Implementing MPLS with label switching in software-defined networks

Label-based switching schemes, such as MPLS, have been known to be an effective mechanism in overcoming many challenges in core networks. Software-defined networking, while a much more recent development, is seen to have the potential to revolutionize networking. But some network researchers, even within the SDN community, believe, for SDN to flourish, it must adopt a more structured model with an intelligent edge and a fast but simple label switched core. This is an excellent use case for MPLS on OpenFlow. But, while there have been other implementations of MPLS in OpenFlow, they abandon the spirit OpenFlow by requiring sophisticated hardware. This thesis discusses our hybrid-OpenFlow implementation of MPLS that requires only commodity hardware in the core network. We accomplish this by compiling the MPLS labels that would have been encountered along a path through the network into a single label, which is stored in the packets' destination MAC address field.

Name thesis:degree_name

M.S.

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Computer Science

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2015

Author dc:creator

• Bellessa, John C

• Software-Defined Networking
• Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS)
• Label-based Switching

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 2015 John Bellessa

Language dc:language

en

Handle dc:identifier

http://hdl.handle.net/2142/78566

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/78566