An MPLS networking solution helps your business better manage your network. MPLS provides a
centralized management environment
with the need for only one firewall at the host location as opposed to managing individual
firewalls at each site.
MPLS works in a manner that is slightly similar to IP routing techniques. When a regular router
receives an incoming data packet, the only information on the packet is the destination IP
address without further details on the routes or manner in which the network should transport
the packet. In MPLS, the label contains information about the routes the data packet should
take. This eliminates the cumulative delay by routers in ‘thinking’ of the best possible course.
The MPLS uses a networking protocol that is somewhat a combination of Layer 2 (data link layer)
and Layer 3 (IP layer) of the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) model. This is why MPLS is
generally considered a layer 2.5 networking protocol, having features from both for data
transfer across a network. Its functionality is enabled by the following components of the MPLS
label:
Label/label valueIt is a 20-bit long field containing the information routers read in directing the data
packet.
Traffic class fieldThis is a 3-bit long part of the label used to set the Quality of Service and explicit
congestion notification.Â
Bottom of the stackLabels can be stacked on top of each other, and the topmost label is in charge of delivery
and is replaced by other labels underneath it until the transfer is complete. The last label
in an MPLS header is referred to as the bottom of the stack.
Time to Live (TTL)It is an 8-bit long label that decreases in value each time the packet hops and therefore
limits the packet’s lifespan.Â
