How can you design an MPLS network that is scalable, resilient, and easy to manage?

1 Choose a suitable topology

The topology of your MPLS network depends on your business requirements, budget, and existing infrastructure. You can choose from different models, such as hub-and-spoke, full mesh, or hybrid. Each one has its pros and cons, such as cost, redundancy, and complexity. For example, a hub-and-spoke topology is cheaper and simpler, but it creates a single point of failure and adds latency. A full mesh topology is more expensive and complex, but it offers high availability and low latency. A hybrid topology combines both models and balances the trade-offs.

2 Implement a robust routing protocol

A routing protocol is essential for establishing and maintaining the paths between the MPLS nodes. You can use different protocols, such as OSPF, IS-IS, or BGP, depending on your network size, topology, and features. Each protocol has its advantages and disadvantages, such as scalability, convergence, and security. For example, OSPF is easy to configure and supports fast rerouting, but it has a limited network size and requires more resources. IS-IS is more scalable and efficient, but it is harder to troubleshoot and monitor. BGP is the most flexible and powerful, but it is also the most complex and slow to converge.

5 Monitor and optimize your network performance

A network performance monitoring (NPM) tool is a software that helps you to measure and analyze the key metrics and indicators of your MPLS network, such as bandwidth, latency, jitter, or packet loss. It helps you to identify and resolve any issues, bottlenecks, or anomalies that may affect your network quality and availability. You can use different tools, such as SNMP, NetFlow, or IP SLA, to collect and display the data. For example, SNMP can provide basic information and alerts, NetFlow can provide detailed traffic analysis and reporting, and IP SLA can provide synthetic testing and verification.

6 Follow the best practices and standards

The best practices and standards are the guidelines and recommendations that you can follow to ensure that your MPLS network is compliant, secure, and efficient. They can help you to avoid common mistakes, risks, and vulnerabilities that may compromise your network performance and integrity. You can refer to different sources, such as RFCs, white papers, or case studies, to learn and apply the best practices and standards. For example, you can follow RFC 3031 for the basic MPLS architecture and operations, RFC 4364 for the VPN services and security, or RFC 3270 for the QoS and traffic engineering.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?