That is confusing. Do the network operators actually use the mpls on Label swithcing routers (LSR) now, or the answers I am getting are for the future?
Are there any LSRs with MPLS in use anywhere?
Yes, a few production IP networks use MPLS on Label Switching Routers now. Probably 90% of our backbone traffic traverses an MPLS LSP. As a matter of operational concern, we do not display Layer 3 IP hops within the MPLS LSP. Therefore troubleshooting from an external perspective may be more difficult -- feel free to involve our NOC. LSRs with MPLS are in use in at least 3 networks today. 1 has an almost complete deployment, 1 has a regional deployment, and 1 uses them as 'one-offs' for traffic engineering. (as another potentially confusing detail, 'standard IP routers' are 'retrofitted' with MPLS, such that the same box becomes a hybrid IP and MPLS router/switch) -alan