I am looking to create an active-active network configuration for a
particular site. I would like the primary and backup circuits to be both active at the same time
and for load sharing across the two circuits. Is an active-active network configuration possible on
an MPLS implementation?
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Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS), by itself, is not a load-balancing standard for data transfer. It is a prioritization approach that allows different signal sources to be delivered at varying levels of service quality and latency. However, using MPLS to define two virtual circuits could theoretically allow you to place load balancing appliances on both ends that would utilize the two circuits in an active-active and fault-tolerant configuration. In other words, MPLS defines the circuits, but you would need additional equipment to define the sessions. Here are a few articles on load balancers from TechTarget:
- Free load balancer for Exchange 2010 deployments
- Understanding Cisco’s IOS server load balancing feature
Email your MPLS-related questions to editor@searchenterprisewan.com.
This was first published in June 2012