How MPLS works
MPLS uses a label-switching forwarding method to direct packets through a network. In label switching, a packet is assigned a label and passes along a predetermined path of routers. Forwarding decisions are based on the contents of the label, rather than information in the IP header of the packet.
The following sections describe these basic MPLS concepts:
- How packets are forwarded through an MPLS domain
- The kinds of Label Switched Paths (LSPs) that can be configured on a device
- The components of an MPLS label header