Building IPv6 Service Provider Core

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When building an IPv6-enabled Service Provider core, you have three design options: dual-stack deployment, running IPv6 over MPLS (6PE) or running IPv6 inside a VPN (6VPE). This workshop describes the principles of all three design options and their comparative benefits and drawbacks.

We’ll also discuss Cisco IOS configurations for each of the three design options; you’ll get complete router configurations for a sample PE-router, P-router and BGP route reflector.

To give you a blueprint for an end-to-end IPv6 deployment in a Service Provider network, the workshop includes two access-layer methods (PPP and Ethernet) and two most important customer attachment configurations (dial-up customer with DHCP-assigned IPv6 prefix and a multi-homed enterprise customer running BGP with the Service Provider).

Register now for the online delivery of this workshop

Contents

Target audience

The presentation is ideal for advanced Service Provider and Enterprise engineers, from designers (who will probably focus on the benefits/drawbacks analysis of various transport options) to implementation engineers (who will enjoy the detailed configuration templates).

Do not forget that large enterprise networks often resemble Service Provider networks: they use BGP to isolate the network core from access-layer mishaps and MPLS to transport data across the core.

Delivery format

The Building IPv6 Service Provider Core is a 2-hour advanced technical presentation. You can register for the on-line delivery of this workshop immediately; we can also organize an on-site event, where this presentation can be used as an introduction to a full-day on-site workshop covering the deployment of IPv6 in your network.

When attending the on-line webinar, you’ll get a PDF copy of the presentation materials and the instructions you need to join the Webex classroom session a few days before the event, giving you plenty of time to check your workstation environment, study the materials and prepare potential questions.

After the presentation, you’ll receive a recording of the presentation and complete router configurations which you can use in your own lab to test the scenarios discussed in the webinar. You’ll also be able to join a discussion group with other attendees of this webinar.

Contents

Design Principles

This section describes common large-scale design principles and how they apply to IPv6 deployment:

  • Access network is isolated from the core;
  • IGP is used to establish connectivity within the core;
  • BGP is used to propagate access network routes between PE-routers.

Access Network Configuration

Two major customer attachment methods are covered in this section:

  • Low-end CPE device using IPv6 prefix delegation with DHCPv6 (IA_PD option of DHCPv6);
  • Multihomed central site of an enterprise network with provider-independent (PI) IPv6 address space. This site runs BGP with the Service Provider network.

Native IPv6 Core

The Native IPv6 core design uses dual-stack approach: all core routers run IPv4 and IPv6. This section describes the consequences of this approach, including the need for AS-wide multiprotocol BGP. It covers numerous technical details, including IPv4/IPv6 BGP sessions, IPv6 BGP next-hop management and the choice of IGP (OSPFv2/v3 or multiprotocol IS-IS).

IPv6 MPLS Transport

An MPLS-enabled network core can use MPLS in combination with multiprotocol BGP to transport IPv6 across LSPs with IPv4 IGP/LDP or MPLS TE. This section describes the 6PE design and implementation guidelines and contains detailed router configuration for both PE-routers and multiprotocol route reflectors.

IPv6 in a VPN

Service providers planning to offer IPv6 VPN services might consider multiprotocol MPLS/VPN deployment; Cisco IOS allows you to configure IPv4 and IPv6 address families within a single VRF. This section describes the basics of 6VPE (MPLS/VPN for IPv6), the changes made to VRF configuration in Cisco IOS and the additional address families that have to be configured within the BGP routing process.

Prerequisite knowledge

The Building IPv6 Service Provider Core discusses advanced IPv6, BGP, MPLS and MPLS VPN concepts. You are expected to have basic understanding of IPv6 addressing and routing, BGP design and configuration and MPLS principles of operations.

Exclusions

The workshop does not address product-specific details (for example, limitations of IPv6 on a specific hardware platform), low-end consumer CPE devices (Cisco routers are used as CPE devices) or details of specific access methods (for example, IPv6 over PPPoE over DSL).

Related training

Recommended reading

About the author

Ivan Pepelnjak (CCIE#1354) has been designing, deploying and troubleshooting large-scale IP-based networks since 1990. He’s the author of highly successful MPLS books published by Cisco press and numerous Service Provider courses now offered by Cisco Systems.

More about Ivan Pepelnjak

Contact and availability

You can register for the on-line webinar immediately.

To get more information about this workshop or discuss pricing or scheduling details for an on-site event, please contact the author.

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