This course is intended for learners with no existing knowledge of MPLS. It is intended to give you an overview of basic MPLS usage, configuration, and verification. We start with a quick synopsis of the differences between routing packets based on Layer-3 header information as compared to switching PDUs via a Label (sometimes called a “Tag”). Then we dive into the structure of the MPLS Label and how each field is derived. You are introduced to the four protocols capable of generating, and distributing, MPLS Labels between routers, and then we go into a deep-dive of LDP (the Label Distribution Protocol) complete with lab examples and detailed sniffer traces. Other facets of MPLS are also discussed such as Penultimate-Hop Popping, MPLS TTL usage, and Conditional Label Advertisement. This course should serve as a great foundational MPLS course so that you’re ready to dive into more advanced MPLS courses such as MPLS VPNs and MPLS Traffic Engineering.
