HI. trying to familiarize myself with the protocols I require for a multi site deployment.
As a provider we will have a large physical layer 2 backbone between multiple sites. We need to provide transparent services to our customers. The services offered are managed EPL P2P LAN services including client MPLS services if required, transparent P2P connections to CE in between are POPS in the DCs.
I get that there is a preference for VPLS with BGP to create a larger auto discovery mesh etc for the backbone amongst our different sites, but how would that work out with providing the above mentioned services to the clients? We only have one physical interface for the moment between the different locations. I pretty sure we can MPLS different clients through our backbone if its setup with VPLS BGP, but im not sure on how to implement just basic transparent connections for those other clients that do not wish to VPN on layer 3 but want a layer 2 solution to there equipment in the DC? We do not wish to offer any Layer 3 solutions to the clients, all L2.
?
VPLS is a transparent layer 2 bridge, and it requires MPLS for its transport.
When most customers say ‘I want MPLS’ - they almost always mean “Layer 3 IPv4 VPN” (or VPNv4 as mpbgp calls it).
Don’t let that confuse you while learning this stuff.
I strongly recommend that you use VPLS as your transparent layer2 service. If your network is an ACTUAL layer2 broadcast domain that spans multiple cities / an entire region, then you must be very very careful about everything. You can create broadcast storms and loops and so forth if you’re not careful and these can bring an entire carrier-class network to its knees. (I previously worked for a telco that purchased transparent ethernet transport services from a regional carrier who had such a network and they definitely had such issues one or two times a year, and they were ALWAYS catastrophic).
Point to Point is just a transparent VLAN with only two endpoints.
So if I understand correctly, the challenge you are faced with is whether or not to use VPLS to transport Layer 2 between customer sites?
If there is a single physical transport link between sites, I would probably build a MPLS and the L3 portions on one VLAN and leave the transport tagged so that you have the option of using native Layer2 vs VPLS/EoMPLS via QinQ.
Ok… Appreciate the comments. I think my problem is I need to be able to offer L2 transparent services within my VPLS throughout my whole network ie: different interconnected switch from region to region. The region will be interconnected via leased wavelengths.
Can I offer L2 within my L2?
The short answer is yes, depending on the smallest MTU in your L2 network. You can double tag within VPLS. You can also offload the Q in Q portion to a switch and just pass the transport tag to the MikroTik MPLS router. The other option might be to build another MPLS network over VPLS, which is possible in Cisco and Juniper, but I haven’t tried it in MikroTik. Theoretically, it’s possible to carry an MPLS tag inside a VPLS frame.
See here for QinQ in VPLS
http://forum.mikrotik.com/t/challenging-question-regarding-qinq/38281/1
What size frame do you want to hand off at the edge to a customer?
I would like to offer jumbo frames.
It’s jumbo frames all the way down!