What is MPLS? What is purpose MPLS?

Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS)

Is a mechanism in high-performance telecommunications networks that directs data from one network node to the next based on short path labels rather than long and hierarchal network addresses, avoiding complex lookups in a routing table. The labels identify virtual paths (Label Switched Path LSP) between distant nodes rather than endpoints. MPLS can encapsulate packets of various network protocols.

MPLS Benefits

Cost savings

QOS enablement

Improved Performance and Bandwidth Utilization

Create Scalable IP VPNs

Hide Network Complexity

Traffic Engineering

Improve switchover time 

MPLS is a Multiprotocol Label Switching, it is a WAN technology that uses labels attached to each packet to forward them through the network.

The MPLS labels are advertised between routers so that they can build a label to label mapping enabling routers to forward the traffic by looking at the lable and not the destination IP address, the packets are forwarded by label switching instead of by IP switching.

MPLS is a scalable, protocol-independent transport. In an MPLS network, data packets are assigned labels. Packet-forwarding decisions are made solely on the contents of this label, without the need to examine the packet itself.

Main two purposes to build this technique

1. VPN

2. Traffic engineering

MPLS (MultiProtocol Label Switching) is a mechanism.The purpose of MPLS is having a fast traffic flow on the path with label switching mechanism and CEF Switching.

Main Purpose to build MPLS

1) MPSL VPN

2) MPLS Traffic Engineering 

MPLS (MultiProtocol Label Switching) is a mechanism or technique not a service.

The purpose of MPLS is having a fast traffic flow on the path with label switching mechanism.