Summary

We have described both the MPLS technology components and the related business applications for organizations that deploy and use MPLS. The increasing number of MPLS adopters only confirms the success of the technology in the industry as a service driver. Further, more than 100 IETF drafts and RFCs on MPLS and related technologies have been written. In addition, a dedicated ITU study group on NGN architectures exists, and one of the prime discussion items is MPLS for next-generation networks. Several providers building next-generation architectures have standardized on MPLS and GMPLS for their networks to converge Layer 2 and Layer 3 services, including broadband aggregation, multicast, IPv6, and VPLS.

So, What Is the Future of MPLS?

As we have described in this chapter, several enhancements are expected in the future with MPLS implementations and services. Some of them might be fundamental changes, such as the addition of new control planes, with multicast routing protocol PIM, and others might be enhancements to either the configuration or operation of existing MPLS features. MPLS is the de-facto protocol for network convergence, and MPLS and GMPLS have become the key to next-generation network architectures. MPLS has proven itself such a flexible technology for service deployment that opportunities for MPLS to adapt and evolve in the future are extensive. One thing is certain, though: MPLS is here to stay.