Podcast
Questions and Answers
What is the default intersite IP topology in an MPLS-VPN implementation?
What is the default intersite IP topology in an MPLS-VPN implementation?
What is the purpose of the inner label in an MPLS-VPN forwarding mechanism?
What is the purpose of the inner label in an MPLS-VPN forwarding mechanism?
What routing protocol is mandated by RFC 2547 for exchanging prefixes and labels between PE devices in an MPLS-VPN network?
What routing protocol is mandated by RFC 2547 for exchanging prefixes and labels between PE devices in an MPLS-VPN network?
How do CE devices advertise routes to PE devices in an MPLS-VPN network?
How do CE devices advertise routes to PE devices in an MPLS-VPN network?
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What is the benefit of MPLS-VPN over dedicated WAN connections between sites?
What is the benefit of MPLS-VPN over dedicated WAN connections between sites?
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What is the purpose of the outer label in an MPLS-VPN forwarding mechanism?
What is the purpose of the outer label in an MPLS-VPN forwarding mechanism?
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How do service providers carry packets to customer routes in an MPLS-VPN network?
How do service providers carry packets to customer routes in an MPLS-VPN network?
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What protocol is CE red1 using to advertise the 192.168.4.0/24 prefix to PE A?
What protocol is CE red1 using to advertise the 192.168.4.0/24 prefix to PE A?
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What routing protocol does CE green2 use?
What routing protocol does CE green2 use?
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What is the purpose of PE A in the MPLS-based Layer 3 VPN configuration?
What is the purpose of PE A in the MPLS-based Layer 3 VPN configuration?
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What is the function of iBGP in the MPLS-based Layer 3 VPN configuration?
What is the function of iBGP in the MPLS-based Layer 3 VPN configuration?
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What is the next hop for the 192.168.4.0 route on CE red2?
What is the next hop for the 192.168.4.0 route on CE red2?
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How does PE A identify the next hop for a packet going from CE green1 to CE green2?
How does PE A identify the next hop for a packet going from CE green1 to CE green2?
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What is the purpose of the label imposed by PE A on the packet going from CE green1 to CE green2?
What is the purpose of the label imposed by PE A on the packet going from CE green1 to CE green2?
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How does PE A find the route to 192.168.3.0?
How does PE A find the route to 192.168.3.0?
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What is the topology of the iBGP sessions between the PEs?
What is the topology of the iBGP sessions between the PEs?
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What type of VPN is configured in the given example?
What type of VPN is configured in the given example?
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What is the purpose of the 'tag-switching ip' command in the interface configuration?
What is the purpose of the 'tag-switching ip' command in the interface configuration?
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What is a mandatory attribute of every VPN on a Cisco router?
What is a mandatory attribute of every VPN on a Cisco router?
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What is used to establish route reachability within an MPLS VPN?
What is used to establish route reachability within an MPLS VPN?
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How many iBGP sessions are established in the given example?
How many iBGP sessions are established in the given example?
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What is the purpose of a route-target in BGP?
What is the purpose of a route-target in BGP?
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What is the purpose of the 'route-target both 101:1' command in the VRF configuration?
What is the purpose of the 'route-target both 101:1' command in the VRF configuration?
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What is the IP address of the Loopback0 interface?
What is the IP address of the Loopback0 interface?
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What is the function of a route-distinguisher in BGP?
What is the function of a route-distinguisher in BGP?
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What is carried in BGP updates in an MPLS VPN?
What is carried in BGP updates in an MPLS VPN?
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What is the VRF name configured in the given example?
What is the VRF name configured in the given example?
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What is the purpose of the 'ip vrf forwarding RED' command?
What is the purpose of the 'ip vrf forwarding RED' command?
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What is the purpose of the import value in a route-target?
What is the purpose of the import value in a route-target?
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What is the purpose of the 'rd 101:1' command in the VRF configuration?
What is the purpose of the 'rd 101:1' command in the VRF configuration?
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Why is a route-distinguisher used in an MPLS VPN?
Why is a route-distinguisher used in an MPLS VPN?
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What is a characteristic of route-targets in an MPLS VPN?
What is a characteristic of route-targets in an MPLS VPN?
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What is the main application of MPLS that has caused the most interest?
What is the main application of MPLS that has caused the most interest?
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What type of routers exchange routes with service provider edge routers?
What type of routers exchange routes with service provider edge routers?
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What prevents a CE-PE link from being shared with other customer traffic?
What prevents a CE-PE link from being shared with other customer traffic?
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What connects customer sites in an MPLS-VPN reference architecture?
What connects customer sites in an MPLS-VPN reference architecture?
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What is a key characteristic of an MPLS-VPN service?
What is a key characteristic of an MPLS-VPN service?
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What is the function of a PE router in an MPLS-VPN reference architecture?
What is the function of a PE router in an MPLS-VPN reference architecture?
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What is the purpose of a VRF in an MPLS-VPN configuration?
What is the purpose of a VRF in an MPLS-VPN configuration?
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What is the benefit of an MPLS-VPN service over dedicated WAN connections?
What is the benefit of an MPLS-VPN service over dedicated WAN connections?
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What is the purpose of the 'ip vrf forwarding RED' command?
What is the purpose of the 'ip vrf forwarding RED' command?
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What is the function of the 'rd 101:1' command in the VRF configuration?
What is the function of the 'rd 101:1' command in the VRF configuration?
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What is the purpose of the 'route-target both 101:1' command in the VRF configuration?
What is the purpose of the 'route-target both 101:1' command in the VRF configuration?
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What is the IP address of the Loopback0 interface?
What is the IP address of the Loopback0 interface?
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How many iBGP sessions are established in the given example?
How many iBGP sessions are established in the given example?
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What is the VRF name configured in the given example?
What is the VRF name configured in the given example?
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What is the purpose of a route-target in BGP?
What is the purpose of a route-target in BGP?
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What is carried in BGP updates in an MPLS VPN?
What is carried in BGP updates in an MPLS VPN?
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What is the label imposed by PE A to identify the next-hop LSR on the IGP path to PE D?
What is the label imposed by PE A to identify the next-hop LSR on the IGP path to PE D?
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What do the LSRs in the core have visibility of?
What do the LSRs in the core have visibility of?
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What is used to identify which VPN routing table to use for the packet?
What is used to identify which VPN routing table to use for the packet?
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What is the purpose of a VPN ID?
What is the purpose of a VPN ID?
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What happens to the packet at the penultimate hop?
What happens to the packet at the penultimate hop?
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What is the function of PE D in the MPLS-based Layer 3 VPN configuration?
What is the function of PE D in the MPLS-based Layer 3 VPN configuration?
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How does PE D forward the packet after popping the label?
How does PE D forward the packet after popping the label?
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What is the purpose of the IGP in the MPLS-based Layer 3 VPN configuration?
What is the purpose of the IGP in the MPLS-based Layer 3 VPN configuration?
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What is the purpose of a VRF in an MPLS-VPN configuration?
What is the purpose of a VRF in an MPLS-VPN configuration?
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Why do standard commands like ping, telnet, and traceroute need a new parameter in an MPLS-VPN?
Why do standard commands like ping, telnet, and traceroute need a new parameter in an MPLS-VPN?
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What is the default behavior of a PE in an MPLS-VPN architecture?
What is the default behavior of a PE in an MPLS-VPN architecture?
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What is the purpose of the 'tag-switching ip' command in the interface configuration?
What is the purpose of the 'tag-switching ip' command in the interface configuration?
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Why do some enterprise networks need to change the default behavior of a PE in an MPLS-VPN architecture?
Why do some enterprise networks need to change the default behavior of a PE in an MPLS-VPN architecture?
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What is the purpose of the 'neighbor' commands in the BGP configuration?
What is the purpose of the 'neighbor' commands in the BGP configuration?
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What is the benefit of using VRFs in an MPLS-VPN configuration?
What is the benefit of using VRFs in an MPLS-VPN configuration?
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Why is a VRF necessary on a PE device in an MPLS-VPN configuration?
Why is a VRF necessary on a PE device in an MPLS-VPN configuration?
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What is the purpose of the 'tag-switching ip' command in the interface configuration?
What is the purpose of the 'tag-switching ip' command in the interface configuration?
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What is the function of a route-distinguisher in BGP?
What is the function of a route-distinguisher in BGP?
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What is the purpose of a VRF in an MPLS-VPN configuration?
What is the purpose of a VRF in an MPLS-VPN configuration?
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What is carried in BGP updates in an MPLS VPN?
What is carried in BGP updates in an MPLS VPN?
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What is the purpose of the 'ip vrf forwarding RED' command?
What is the purpose of the 'ip vrf forwarding RED' command?
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What is the purpose of the 'rd 101:1' command in the VRF configuration?
What is the purpose of the 'rd 101:1' command in the VRF configuration?
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How many iBGP sessions are established in the given example?
How many iBGP sessions are established in the given example?
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What is the VRF name configured in the given example?
What is the VRF name configured in the given example?
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What is the benefit of using MPLS-VPN over dedicated WAN connections between sites?
What is the benefit of using MPLS-VPN over dedicated WAN connections between sites?
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What allows MPLS-VPN to support customer address-space independence?
What allows MPLS-VPN to support customer address-space independence?
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What is the purpose of the service provider in an MPLS-VPN network?
What is the purpose of the service provider in an MPLS-VPN network?
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What routing protocol does CE red1 use to advertise the 192.168.4.0/24 prefix to PE A?
What routing protocol does CE red1 use to advertise the 192.168.4.0/24 prefix to PE A?
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What is the function of PE A in the MPLS-based Layer 3 VPN configuration?
What is the function of PE A in the MPLS-based Layer 3 VPN configuration?
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What is the intersite IP topology in an MPLS-VPN implementation?
What is the intersite IP topology in an MPLS-VPN implementation?
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What is the advantage of MPLS-VPN over traditional WAN connections?
What is the advantage of MPLS-VPN over traditional WAN connections?
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What is the purpose of the two-label hierarchy in MPLS-VPN?
What is the purpose of the two-label hierarchy in MPLS-VPN?
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What is the key benefit of an MPLS-VPN service over dedicated WAN connections?
What is the key benefit of an MPLS-VPN service over dedicated WAN connections?
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What is the main application of MPLS that has caused the most interest?
What is the main application of MPLS that has caused the most interest?
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What connects customer sites in an MPLS-VPN reference architecture?
What connects customer sites in an MPLS-VPN reference architecture?
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What is the function of a PE router in an MPLS-VPN reference architecture?
What is the function of a PE router in an MPLS-VPN reference architecture?
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What is a characteristic of an MPLS-VPN service?
What is a characteristic of an MPLS-VPN service?
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Why can't a CE-PE link be shared with other customer traffic?
Why can't a CE-PE link be shared with other customer traffic?
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What is the purpose of a VRF in an MPLS-VPN configuration?
What is the purpose of a VRF in an MPLS-VPN configuration?
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What type of routers exchange routes with service provider edge routers?
What type of routers exchange routes with service provider edge routers?
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What is the advantage of using MPLS-VPN over dedicated WAN connections?
What is the advantage of using MPLS-VPN over dedicated WAN connections?
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How do CE devices exchange routes with PE devices?
How do CE devices exchange routes with PE devices?
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What is the primary function of the inner label in MPLS-VPN?
What is the primary function of the inner label in MPLS-VPN?
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What is the result of default MPLS-VPN implementation?
What is the result of default MPLS-VPN implementation?
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What is the purpose of the service provider in MPLS-VPN?
What is the purpose of the service provider in MPLS-VPN?
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What is the benefit of MPLS-VPN in terms of routing?
What is the benefit of MPLS-VPN in terms of routing?
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What is the characteristic of intersite IP topology in MPLS-VPN?
What is the characteristic of intersite IP topology in MPLS-VPN?
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What is the protocol used to exchange prefixes and labels between PE devices?
What is the protocol used to exchange prefixes and labels between PE devices?
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What is the purpose of the routing table for each VPN on a PE router?
What is the purpose of the routing table for each VPN on a PE router?
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How do PE routers announce reachability for each of their attached customer sites?
How do PE routers announce reachability for each of their attached customer sites?
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What happens when PE A needs to find the route to 192.168.3.0?
What happens when PE A needs to find the route to 192.168.3.0?
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What is the role of PE C in the MPLS-VPN network?
What is the role of PE C in the MPLS-VPN network?
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How does PE A identify the next hop for a packet going from CE green1 to CE green2?
How does PE A identify the next hop for a packet going from CE green1 to CE green2?
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What is the purpose of the label imposed by PE A on the packet going from CE green1 to CE green2?
What is the purpose of the label imposed by PE A on the packet going from CE green1 to CE green2?
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What is the topology of the iBGP sessions between the PE routers?
What is the topology of the iBGP sessions between the PE routers?
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How does CE green2 forward IP packets to PE A?
How does CE green2 forward IP packets to PE A?
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What is the purpose of the label 96 imposed by PE A?
What is the purpose of the label 96 imposed by PE A?
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What is the role of LSR B in the packet flow?
What is the role of LSR B in the packet flow?
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What is used by PE D to identify which VPN routing table to use for the packet?
What is used by PE D to identify which VPN routing table to use for the packet?
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What is the benefit of using a VPN ID in an MPLS VPN?
What is the benefit of using a VPN ID in an MPLS VPN?
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What is the characteristic of the LSRs in the core?
What is the characteristic of the LSRs in the core?
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What is the role of the IGP in the MPLS VPN?
What is the role of the IGP in the MPLS VPN?
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What is the purpose of the VPN routing table?
What is the purpose of the VPN routing table?
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What is the relationship between the IGP running on the CE-PE links and the IGP running in the service provider core?
What is the relationship between the IGP running on the CE-PE links and the IGP running in the service provider core?
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What might be the reason for a security policy that requires all sites in a certain area to forward traffic through a regional hub?
What might be the reason for a security policy that requires all sites in a certain area to forward traffic through a regional hub?
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In a hub-and-spoke topology, what is the role of the hub?
In a hub-and-spoke topology, what is the role of the hub?
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What is the purpose of route-targets in MPLS VPNs?
What is the purpose of route-targets in MPLS VPNs?
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What is the characteristic of a hub in a hub-and-spoke topology?
What is the characteristic of a hub in a hub-and-spoke topology?
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What is the purpose of a spoke in a hub-and-spoke topology?
What is the purpose of a spoke in a hub-and-spoke topology?
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What is the benefit of using route-targets in MPLS VPNs?
What is the benefit of using route-targets in MPLS VPNs?
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What is the purpose of an extranet in MPLS VPNs?
What is the purpose of an extranet in MPLS VPNs?
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What is the role of PEs in a hub-and-spoke topology?
What is the role of PEs in a hub-and-spoke topology?
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What does PE A use to announce reachability for each of its attached customer sites?
What does PE A use to announce reachability for each of its attached customer sites?
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What is the function of PE C in the given MPLS-VPN configuration?
What is the function of PE C in the given MPLS-VPN configuration?
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How does PE A identify the next hop for a packet going from CE green1 to CE green2?
How does PE A identify the next hop for a packet going from CE green1 to CE green2?
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What is the purpose of the label imposed by PE A on the packet going from CE green1 to CE green2?
What is the purpose of the label imposed by PE A on the packet going from CE green1 to CE green2?
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How many iBGP sessions does PE A have in the given example?
How many iBGP sessions does PE A have in the given example?
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What is the topology of the iBGP sessions between the PEs?
What is the topology of the iBGP sessions between the PEs?
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What is the purpose of a VRF in an MPLS-VPN configuration?
What is the purpose of a VRF in an MPLS-VPN configuration?
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What is the label imposed by PE A to identify the next-hop LSR on the IGP path to PE D?
What is the label imposed by PE A to identify the next-hop LSR on the IGP path to PE D?
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What is the purpose of the 'update-source Loopback0' command in the BGP peer configuration?
What is the purpose of the 'update-source Loopback0' command in the BGP peer configuration?
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What is the function of a VRF in an MPLS-VPN configuration?
What is the function of a VRF in an MPLS-VPN configuration?
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In an MPLS-VPN network, how does a service provider identify and differentiate between customer routes?
In an MPLS-VPN network, how does a service provider identify and differentiate between customer routes?
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What is the function of a VRF in an MPLS-VPN configuration?
What is the function of a VRF in an MPLS-VPN configuration?
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What is the purpose of the 'redistribute connected' command in the VRF configuration?
What is the purpose of the 'redistribute connected' command in the VRF configuration?
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What is the purpose of the 'route-target' command in an MPLS-VPN Cisco IOS configuration?
What is the purpose of the 'route-target' command in an MPLS-VPN Cisco IOS configuration?
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What is the purpose of the 'tag-switching ip' command in the interface configuration?
What is the purpose of the 'tag-switching ip' command in the interface configuration?
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Why do standard commands like ping, telnet, and traceroute not work in a VRF?
Why do standard commands like ping, telnet, and traceroute not work in a VRF?
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How do CE devices typically exchange routes with PE devices in an MPLS-VPN network?
How do CE devices typically exchange routes with PE devices in an MPLS-VPN network?
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What is the purpose of the 'neighbor 12.0.0.2 send-community extended' command in the BGP configuration?
What is the purpose of the 'neighbor 12.0.0.2 send-community extended' command in the BGP configuration?
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What is the function of the 'rd' command in an MPLS-VPN Cisco IOS configuration?
What is the function of the 'rd' command in an MPLS-VPN Cisco IOS configuration?
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What is the benefit of using a VRF in an MPLS-VPN configuration?
What is the benefit of using a VRF in an MPLS-VPN configuration?
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What is the purpose of the 'ip vrf forwarding' command in an MPLS-VPN Cisco IOS configuration?
What is the purpose of the 'ip vrf forwarding' command in an MPLS-VPN Cisco IOS configuration?
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What is the function of the 'rd 101:1' command in the VRF configuration?
What is the function of the 'rd 101:1' command in the VRF configuration?
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What is the benefit of using MPLS-VPN over dedicated WAN connections between sites?
What is the benefit of using MPLS-VPN over dedicated WAN connections between sites?
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What is the purpose of the BGP peer configuration in an MPLS-VPN network?
What is the purpose of the BGP peer configuration in an MPLS-VPN network?
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What is the primary function of a route-distinguisher in an MPLS-VPN network?
What is the primary function of a route-distinguisher in an MPLS-VPN network?
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Which of the following is true about BGP peer configuration in an MPLS-VPN network?
Which of the following is true about BGP peer configuration in an MPLS-VPN network?
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What is the purpose of a VRF in an MPLS-VPN configuration?
What is the purpose of a VRF in an MPLS-VPN configuration?
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What is the purpose of the route-distinguisher in the given MPLS-VPN configuration?
What is the purpose of the route-distinguisher in the given MPLS-VPN configuration?
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What is required on CE routers in an MPLS-VPN network?
What is required on CE routers in an MPLS-VPN network?
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What is the purpose of the 'neighbor 12.0.0.1 remote-as 101' command in the BGP peer configuration?
What is the purpose of the 'neighbor 12.0.0.1 remote-as 101' command in the BGP peer configuration?
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What is the purpose of the VRF configuration in the given MPLS-VPN example?
What is the purpose of the VRF configuration in the given MPLS-VPN example?
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What is the purpose of the MPLS-VPN Cisco IOS configuration?
What is the purpose of the MPLS-VPN Cisco IOS configuration?
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What is the benefit of having the same route-distinguisher throughout a VPN?
What is the benefit of having the same route-distinguisher throughout a VPN?
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What is the purpose of the 'ip vrf forwarding RED' command in the CE-PE link configuration?
What is the purpose of the 'ip vrf forwarding RED' command in the CE-PE link configuration?
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What is populated using information from VRFs?
What is populated using information from VRFs?
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What is the purpose of the 'tag-switching ip' command in the interface configuration?
What is the purpose of the 'tag-switching ip' command in the interface configuration?
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What is the purpose of a VRF in a CE router?
What is the purpose of a VRF in a CE router?
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What is carried in BGP updates in an MPLS VPN?
What is carried in BGP updates in an MPLS VPN?
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What is the purpose of the 'route-target both 101:1' command in the VRF configuration?
What is the purpose of the 'route-target both 101:1' command in the VRF configuration?
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How many iBGP sessions are established in the given example?
How many iBGP sessions are established in the given example?
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Study Notes
MPLS VPN Reference Architecture
- /MPLS VPN is a peer architecture where customer edge (CE) routers exchange routes with service provider edge routers (PE)
- CE routers connect to PE routers, which are connected by Label Switching Routers (LSRs)
- A single PE can peer with CEs that belong to different customers
- CEs can also peer with different PEs that belong to the same or different service providers
- Sites in a VPN can communicate only with other sites in the same VPN
MPLS-VPN Reference Architecture
- Standard IP traffic runs over the CE-PE link, so this link cannot be shared with other customer traffic
- CE and PE do not exchange labels or labeled packets
- MPLS-VPN architecture provides full-mesh connectivity between sites, despite each site having only one link into the service provider cloud
- Intersite IP topology can be of arbitrary complexity
Routing in an MPLS VPN Network
- MPLS-VPN model makes it easier to route between CEs compared to dedicated WAN connections
- Service provider needs to exchange customer IP routes and carry packets to those routes across its network
- MPLS provides a solution that supports customer address-space independence using a two-label hierarchy
- Inner label identifies the VPN and the outer label identifies the destination PE device
- RFC 2547 mandates the use of BGP to exchange prefixes and labels between PE devices
MPLS-VPN Routing
- CEs can use static or dynamic routing (RIP, eBGP, or OSPF) to exchange routes with a PE
- PE imports prefixes announced by the CE into the route table for this VPN
- Each VPN has its own routing table
- PE uses iBGP to announce reachability for each of its attached customer sites
- PEs are in a full iBGP mesh and can run many different VPNs
MPLS-VPN Attributes
- Each VPN on a Cisco router has dedicated interfaces, routing table, local name, and numeric ID
- Rules determine how VPN routes are advertised to peer routers
- Route reachability is established through the selective import of BGP routes
- Several new extended attributes have been added to BGP in accordance with RFC 2547
BGP Attributes
- Route-target: a numeric value associated with all routes exported to BGP peers
- Route-target export value must match the import value at the receiving device
- Route-distinguisher: a BGP attribute that is appended to private routes to make them globally unique
MPLS-VPN Cisco IOS Configuration
- VRF configuration: defines the VPN routing table and imports routes
- Route-target and RD values must match, but VRF names don't have to
- Egress CE-PE link configuration: defines the IP address and routing for the CE-PE link
MPLS-VPN Reference Architecture
- Even with a single link to the service provider cloud, MPLS-VPN architecture allows for full-mesh connectivity between sites.
- The intersite IP topology can be arbitrarily complex, but MPLS-VPN implementations default to full mesh and must be constrained to provide a more hierarchical model.
- MPLS-VPN makes it easier to route between CEs compared to using dedicated WAN connections between sites and routing over point-to-point networks.
MPLS-VPN Architecture
- MPLS-VPN uses a two-label hierarchy, where the inner label identifies the VPN and the outer label identifies the destination PE device.
- RFC 2547 mandates the use of BGP to exchange prefixes and labels between PE devices.
- Customer address-space independence is achieved using a forwarding mechanism.
Routing in an MPLS VPN Network
- CE devices can use static or dynamic routing (RIP, eBGP, or OSPF) to exchange routes with a PE.
- The packet must travel across the MPLS network, so PE A imposes another label that identifies the next-hop LSR on the IGP path to PE D.
- Each LSR in the core swaps labels and forwards the packet as normal toward PE D.
- The penultimate hop pops the outer label, and PE D uses the remaining label to identify which VPN routing table to use for the packet.
Packet Flow in MPLS-VPN Network
- LSRs have no visibility of the VPN traffic and forward labeled traffic along LSPs established by the routing protocol running in the service provider core.
- The IGP running on the CE-PE links can be different from the IGP running on the core.
MPLS-VPN Attributes
- Defining an MPLS VPN is harder than expected, and a VPN ID has been introduced to address this problem.
- The underlying network topology is the same as used in the examples.
MPLS-VPN Configuration
- PE configuration involves setting up a VRF for the VPN with route-distinguisher and route-target values.
- Each CE-PE link needs to be added to the VRF.
- iBGP is used to establish sessions to peers.
- The VPNv4 address-family establishes the peers as being MPLS-VPN savvy.
LSR Configuration
- LSR configuration is straightforward and involves setting up core-facing links.
PE Configuration
- PE configuration involves setting up a VRF for the VPN with route-distinguisher and route-target values that match the other side of the network.
- Egress CE-PE link and core-facing links need to be configured.
VRF Options
- Ping, telnet, and traceroute have VRF options to make them usable between PEs.
- Standard commands don't work because they use the global routing table, which is different from the VRF.
- VRF represents an entirely private routing space.
MPLS VPN Reference Architecture
- MPLS VPN is a Layer 3 VPN that allows for full-mesh connectivity between customer sites without point-to-point connections.
- Customer Edge (CE) routers connect to Service Provider Edge (PE) routers, which are connected by Label Switching Routers (LSRs).
- A single PE can peer with multiple CEs from different customers.
- CE-PE links are standard IP traffic and cannot be shared with other customer traffic.
Routing in an MPLS VPN Network
- Customer routes are advertised in an MPLS VPN network using Border Gateway Protocol (BGP).
- CE routers can use static or dynamic routing (RIP, eBGP, or OSPF) to exchange routes with a PE.
- Each VPN has its own routing table, and PE routers use iBGP to announce reachability for each attached customer site.
- PE routers are in a full iBGP mesh and can run multiple VPNs.
MPLS-VPN Packet Flow
- When traffic needs to go between sites, the CE forwards IP packets to the PE as it would to any other router.
- The PE identifies the next hop (PE) for the packet as a BGP neighbor and imposes a label that identifies the VPN routing table.
- The packet is then forwarded across the MPLS network, where each LSR swaps labels and forwards the packet towards the next hop.
- The penultimate hop pops the outer label, and the final PE uses the remaining label to identify the VPN routing table and forward the packet to the CE.
MPLS-VPN Attributes
- Defining an MPLS VPN requires a VPN ID, which is a unique identifier for a VPN in a network.
- MPLS VPNs can be deployed as hub-and-spoke topologies using route-targets.
- Route-targets are used to control the flow of traffic between sites in a VPN.
VRF (Virtual Routing and Forwarding)
- A VRF is a virtual routing table used to separate customer traffic in an MPLS VPN.
- Each VRF has its own routing table and is used to forward traffic between sites in a VPN.
MPLS-VPN Configuration
- Cisco IOS configuration for MPLS VPN involves defining the VRF, route-targets, and importing/exporting routes between VPNs.
- Examples of configuration commands are shown for hub-and-spoke topologies and extranets.
MPLS-VPN Configuration
- A CE uses RIPv2 to announce prefixes to a PE.
- The PE imports the prefixes into the route table for its VPN.
- Each VPN has its own routing table.
- A PE uses iBGP to announce reachability for each of its attached customer sites.
PE Configuration
- A PE has its own routing table for each VPN.
- A PE announces itself as the next hop for routes.
- A PE identifies the next hop (another PE) for a packet as a BGP neighbor.
- A PE imposes a label that identifies the VPN routing table to the next hop PE.
MPLS-VPN Operation
- Traffic between sites is forwarded by CEs to the PE as it would to any other router.
- A PE announces routes to all its PE peers, but only those with the same VPN and matching route-target import it.
- The route-distinguisher (RD) is included in the routing exchange to make sure that each BGP peer treats the prefixes as belonging to different networks.
VRFs
- VRFs are populated by routing processes associated with each VPN.
- In Cisco IOS, there are independent OSPF processes for each VPN, but BGP is a single process across the whole router.
- LFIBs are populated using information from VRFs.
- No VRFs are required on CE routers.
Cisco IOS Configuration
- The configuration extracts are necessary to deploy a simple MPLS VPN.
- A VRF is set up for the VPN with a route-distinguisher, route-target, and interface configurations.
- iBGP is configured to announce reachability for each of its attached customer sites.
Full-Mesh Configuration
- MPLS-VPN architecture provides full-mesh configuration by default.
- A PE forwards traffic directly to its destination.
- The intersite IP topology can be of arbitrary complexity.
- MPLS-VPN implementations default to full mesh and must be constrained to provide a more hierarchical connectivity model.
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Description
Learn about MPLS VPN reference architecture, routing, attributes, VRF, and Cisco IOS configuration. This chapter covers the configuration of MPLS based Layer 3 VPN on Cisco Routers.