MLPPP over MPLS

Fri Feb 17 20:38:16 UTC 2006

On Fri, 17 Feb 2006, Jon R. Kibler wrote:

> We have a customer that is implementing an MPLS network that will have 2 
> to 6 T1 feeds at some locations that will be using MLPPP for channel 
> bonding. This is a telco provided network that will be customer managed.

It's not clear from your message, but I'm assuming the MLPPP will be from 
PE to CE and that the MPLS you speak of is MPLS VPN.  If that's the case, 
on the customer end, it's just a MLPPP, and on your end, it's an MLPPP 
with an "ip vrf forwarding foo" statement.  It's probably more than the 
average CCNA can handle (but so are MLPPP, MPLS, and most day to day IOS 
config work).  Anyone who actually uses IOS on a regular basis (as opposed 
to someone who crammed for an exam and knows squat) should have no trouble 
with it.

> The customer is being told by their router vendor that an MLPPP/MPLS 
> network is 'too complex' to be managed by anyone except for the router 
> vendor's VARs or the telco. They indicated that it would be impossible 
> for the customer's router vendor certified network person to come up to 
> speed on MLPPP/MPLS configurations and manage such a network -- that it 
> takes years to adequately learn how to manage that type of network 
> configuration.

I think someone may be confusing "providing MPLS service" with "buying 
MPLS service".  A customer buying MPLS VPN service never sees any of the 
MPLS tags or messes with MPLS/tag-switching commands.  There is no added 
complexity...or at least there doesn't need to be any.

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  Jon Lewis                   |  I route
  Senior Network Engineer     |  therefore you are
  Atlantic Net                |
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