PE router
Encyclopedia
A Provider Edge router is a router between one network
Computer network
A computer network, often simply referred to as a network, is a collection of hardware components and computers interconnected by communication channels that allow sharing of resources and information....

 service provider's area and areas administered by other network providers. A network provider is usually an Internet Service Provider
Internet service provider
An Internet service provider is a company that provides access to the Internet. Access ISPs directly connect customers to the Internet using copper wires, wireless or fiber-optic connections. Hosting ISPs lease server space for smaller businesses and host other people servers...

 as well (or only that).

The term PE router covers equipment capable of a broad range of routing
Routing
Routing is the process of selecting paths in a network along which to send network traffic. Routing is performed for many kinds of networks, including the telephone network , electronic data networks , and transportation networks...

 protocol
Communications protocol
A communications protocol is a system of digital message formats and rules for exchanging those messages in or between computing systems and in telecommunications...

s, notably:
  • Border Gateway Protocol
    Border Gateway Protocol
    The Border Gateway Protocol is the protocol backing the core routing decisions on the Internet. It maintains a table of IP networks or 'prefixes' which designate network reachability among autonomous systems . It is described as a path vector protocol...

     (BGP)
  • Open Shortest Path First
    Open Shortest Path First
    Open Shortest Path First is an adaptive routing protocol for Internet Protocol networks. It uses a link state routing algorithm and falls into the group of interior routing protocols, operating within a single autonomous system . It is defined as OSPF Version 2 in RFC 2328 for IPv4...

     (OSPF)
  • Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS)


PE routers need not be aware of what kind of traffic is coming from the provider's network. However, some PE routers also do labeling.
The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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