Re: MPLS / Switching Method on Non Cisco Devices

Well, it seems that conceptual things are not very attractive as topics.
(just some pepper to the mix :)

CEF is cisco's way to do it, but in general, MPLS is hardware friendly
no matter what way you do it, because it has a fixed size fixed position
small label that can be used to determine where the frame/packet should
go in constant time.
ATM has a even better constant size frame (cell), but at the cost of
forcing SAR (segmentation and reassembly) on upper stack.
FR/ATM switches usually specify how many *bits* they can read in
hardware to switch traffic, I guess nowadays MPLS-able switches should
do the whole label.

As to who decides the label, there are two alternatives to when it is
done but always the link receiver is the one. Frame mode allows for it
to be determined up front, usually when the FEC is created.
Cell mode does it on-demand, to economize the number of circuits
that are mapped to them. (label mapped to VPI/VCI)

My understanding at least, hope it helps.
-Carlos

Ravi Singh @ 6/01/2010 8:52 -0300 dixit:
> Greetings Everyone ,
>
> From all the MPLS material I have read, I understand the dependency of CEF
> on MPLS . However, just out of interest, I would like to know what switching
> methods do the non-Cisco equipment utilize for MPLS functioning. I tried
> finding the information on the web but could not get any valuable info.
> I know nothing about Juniper or any other non-cisco equipment for that
> matter but I am just curious to know how different is the switching
> behaviour in these devices when compared to Cisco. So I am really not
> looking for detailed technical stuff but just a clarity on who takes the
> care of the label assignment in such a case.
>
> Cheers,
> Ravi
>
>
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-- 
Carlos G Mendioroz  <tron_at_huapi.ba.ar>  LW7 EQI  Argentina
Blogs and organic groups at http://www.ccie.net