IP MPLS

Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) is a protocol designed to get packets of data to their destinations quickly and efficiently. Multiprotocol means that the system does not depend on any particular protocol to operate and enables to forward a variety of different types of data, regardless of the protocol used to organize them. Label switching refers to the fact that system routers form a label-switched predetermined path that routes the traffic within the network. MPLS testing essentially involves sending appropriately formatted MPLS packets through an MPLS provisioned network and verifying Connectivity, that is whether traffic is properly routed to the correct destination and Performance which includes QoS characteristics like Packet Loss, Latency, and Bandwidth.

LAB Testing

Field Testing and Monitoring

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LAB Testing

The Lab based MPLS testing solution enables Network Equipment Manufacturers, Service Providers and large Enterprises to quickly evaluate and troubleshoot MPLS and VPLS functionality. This includes performance and scalability of any MPLS-enabled LSR device or network with traffic engineering or VPN technologies.

Slide 1

Field Testing and Monitoring

As voice, video, and data converge on your network, deploying MPLS routers can help guarantee adequate bandwidth to each of these applications. But to truly ensure quality of service, you must understand your network, whether the MPLS is directly under your control, or under that of a contracted service provider. Both scenarios require sophisticated network analysis tools to isolate problems to specific parts of the infrastructure. If deploying MPLS in-house, an analyzer that can see and decode MPLS labels is essential to successful deployment and maintenance.

The monitoring solution consists of central and probe servers, probe servers are controlled by central servers which can be located on a separate central site or on any of the capturing sites. The probe servers do continuously record the signaling from the monitored interfaces. The protocol analysis is started on demand from the central site by selecting the probe and the related links from which the data, historical or life data, is to be retrieved. Once started the raw data is transferred from the involved capturing probes to the server on the central site, to allow combined analysis and drill down on the central site.