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Alessio Botta(3), Paola Iovanna(1), Roberto Mameli(1), Giovanna Piantanida(1), Stefano Salsano(2)
(1)
Ericsson Lab Italy S.p.A. - (2) DIE – Università di Roma “Tor Vergata” - (3) CoRiTeL - Consorzio di Ricerca sulle Telecomunicazioni
Abstract - Traffic Engineering (TE) deals with the The paper is structured as follows: chapter 2 provides a brief
performance optimization in operational networks, aiming for explanation of the basic issues related to TE and QoS and
example at the fair distribution of traffic in order to avoid or
minimize congestion. Multi Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) is a
introduces MPLS as suitable technology to support them.
key technology that enables advanced TE functionality. The Chapter 3 focuses on the main functional elements of a TE
MPLS framework consists of several components, such as the enabled network, describing how they act and how they
label switched forwarding plane, the label distribution and routing cooperate. Chapter 4 discusses some issues related to the TE
protocols and the “routing decision engine”. Extensions to these extension of control plane protocols currently under discussion
components to fully support Traffic Engineering are currently in the IETF community and presents a proposal made by the
under discussion within standardization bodies. Combining the
proposed extensions to different control plane components in a authors. Chapter 5 focuses on the Linux implementation of
consistent architecture is not a trivial operation. This paper single nodes, while chapter 6 describes the overall test-bed and
defines the architecture of a Traffic Engineered MPLS network illustrates the trials performed. Finally chapter 7 reports
and describes its implementation in a test-bed composed of Linux conclusions and illustrates the open issues left for future work.
PCs acting as MPLS routers. The architecture is aligned with
current discussion within IETF and includes as an option an 2. TRAFFIC ENGINEERING AND QOS
extension to RSVP-TE proposed by the authors. The prototype
implementation allows verifying the correct functional behavior of MPLS [3] is a key technology able to enhance IP networks
control plane protocols. The test-bed provides a flexible platform with advanced TE and QoS functionalities. It introduces a
where further extensions can be tested and some kinds of “connection-oriented” forwarding plane based on a label-
performance tests are possible. switching paradigm. An MPLS label (“shim header”) is
inserted before IP header as shown in Figure 1. MPLS nodes
1. INTRODUCTION use this label to route packets along pre-established paths called
Traditional IP networks are typically based on a connection- Label Switched Paths. Note that specific Layer 2 technologies
less packet-switching paradigm: individual packets are routed (e.g. ATM) may have different ways to carry the MPLS label.
separately and independently on a hop-by-hop basis, and there
is no guarantee of timely delivery of packets (best effort Layer 2 Header MPLS Header IP Header IP Payload
9. REFERENCES
Figure 8 – Graphical User Interface
[1] D. Awduche et al., “Overview and Principles of Internet Traffic
Both L-LSP with a single traffic class, and E-LSP with Engineering”, IETF RFC 3722, May 2002
multiple traffic classes reservation and signaling can be used. In [2] P. Iovanna, R. Mameli, G. Piantanida, S. Salsano, “Definition of
this second case, the RSVP-TE extensions proposed by the the MPLS FlowSpec for RSVP-TE”, work in progress, available
authors ([2]) allows a per class resource management and at ftp://ftp.coritel.it/pub/Drafts/draft-iovanna-rsvp-mpls-flowspec-
admission control. This means that each LSP setup request will 00.txt
be accepted only if there are resources available for every CT [3] E. Rosen et al., “Multiprotocol Label Switching Architecture”,
carried by the LSP. When the request is accepted resources will IETF RFC 3031, January 2001
be removed from the available resource for each CT and all the [4] L. Andersson et al., “LDP Specification”, IETF RFC 3036,
new bw values will be communicated at once by OSPF with a January 2001
single opaque LSA. [5] D. Awduche et al., “Requirements for Traffic Engineering Over
The correct setup of the LSPs on the data plane has been also MPLS”, IETF RFC 2702, September 1999
checked with monitoring tools like Tcpdump and Ethreal. [6] N. Bitar et al., “Traffic Engineering Extensions to OSPF”, IETF
0.2 <draft-bitar-rao-ospf-diffserv-mpls–02.txt>, work in progress
96.2 32.2 0.1
[7] T. Li, H. Smith, “IS-IS extensions for Traffic Engineering”, IETF
96.7
32.3 <draft-ietf-isis-traffic-04.txt>, work in progress
Idefix 64.2 [8] D. Awduche et al., “RSVP-TE: Extensions to RSVP for LSP
16.3 160.3
Tunnels”, IETF RFC 3209, December 2001
Caesar
112.7 64.6 16.6 Asterix
[9] B. Jamoussi et al., “Constraint-Based LSP Setup using LDP”,
Panoramix IETF RFC 3212, January 2002
160.4 128.1
224.3 [10] F. Le Faucheur et al., “MPLS Support of Differentiated
112.6
Services”, IETF RFC 3270, May 2002
Cleopatra 224.5 [11] X. Xiao, A. Hannan, B. Bailey, L. M. Ni, “Traffic Engineering
128.4
144.6
144.5 Obelix
with MPLS in the Internet”, IEEE Network, March/April 2000
[12] F. Le Faucheur et al., “Requirements for support of DiffServ
IP Addresses: 192.168.x.y Centurix
192.5 192.4 aware MPLS Traffic Engineering”, IETF <draft-ietf-tewg-diff-te-
Figure 9 – Testbed topology reqts-07.txt>, work in progress
[13] F. Le Faucheur et al., “Protocol extensions for support of Diff-
7. CONCLUSIONS AND FUTURE WORK
Serv-aware MPLS Traffic Engineering”, IETF <draft-ietf-tewg-
diff-te-proto-03.txt >, work in progress
This paper presented an architecture for Traffic Engineering [14] J. Ash et al, “Proposed MPLS/DiffServ TE Class Types”, IETF
in MPLS networks and its implementation in a control plane <draft-ash-mpls-diffserv-te-class-types-00.txt>, work in progress
test-bed. The test-bed is open and flexible to experiment control [15] J. Ash et al, “Alternative Technical Solution for MPLS DiffServ
plane extensions, new strategies, the evolution towards TE”, IETF <draft-ash-mpls-diffserv-te-alternative-02.txt >, work
GMPLS. in progress
The effort to put all the “pieces” together is very important [16] MPLS for Linux Home Page (SourceForge), http://mpls-
and we feel that special care is needed to coordinate the activity linux.sourceforge.net/
on the standardization of: TE extensions of routing protocol, [17] RSVP-TE daemon for DiffServ over MPLS under Linux
TE extensions of label distribution protocol and of the (IBCN), http://dsmpls.atlantis.rug.ac.be
architectural framework for Diffserv over MPLS. [18] IST Tequila Project Home Page, http://www.ist-tequila.org
An extension to RSVP-TE protocols has been proposed [2] [19] Zebra OSPF Home page, http://www.zebra.org/
and implemented to easily support the resource requirements of