An evaluation of alternative protocols-based Virtual Private LAN Service (VPLS)

Abstract

Virtual Private LAN Services (VPLS) is a widely utilized Layer 2 (L2) Virtual Private Network (VPN) architecture that is widely applied in industrial networks. The main function of a VPLS is that it allows geographically distant sites of an organization or individual's network be connected to each other, as if they were at the same exact location. The implementation of traditional VPLS architecture in large-scale networks is challenging however, due to security and scalability issues. To resolve these issues, secure VPLS architectures were introduced. The already existing architectures of these secure VPLS are all based on Host Identity Protocol (HIP). This research paper is written with the intention of designing and implementing a secure VPLS architecture based on an alternative authentication protocol, ensuring that the subsequent VPLS network is secured by delivering vital security features such as authentication, confidentiality, integrity and availability. The final step would be to evaluate the performance of the newly designed VPLS architecture and making a meaningful comparison of this architecture against the normal VPLS architecture.