L3 VPNs

Virtual private networks (VPNs) are a mystery partly because the meaning of the term keeps changing. Thus this Tutorial starts by defining VPNs and providing an overview. The primary concentration is on provider-provisioned VPNs (PPVPNs), in which Internet service provider (ISP) equipment is included in VPN creation and management. The specific focus of this Tutorial is on Layer 3 VPN (L3VPN) technologies and implementations.

Before beginning to understand VPNs, you must internalize, make part of your gut instincts, that almost everything in modern networking is a virtualization. Be sure to read the How to Study Virtual Private Networks Study Guide, which starts you down that path by outlining the steps involved in learning VPNs.

For a discussion of other types of VPNs, see also "The Other VPNs: It's Not All MPLS" Study Guide by Annlee Hines.

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