“Where is MPLS heading?” This is a question often posed by customers and network operators. To provide a comprehensive answer, we must turn our attention to the current and upcoming trends transforming MPLS. In this article, I’ll try to dissect these trends, shedding light on the exciting future that awaits MPLS technology.
The Convergence of MPLS and Software-Defined Networking (SDN)
Software-Defined Networking (SDN) represents a paradigm shift in networking, aimed at establishing networks with the flexibility and programmability typically associated with software. Through the decoupling of the control plane from the data plane, SDN has opened up a whole new world of possibilities for intelligent traffic management and increased network agility. SDN, with its centralized control capabilities, perfectly complements MPLS’s strengths in providing efficient and reliable data transport. By harnessing the potential of both technologies, networks can become highly programmable without compromising on efficiency or scalability. This trend has significant implications for the design of future networks, fostering the creation of flexible, dynamic networks without sacrificing performance or reliability. One example of SDN controller for the SR Transport network is SR-PCE controller. SR-PCE is mainly the brain used to calculate end-to-end paths with various advanced network constraints. Whether network latency, dis-joint paths, secure paths, etc; SR-PCE plays an important role in fulfilling those requirements.
The Rise of Segment Routing MPLS (SR-MPLS)
Segment Routing, a groundbreaking routing technique, allows packets to carry a list of segments (i.e., instructions or routing identifiers). These segments represent the path that the packet should take through the network, bringing a new level of simplicity and scalability to MPLS networks.
Segment Routing MPLS (SR-MPLS) is an innovation in this space that not only is it rapidly gaining traction, but it became de-facto a standard nowadays. It simplifies the MPLS network architecture and boosts scalability by reducing the amount of state information stored in the network. That means, MPLS Core routers are stateless in a way that they don’t keep any signaling of Label Switched Paths, essentially eliminating the extra overhead for core routers. It has the potential to streamline network operations, improve network efficiency, and pave the way for more scalable MPLS deployments.
The Role of SR-MPLS in the Advent of 5G
The introduction of 5G networks has ushered in a new era of significantly higher network traffic, stringent demands for low latency, and the need for network slicing to support diverse service types. SR-MPLS, with its expertise in efficiently handling large volumes of data and providing Quality of Service (QoS), is a viable candidate for playing a crucial role in 5G infrastructure.
The anticipation is that many 5G networks will leverage SR-MPLS technology in the transport layer to ensure high performance and reliable connectivity. The inherent capabilities of SR-MPLS in handling data traffic and supporting network slicing are factors that position it as a key player in the era of 5G. Flex-Algo is a feature Segment Routing offers to achieve the network slicing use case for 5G.
The Integration of SR-MPLS and Network Function Virtualization (NFV)
Network Function Virtualization (NFV) is a game-changer in the networking industry. It transitions network functions from dedicated hardware to software that runs on standard server hardware, resulting in significant cost savings and enabling rapid deployment and scaling of network services. One example is a BGP Route Reflector. A route-reflector is usually deployed as a dedicated router (in case it is not an in-line RR), but nowadays, vendors offer the RR functionality as a software solution, meaning, an RR software can run on any x86 server. As this trend gains momentum, the integration of SR-MPLS and NFV is becoming increasingly prevalent. SR-MPLS brings to the table a robust transport mechanism, while NFV enables flexible deployment of network services. Together, they give rise to a network that is both high-performing and incredibly agile, capable of meeting the dynamic demands of modern networking environments.
New networking technologies may be emerging, but SR-MPLS continues to hold its ground, despite that some may disagree (the famous ‘SDWAN will replace MPLS’ saying by those who don’t really understand underlay vs overlay).
Categories: General Networking
CCIE #49534 
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