Re: [nsp] Q: MPLS on typical ISP backbone?

From: Josh Richards (jrichard@cubicle.net)
Date: Thu Jun 14 2001 - 11:47:25 EDT


* Victor <shinoclist@cyberway.com.sg> [20010614 06:46]:
> Hi, all
>
> how can a typical ISP with 2-3pops providing leasedline, ATM, ISDN to
> convert to MPLS(if it's correct direction) without hinder existing
> operation?
> there are POS connections among pops.

In an existing network you may need to deal with IOS upgrades to get the
MPLS support you want. You'll need to handle the upgrades in whatever way
you typically due to avoid and/or minimize interruption. If your topology
permits, you may be able to do this without only minor interruption (i.e.
if your PoPs have two core routers and various edge (aggregation) boxes with
customers it'll be much less painful). If you don't have a forgiving
topology you'll be scheduling some more extensive maintenance windows of
course.

Implementing MPLS into the existing network shouldn't be very difficult.
You can have some stuff going over LSPs at the same time that other stuff
is just following the normal IGP paths. This means you can bring up an LSP
(or two or ten or whatever you are comfortable with doing all at once) at
a time and migrate traffic to it without hindering all of the routing in
your network.

I'd highly recommend testing out any new IOS versions and MPLS configs
on a lab test bed before you try to integration them into the production
network routers. :-)

As to whether it is the correct direction to go....that obviously depends
upon the goals and requirements placed upon the network by your business
model. Everybody has a variable circumstances and a different idea on how
best to design, implement, and operate a network to reach their goal(s).
If that portion wasn't a hint for an answer, ignore this last paragraph. :)

Good luck,

-jr

----
Josh Richards <jrichard@{ geekresearch.com, cubicle.net }> [JTR38/JR539-ARIN]
Geek Research, LLC - San Luis Obispo, CA - <URL:http://www.geekresearch.com/>
KG6CYK - IP/Unix/telecom/knowledge/coffee/security/crypto/business/geek



This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Sun Aug 04 2002 - 04:12:41 EDT