Analysis of three publically available Inter-AS MPLS L3 VPN implementations

Abstract

In this thesis, an analytical discussion of the three publicly available Inter-autonomous system Multiprotocol Label Switching Layer-3 Virtual Private Network (Inter-AS MPLS L3 VPN) implementations, namely, Back-to-Back Virtual Route Forwarding, Single-Hop MP-BGP with static routes, and Multi-hop External Multiprotocol Border Gateway Protocol (MP-EBGP) between Autonomous System(AS)’s route reflectors. An analytical model is developed to evaluate the round-trip delay of a packet with respect to these three implementations. These implementations are used to provide MPLS L3 VPN between Internet Service Providers (ISP) or between different backbone networks within an enterprise. A testbed consisting of Cisco routers and switches is used to evaluate the three implementations in terms of impact of the design of these three implementation implementations on the round-trip delay. Priority queue is used on all routers in the testbed and the background traffic is assigned with the best-effort service. Priority traffic is marked CE routers. The testbed analysis shows that Single-Hop MP-BGP with static routes is the best among the three implementations with the least round-trip delay. Back-to-back virtual route forwarding exhibits the maximum delay.