pre-provision is a good idea, but you

could not always know everything in the future.

So, following label space arrangement is used in this solution.

53

CE-Labels Binding: label space arrangement

Basic

thoughts

All labels bound with a CE is composed of a number of label

block.

A label block is a set of contiguous labels.

Some

9 DLCIs:
100-109

concepts

CE Range; Label block ( Label base, Label range); Block Offset.

Here label 1000 is just used

for algorithm simplicity.

Block Offset: 1
1000 1001 1002 1003
Label Base: 1000
Label Range: 4

Labels bound with

this CE could be:
5

2000 2001 2002

3000 3001 3002

Label Base: 2000

Label Range:3

Label Base: 3000

Label Range: 3

54

CE1
Its range is 9.
It intends to
connect with
CE2 to CE10

CE-Labels Binding: Distribution & Usage

Suppose

CE1 we just discussed is in a below network:

PEB will use choose label 2001 for CE6->CE1 traffic.

1

1000 1001 1002 1003

2000 2001 2002

6->1

PEA

PEB

CE6

CE1

55

3000 3001 3002

How could BGP do this?

A

new AFI for L2-VPN, a new SAFI, and also a new NLRI

format

for

carrying

the

individual

L2-VPN

label-block

information are introduced to MBGP.

L2VPN

NLRIs MUST be accompanied by one or more

extended communities. RT is one of them.

RD is used to distinguish bindings
belong to different VPNs.

Example: Circuit Status Vector TLV.

56

BGP Extended Communities for L2VPN

Route

Target

It is used to construct VPN topology.

Layer2-Info

Extended Community

It is used to carry layer 2 specific information in a VPN.

57

L2 Interworking
Kompella

solution of MPLS L2 VPN could provide Layer 2

interworking, where there is no restriction on Layer 2, but

Layer 3 must be IP.
The

idea is straight: only transport IP packets in the

backbone. The encapsulation is:

58

Questions

59

Thank You !
Huawei-3Com Technology Co., Ltd.
www.huawei-3com.com