as an update:
I have built a lab in CML2 using the Cisco CSR1000 as it runs the same IOS-XE as the ASR routers.
I have VPLS working using BGP advertisements and BGP signaling I am now going through more extensive testing to check traffic etc.
to get it working on the cisco side all I had to do was:
Cisco enable LDP
mpls label protocol ldp
mpls ldp advertise-labels interface GigabitEthernet2
!
...
interface GigabitEthernet2
mtu 1600
ip address 192.168.0.1 255.255.255.252
mpls ip
mpls label protocol ldp
Cisco side VPLS
l2vpn vfi context customer
vpn id 100 <--- give the connection an ID
autodiscovery bgp signaling bgp <--- enable BGP discovery and signaling (not LDP signaling or Cisco style VPLS)
ve id 1 <--- set the site ID this one is 1 while the MT was set to 3
rd 1:50 <--- set the route distinguisher if not defaults to <BGP AS>:<VPN ID> so 65530:100
route-target export 1:50 <--- set your import and export targets
route-target import 1:50
control-word include <--- include control word if set MT side (is by default)
BGP peering to a route reflector
note the address-family and the suppression of the LDP signaling (not sure the LDP suppression is required but added as per best practice)
router bgp 65530
bgp router-id 10.255.254.1
bgp log-neighbor-changes
neighbor 10.255.254.4 remote-as 65530
neighbor 10.255.254.4 update-source Loopback0
!
address-family ipv4
no neighbor 10.255.254.4 activate <--- doing IP routing via OSPF so not required in BGP
exit-address-family
!
address-family l2vpn vpls
neighbor 10.255.254.4 activate
neighbor 10.255.254.4 send-community extended
neighbor 10.255.254.4 suppress-signaling-protocol ldp <--- suppress LDP signaling
exit-address-family
Cisco setup a VRF for customer traffic and add interfaces etc.,
create a bridge-domain add the VPLS to it and add it to the VRF. Add local edge ports to the VRF for upstream routing
ip vrf customer
!
bridge-domain 100
member BD-VIF 100
member vfi customer
!
interface BD-VIF100
ip vrf forwarding customer
ip address 172.16.0.1 255.255.255.0
!
interface GigabitEthernet4
ip vrf forwarding customer
ip address 172.16.1.1 255.255.255.0
On the MT side it was basically enable MPLS/OSPF/BGP/BGP VPLS as per defaults/wiki example.