Quality of service using traffic engineering over MPLS: an analysis

Abstract

We compare the service received by TCP and UDP flows when they share either a link or a Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) traffic trunk. Since MPLS traffic trunks allow non-shortest path links also to be used, the total network throughput goes up with proper traffic engineering. We found that if UDP and TCP flows are mixed in a trunk, TCP flows receive a reduced service as the UDP flows increase their rates. Also, we found that in order to benefit from traffic engineering, MPLS trunks should be implemented end-to-end (first router to last router). If some part of the network is MPLS trunk-unaware, the benefits are reduced or eliminated.