MPLS and Routing

[acet]

Hello,

I need to connect two subnets to each other and seem not to understand how MPLS connects two locations. This is my scenario.

Subnet A (172.16.64.0/23) at location A will connect to a Cisco router at location A.

Subnet B (172.16.66.0/24) at location B will connect to the same Cisco router at location A thru an MPLS connection.

The router will connect to the internet thru an ASA firewall.

Subnet A --> Router --> ASA firewall

Subnet B --> MPLS --> Router --> ASA firewall

My question is, what does MPLS provide at each end? I am sure that there is some sort of a hardware at each end, but will each have an IP?

Any help will be very much appreciated.

Thank You.

[Giuseppe Larosa]

Hello Acet,

you need to understand what type of MPLS service you have between SiteA and SiteB.

If it is a L2 VPN it is a LAN extension service and the router interface towards SiteB will be directly in IP subnet 172.16.66.0/24.

This is likey your case if you haven't your own router or multilayer switch deployed at SiteB.

If you have a router or multilayer switch at SiteB, the MPLS service could be a L3 VPN with an indipendent addressing on the two sides

example: 172.16.67.0/30 on SiteA router-MPLS interface

172.16.67.4/30 on SiteB router to MPLS cloud interface.

You have to ask to the MPLS provider if it is a L2 VPN or a L3 VPN service.

Hope to help

Giuseppe

[acet]

Thank You.