Switching in IP Networks : IP Switching, Tag Switching and Related Technologies

Label switching, an economical and efficient technique for message forwarding in IP networks, is fast becoming a widely deployed solution for improving performance, scalability, and functionality. Written by leading experts in the field, this guide explores the underlying technology of label switching and provides a detailed analysis and comparison of approaches developed by Ipsilon, Cisco, Toshiba, and IBM. It also compares label switching with conventional routing, culminating in a discussion of the Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) standard now being developed by the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETP).

This book-the result of a rigorous review process by key designers-is an invaluable resource to network engineers and designers for evaluating the use of label switching in their own networks.

* Explains the benefits and limitations of label switching technology
* Compares performance, scalability, and robustness of IP Switching, Tag Switching, Cell Switching Router (CSR), and Aggregate Router-based IP Switching (ARIS)
* Reveals how label switching simplifies IP over ATM integration problems
* Presents the latest snapshot of the MPLS standard, which incorporates the strengths of several of the approaches discussed

Bruce Davie joined Cisco Systems in 1995, and was awarded recognition as a Cisco Fellow in 1998. He leads an architecture group with responsibility for the development of Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) and Quality of Service (QoS) capabilities for IP networks. He has more than 15 years of networking and communications industry experience. Some of his most prominent contributions to the industry include authoring numerous books, RFCs, journal articles, and conference papers on IP networking. He is also an active participant in both the Internet Engineering Task Force and the Internet Research Task Force, and is a senior member of the IEEE. Prior to joining Cisco, Bruce worked at Bell Communications Research (Bellcore) and led a number of networking research projects as director of internetworking research and chief scientist. He holds a Ph.D. in Computer Science from Edinburgh University and a B.E. from the University of Melbourne.

Paul Doolan is Chief Technology Officer with Ennovate Networks in Boxboro, Massachusetts-a startup that is embracing MPLS as one of its core technologies. In his previous position at Cisco Systems, Inc., Doolan worked with Bruce Davie, Yakov Rekhter, and others on the Tag Switching proposals. An active member of the MPLS working group, Doolan is co-author of the MPLS Framework and Label Distribution Protocol documents.

Yakov Rekhter works at Cisco Systems, Inc., where he is a Cisco Fellow. He is one of the leading designers of Tag Switching, BGP/MPLS VPNs, and MPLS Traffic Engineering. He is also one of the leading designers of Border Gateway Protocol (BGP). He is the author/co-author of many RFCs, as well as numerous presentations, papers, and articles on TCP/IP and the Internet.