On Tue, Dec 11, 2001 at 09:34:04PM -0500, Robert E. Seastrom wrote:
>
> Nick <nick@arc.net.my> writes:
>
> > We run a small/medium ISP here with 5 PoPs and were flirting with the idea
> > of running MPLS more for TE than QoS or VPN. Can I believe all the hype on
> > MPLS and the wonders it promises. Are there any good resources/books for
> > ISPs - a lot of the resources/books are more for IP-VPN. Or am I going the
> > wrong way. Has any one successfully deployed MPLS in an ISP environment?
> >
> > Any hints/pointers/time of day is much appreciated.
>
> Do you have the resources to buy enough lab equipment to be able to at
> least partially model what you propose to set up? If you don't have
> the wherewithal to get a good working knowledge of MPLS practice,
> converting your network to it could prove to be a career-limiting move.
MPLS is like anything else - you should know how it works before you
base a business around it. s/MPLS/BGP/ and your point is still true
(although one doesn't convert to BGP, I suppose)
>
> TE is no substitute for Quantity-of-Service. Given the finite number
> of resources available in most small ISPs I've known, in your position
> I would concentrate my efforts on upgrading my backbone and run good
> 'ol HDLC on my point-to-point links.
Absolutely. Don't run TE if you don't need it. But if you need what
it can do, especially on a small enough network as to be easily mapped
out on a piece of paper, there's nothing wrong with it.
>
> Can you believe the hype? I'll give you a hint: a huge proportion of
> the people who are on the MPLS bandwagon right now are former ATM fans...
I've never heard anyone argue against ATM by saying it's traffic
engineering capabilities were bad. Sure, ATM has it downsides for
running an all-IP network (*ahem* cell tax *ahem*), but if that's
the major problem with ATM, then it doesn't apply to MPLS. YEs, you
have a label stack that takes up extra space on the link, but you
don't have a SAR overhead like ATM does, which is the major complaint
I've heard about ATM.
eric
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