| Although this book could be read cover-to-cover, it is designed to be flexible so that you can easily move between chapters and sections to cover just the material you need more work on. Consistent with the covered technologies, this book follows a modular design. It is divided into three parts. The first part includes Chapters 1, 2 and 3. It introduces the architectural framework and delves into virtual switch interface details and realizations. This part describes the controller/controlled switch architecture and the different master and slave models. The second part, comprised of Chapters 4 through 7, details MPLS architecture, configuration, and design in multiservice switches. The third part is comprised of Chapters 8 through 11. It discusses PNNI and ATM Forum technologies in multiservice switches, including theory, implementation, configuration, and design. Chapter 12 presents some general conclusions for the whole book. The 12 chapters cover the following topics: Chapter 1, "What Are Multiservice Switching Networks?" This chapter introduces the multiservice switching architecture, which lets you use a common network infrastructure to support a mixture of services natively and without their interfering with each other. This chapter introduces and defines controllers, partitioning, virtual switches, and the "ships in the night" concept, among other constitutive pieces of the multiservice switching model. Chapter 2, "SCI: Virtual Switch Interface" This chapter discusses the virtual switch interface and protocol, which is the switch control interface implemented in Cisco software. The virtual switch interface allows multiple networking protocols to control resources on a virtual switch. This chapter also covers partitioning concepts. Chapter 3, "Implementations and Platforms" This chapter applies the ideas from the previous two chapters, which discuss multiservice switching implementations. Different MPLS and PNNI realizations of the multiservice switching architecture are analyzed in great detail. Chapter 4, "Introduction to Multiprotocol Label Switching" This chapter introduces the multiprotocol label switching protocol. It covers Label Distribution Protocol (LDP) functionality and procedures including LDP sessions, label distribution methods, and loop detection. It also provides details on quality of service (QoS) using multi-vc, VC-Merge LSR capability, and MPLS Virtual Private Networks (VPNs). Chapter 5, "MPLS Design in MSS" This chapter examines design concepts and best practices for MPLS implementations. It also presents scalability concepts including MPLS PoP sizing, how to calculate the required number of label virtual circuits (LVCs), and ATM MPLS convergence. Other sections include IP routing protocols and LSC redundancy. Chapter 6, "MPLS Implementation and Configuration" This chapter covers the configuration of MPLS in multiservice switches. A complete MPLS network with three points of presence is implemented from the ground up. This MPLS network is the foundation for the application plane services introduced in Chapter 7. This chapter also presents a generic configuration model that applies to all platforms, as well as some troubleshooting scenarios. A table summarizing all the configuration commands and steps is presented as well. Chapter 7,"Practical Applications of MPLS" This chapter covers the configuration of MPLS VPNs and MPLS quality of service. Chapter 8, "PNNI Explained" This chapter answers the question "Why PNNI?". Private Network-to-Network Interface is described and analyzed, in both the routing and signaling aspects. This chapter also describes ATM UNI signaling, details ATM addressing concepts, and explains the use of Interim Interswitch Signaling Protocol (IISP) and ATM Inter-Network Interconnect (AINI) to join two PNNI networks. Chapter 9, "PNNI Network Design Goals" This chapter examines PNNI network design goals related to providing end-user services, PNNI POP design and scaling, redundancy design, and core bandwidth concerns. Chapter 10,"PNNI Implementation and Provision" This chapter discusses the configuration of ATM Forum services in multiservice switching platforms. After discussing a general configuration model, this chapter sets up a PNNI network made up of three Points of Presence (POPs). It also covers the configuration of SVC and SPVC services, NCDP, and filters. A table summarizing all the configuration commands and steps is presented. Chapter 11, "Advanced PNNI Configuration" This chapter covers the fundamentals of hierarchical PNNI configuration, achieving the hierarchical abstraction. Other advanced topics and configurations, such as IISP, traffic engineering, and connection admission control, are also covered. Chapter 12, "Virtual Switch Review" This chapter provides a closing for the book, reconverging in the multiservice switching architecture and providing general conclusions. Appendix A,"Service Traffic Groups, Types, and Categories" This appendix presents the virtual switch interface (VSI) service groups, types and categories used to deliver QoS in Multiservice Switches.
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