Adding a connection to a VPLS network provided by a different SP

CodeBlox

Has anyone had any issue doing this? Is their a reason not to? We have an MPLS service provided to us by service provider "A". All of our remote branches as well as corporate sites have connections into it to reach each other. We are upgrading a few circuits from T1s and are considering going to 10MB circuits with a different service provider "B". They'd attach these circuits to their "VPLS" service. This would provide some redundancy options for us as well should their be a failure.

AwesomeGarrett

Would these be separate VPLS circuits or are they cross connecting the circuits from provider B to provider A?

SteveO86

I've done this with a quite a few customers.

VPLS is a layer 2 technology so you do get some additional redundancy in knowing your hand off runs off a different technology then MPLS.

Just be careful with how you decide to use this circuit. While VPLS is layer 2 and you can extend layer 2 networks between sites I recommend being careful with that, Unless you have a specific reason to extend layer 2 I recommend routing over that VPLS links.

Also I'd look into enabling BFD over that link for detecting failure faster.

CodeBlox

The MPLS and VPLS would not directly connect to one another. It'll probably be setup such that a VPLS connection is added at corporate just like there is one for MPLS and when we want to upgrade a circuit, we move it over to the other SP with VPLS. This would mean for hosts on a circuit off of our MPLS network to communicate with hosts at a branch on the VPLS, the traffic would pass through corporate from the MPLS and into the VPLS to the branch. Not that this would be an issue as there is NO reason for one branch to communicate with another branch. I hope that explains it simply. Gotta lab this up in GNS3 to make sure we avoid loops. We would definitely be routing over the VPLS links for sure though.