IGP and BGP Convergence Impacts on MPLS Convergence

Susan Hares
NextHop Technologies

MPLS convergence is impacted by convergence in the IGPs (OSPF or ISIS) and BGP convergence. MPLS L3 Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) utilized BGP to create the MPLS L3 VPNs. L2 VPN may use BGP auto-discovery to find end points. BGP information requires recursively look-up to install routers. The BGP recursive route lookup depends on IGP convergence time periods.

This talk will review a model for MPLS convergence, related IETF benchmarking drafts, and experimental results with three existing implementations of MPLS L3 VPNs and three existing implementations of L2 VPNs using BGP auto-discovery mechanisms.

The MPLS convergence model will be based on the following convergence models:

  • IGP convergence (OSPF and ISIS),
  • BGP convergence,
  • LDP convergence, and
  • RSVP-TE convergence.

    The MPLS convergence model will also describe the availability of the MPLS L2 VPN end-points passed via a BGP auto-discovery mechanism.

    The MPLS experimental results will convergence results with different sizes of total routes and protocol peers. The protocol peers will vary number of routers for IGP routers, BGP peers, LDP peers, and RSVP-TE routers.

    Bio:
    Sue Hares is recognized as one of the world's foremost experts in routing technology. She leads the technology qualification, development, and strategic planning functions at NextHop. Prior to launching NextHop Technologies, Ms. Hares spent 13 years at Merit Network Inc. where she most recently directed the Merit GateD Consortium. Ms. Hares was also a senior engineer at both Allen-Bradley Corp. and ADP Inc.

    An active participant in the design, specification and implementation of routing protocols, Ms. Hares co-chairs the Internet Engineering Task Force’s (IETF's) inter-domain routing group that is standardizing border gateway protocol. She is also a member of the NANOG (North American Network Operators' Group) steering committee.

    Ms. Hares earned a bachelor of science degree in computer engineering from the University of Michigan.