Summary

This chapter was a whirlwind introduction to some of the concepts and history behind MPLS and MPLS TE. You now have a feel for where MPLS TE came from, what it's modeled after, and what sort of problems it can solve.

More importantly, you also have a grasp on what MPLS is not. MPLS has received a tremendous amount of attention since its introduction into the networking world, and it has been exalted by some and derided by others. MPLS and MPLS TE are no more and no less than tools in your networking toolbox. Like any other tool, they take time and knowledge to apply properly. Whether you use MPLS TE in your network is up to you; the purpose of this book is to show you how MPLS TE works and the kinds of things it can do.

Although this book is not an introduction to MPLS as a whole, you might need to brush up on some MPLS basics. That's what Chapter 2 is for: It reviews basic label operations and label distribution in detail to prepare you for the rest of the book. If you're familiar with basic MPLS operation (push/pop/swap and the basic idea of LDP), you might want to skip to Chapter 3, “Information Distribution,” where you can start diving into the nuts and bolts of how MPLS TE works and how it can be put to work for you.