MPLS/MLS difference

Hi

Am I right in thinking that MLS (multi-layer switching) can only take place with an external router and Cisco 5000/6500 switches. It is a method of utilising L3 switching by labelling flows only once, so that there is less processor use on the router.

MPLS, on the other hand, is labelling packets by MPLS routers/switches so that they can reach the same destination via different routes?

Hope someone can help...

Thx

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Comments

EdTheLad

You should do some reading on "process switching" "fast switching" and then start looking at flow based and "cef"

There are 2 types of multilayer switching flow based and cef.
If the multilayerswitch doesnt support cef you can offload the routing process to a router.I'm not sure what the 5000/6500 support, probably they dont support cef and hence what you have read about is the flow based switching.

Mpls is labeling packets so the packets can be switched a layer 2 while still having the benifits of layer 3 routing inteligence.It makes more sense when you look into the interaction between mpls and bgp,internal routers are no longer required to have a copy of the complete bgp routing table, once the next hop address is known a label and be made and the internal
backbone is transparent.

Humper

Ed would you consider this a good document to read ?

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/tech/tk827/tk831/technologies_white_paper09186a00800a62d9.shtml

EdTheLad

I havent read that one,but on first glance it looks pretty good,when i get a chance i'll have to give it a read.

mikej412

I've seen it (and used is during BCMSN) -- nice little doc.

But as a white paper, I think its outside of the Doc CD so you can't count on it for a CCIE Lab.