Rating: 
Summary: I can finally implement MPLS correctly!
Review: Advanced MPLS Design and Implementation, by Vivek Alwayn finally explains MPLS in a way that lets me understand how to implement it correctly. I purchased many books on the theory of MPLS, but they all fell short on how to implement it.The case studies in this book are excellent! They serve as a core reference for both the design and implementation of MPLS networks. The book also does a good job in explaining MPLS VPNs and QoS. I have known Mr. Alwayn, and his work, since 1996 and can tell you that the book was written from experience. His practical, common sense approach to both writing and engineering has made him a leader in his field. The book is a good buy for anyone who wants to know MPLS beyond its basic theory, or intends to implement MPLS in the real world.
Rating: 
Summary: Very helpful
Review: For those familiar with the basic rudiments of MPLS this book gives an excellent overview of the more advanced aspects of the subject. It is strictly a monograph, as there are no exercises in the book, but it could be used as a classroom textbook if it were supplemented with problem sets. The book is aimed at network engineers and managers, but those interested in the performance modeling of MPLS networks will find the book very useful. The author begins the book with an elementary overview of MPLS, and why it was invented, namely to allow routers and ATM switches to do forwarding based on the contents of a label, and not route lookup. In the next chapter, the role of MPLS in cloud technologies like TDM, Frame Relay, and ATM is discussed. The reader is expected to know about these technologies in detail, for only short reviews of each is given. The concept of a forward equivalence class (FEC) is introduced, and conventional layer 3 routing versus MPLS is discussed. The author does not discuss the performance issues involved with using MPLS routing versus ordinary layer 3 routing. The advantages of using labels to do the forwarding instead of network layer forwarding are addressed in the next chapter on MPLS architecture. The author's treatment is very detailed and readers can expect a deeper understanding of the MPLS node architecture and control plane after finishing this chapter. The author emphasizes the unsuitability of OSPF, IS-IS, IGRP, RIP, and RIPv2 for label-binding information distribution. In addition, the ability of MPLS to detect and prevent routing loops is discussed. Chapter 4 discusses the use of MPLS to construct VPNs. The author emphasizes the advantages of MPLS VPNs and gives a case study in the next chapter which discusses packet-based MPLS VPNs in more detail. The actual steps one would use to configure router-based MPLS VPNs are given. The most interesting section to me was the one on Internet access over MPLS VPNs. ATM-based MPLS VPNs are discussed in chapter 6, with the author emphasizing the capability of MPLS of eliminating complexity in IP transport across ATM networks by mapping IP addressing and routing information directly into ATM switching tables. QoS guarantees can still be obtained in deploying MPLS IP VPNs over MPLS-aware ATM backbones. A case study is given of a packet-based MPLS over ATM VPN. The most important chapter of the book for me was chapter 7, which discusses MPLS traffic engineering. Emphasizing the need for doing traffic engineering on the Internet, the author views it as a collection of autonomous systems communicating with each other via EGP. Emphasis is placed on the use of traffic engineering to optimize the traffic flow across the service-providers backbone using techniques such as OSPF and EIGRP unequal-cost load balancing. Noting that these metric manipulation techniques do no provide dynamic redundancy, and do not consider network capacity constraints, the author then discusses the advantages of doing MPLS traffic engineering. And again, the author shows explicitly how to configure devices to support MPLS traffic engineering. Configuration case studies are given for an MPLS traffic-engineered IS-IS network and an OSPF network. The chapter was somewhat disappointing in that there was on discussion on the performance issues involved with employing MPLS traffic engineering. MPLS QoS is discussed in the next chapter, with emphasis on MPLS implementation of DiffServ and the MPLS VPN QoS pipe and hose models. In the pipe model, the service provider gives the customer a QoS guarantee for traffic flows between two CE routers in the same VPN; in the hose model, the provider gives the customer guarantees for the traffic that a CE router would send/receive from other CE routers in the same VPN. An MPLS QoS case study is given. Chapter 9 addresses the design issues in implementing and migrating to MPLS, including VPN design and topologies, and ATM networks. The author briefly discusses how to estimate the unidirectional and bi-directional traffic matrices, how to calculate estimated link bandwidths, and how to do MPLS LVC sizing. A lot more however needs to be done from a modeling standpoint in the design phase, so as to raise the level of confidence in the design engineers' mind as to the resilience and performance of the MPLS design. The last chapter covers the more exotic architectures that are currently being considered for MPLS implementation. These include Dense Division Wavelength Multiplexing (DWDM), which is a process of multiplexing signals of different wavelengths onto a single fiber, and Multiprotocol Lamda Switching, which is the optical analogue of MPLS. In addition, the capability of extending the control plane to the optical layer using the Unified Control Plane (UCP) is discussed. The UCP is a kind of distributed intelligence that includes the optical network elements. The UCP overlay model, which uses two distinct control planes, and the UCP peer model , which only has one, are briefly discussed. One can thus gain a lot from the reading of this book, but because MPLS is relatively new in the networking world, it is imperative for network designers to be able to experiment with different MPLS configurations in a laboratory and simulation setting. These issues are not addressed in this book, but one can use the information in the book as an adequate guide to assist in these important design activities.
Rating:
Summary: An excellent MPLS book
Review: I just finished reading this book, and would recommend it for anyone who needs to understand and configure MPLS. I really like the way the book is organized. It provides comprehensive theory followed by detailed configuration examples. It is right on target and covers MPLS from beginning to end and is great for all levels. The author did a very good job of not delving into the theoretical portion of MPLS and RFC-related details. If you are looking for a book describing all the things which need to be taken care of when planning and implementing MPLS then you will appreciate this book. This book provides many configuration exampless which are, for the people working in the carrier industry, very familiar. The examples range from a typical service provider who wants to deploy MPLS, to ISPs who want to apply Traffic Engineering and offer Classes of service. Aside from the many examples, which serve the text well in getting the material understood, this book takes care to describe the fundamentals associated with it as well. However, this is not a book for the light reader. Prior knowledge of ATM switching and large ATM switches such as the BPX or MGX will be useful in order to understand and appreciate the ATM MPLS design chapters. Of course, this books focuses on Cisco gear, but the explanations and details will suit anyone willing to learn in-depth about MPLS.
Rating: 
Summary: This is not "Advanced" MPLS book
Review: I spend an hour or two on browsing this book in Borders bookstore. To my disappointment, this is not an advanced MPLS book at all. If you have read "MPLS and VPN Architecture" and "IP Quality of Service", you find this book pretty straight-forward. The MPLS VPN examples are so basic and it's not worth of reading at all. I read the "MPLS and VPN Architecture" several times and expect this "Advanced" book to focus on more advanced topics. But it's not... The book covers some MPLS ATM design cases, but to me POS is more popular.
I gave "2 stars" considering most of Cisco books are excellent, this one is just so-so..
Rating:
Summary: Its an excellent reference for people designing MPLS Nets
Review: It is the only book that I have found that has case studies on differenr MPLS applications like VPNs, Traffic Engineering, QOS.
It is very helpful for people needing a quick reference on MPLS . Besides the book explains the underlying concepts very clearly and in an easy to understand way.Thanks Mr. Alwayn for the excellent book.
Rating:
Summary: A very good reference guide for MPLS
Review: It took me 3 solid days to read this book, since we have a major MPLS project coming up. It is very well written and the examples take you from the basics to the advanced. The more advanced content, I noticed was in the ATM and Traffic Engineering sections. This is the only MPLS book which covers ATM MPLS, none of the other books, I have purchased, including the other Cisco Press book covers ATM MPLS or Traffic Engineering. There are a few typos, which one can live with, However, all in all, it is an excellent MPLS reference and tutorial. I would give it 5 stars. Chris Beckett
Senior Network Engineer
AT&T
Rating:
Summary: The complete MPLS reference guide!
Review: Let me start by saying, that I am a first time MPLS networker. I have designed Routed WAN, ATM and SONET systems in the past. It was imperative to read up on the technology and get an understanding of the technology for me to be sucessful in my current MPLS project. The Advanced MPLS book truly takes the reader from WAN technology basics to the creation of complex MPLS networks. The Packet based MPLS chapters provide good examples for design of Frame based MPLS networks, while the ATM chapters provided excellent design and deployment examples of configurations for the BPX (Cisco's ATM switch), as well as MPLS router configurations. The other MPLS books focus on MPLS theory, while this book is well written and takes a step-by-step approach for all MPLS topics. The chapter on Traffic Engineering provides a lot of design and configuration information, but I must warn you that all examples are Cisco based, which I guess is natural for any Cisco Press book. The MPLS QoS chapter was very well presented with an introduction to IntServ and DiffServ (which acts as a refresher). The configuration examples are to the point and relate succinctly to the drawings. This book makes a great reference guide for implementing MPLS as well as, would help you with the CCIP and CCIE certifications.
Rating:
Summary: Not Original
Review: Material in early chapters feel like Davie's book.English seems to be the second language of author. There are plenty of twisted sentences in this book. Definitely Lacks originality
Rating:
Summary: Not Original
Review: Material in early chapters feel like Davie's book.English seems to be the second language of author. There are plenty of twisted sentences in this book. Definitely Lacks originality
Rating:
Summary: Excellent book
Review: The Author has nicely articulated the concepts.This book can be used by the beginners who is new to MPLS.Dont get misguided by the word Advanced.I used this book to learn the MPLS technology and also it helped me in passing the MPLS certification exam.
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