MPLS VPN enables a private network service over an MPLS infrastructure, allowing customer traffic to be securely routed between multiple sites while maintaining isolation between different customers. In this lesson, we will start with an MPLS VPN configuration example on Cisco devices. In the next lessons, we will focus on how MPLS VPN operates in both the control plane and data plane.
DetailspyATS Genie parsers are a set of pre-built data parsers designed to transform raw CLI command outputs into structured Python dictionaries. These parsers eliminate the need for complex manual text parsing with regular expressions, allowing for easier data access and processing in automation workflows.
DetailsMPLS TTL propagation, enabled by default, allows the TTL value to be copied between the IP and MPLS networks. As a result, when performing a traceroute from an IP network through an MPLS network, all P routers are transparently visible. However, by disabling TTL propagation, we can prevent MPLS P routers from being exposed to IP customers, effectively hiding them from view.
DetailsCisco MPLS configuration is the focus of this section, exploring LDP protocol and LIB in control plane, FIB and LFIB in data plane, while also tracing packets and analyzing the MPLS label format structure.
DetailsCisco pyATS testbed is a YAML representation of your network’s topology. It defines the devices, their connection details (such as IP addresses and credentials), and optionally their interface connectivities.
It is called a testbed because it serves as a foundational configuration for automated testing and validation of network infrastructures. However, if device connectivities are ignored, it functions similarly to an inventory in other automation tools like Netmiko and Scrapli in Nornir.
MPLS control plane and data plane are fundamental to understanding MPLS and its services like MPLS VPN, VPLS, and MPLS TE. The control plane is responsible for building the tables used for forwarding, while the data plane handles the actual packet forwarding based on these tables.
DetailsInstalling pyATS and Genie and setting up the environment is the first step before starting automation with pyATS. In this section, I will demonstrate how to install and configure the required components using a Python virtual environment.
Additionally, I have prepared a Docker image for development purposes that includes all the necessary components covered in this lesson.
What is MPLS, and what unique use cases does it offer beyond traditional IP networks? I will first introduce MPLS services and their applications, including MPLS VPN, L2VPN, and MPLS TE, before exploring the details of how MPLS works in the upcoming sections.
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