C H A P T E R
22-1
Cisco 10000 Series Router Software Configuration Guide
OL-2226-23
22
Configuring Multilink Point-to-Point Protocol
Connections
LAN-based applications and information transfer services, such as electronic mail, transmit large
amounts of traffic, placing increased demand on wide-area networks (WANs). Multilink Point-to-Point
Protocol (MLP) is a reliable and cost-effective solution that makes efficient use of WAN links.
This chapter describes MLP and how to configure it on serial and ATM connections on the Cisco 10000
series router. It includes the following topics:
•
Multilink Point-to-Point Protocol, page 22-1
•
MLP Bundles, page 22-3
•
Types of MLP Bundle Interfaces, page 22-4
•
MLP Groups, page 22-5
•
How MLP Determines the Link a Bundle Joins, page 22-6
•
IP Addresses on MLP-Enabled Links, page 22-7
•
Valid Ranges for MLP Interfaces, page 22-8
•
MLP Overhead, page 22-9
•
Configuration Commands for MLP, page 22-9
•
MLP over Serial Interfaces, page 22-13
•
Single-VC MLP over ATM Virtual Circuits, page 22-15
•
Multi-VC MLP over ATM Virtual Circuits, page 22-16
•
MLP-Based Link Fragmentation and Interleaving, page 22-27
•
Configuring MLP Bundles and Member Links, page 22-27
•
Configuration Examples for Configuring MLP, page 22-38
•
Verifying and Monitoring MLP Connections, page 22-43
•
Related Documentation, page 22-46
Multilink Point-to-Point Protocol
Multilink Point-to-Point Protocol (MLP) is used to combine multiple physical links into a single logical
connection or MLP bundle (see
Figure 22-1
). Using MLP, you can increase bandwidth and more easily
manage all of the circuits through a single interface. The MLP connection has a maximum bandwidth
