7.2 Basic MLS Configuration
7.2.1 Configuring the MLS route processor
The Catalyst 6500 with MSFC or MSFC II will perform MLS without any MLS configurations. The MSFC or MSFC II acting as an MLS-RP for Catalyst 5500 series switch will need to be configured for MLS. The configuration of the MLS-RP can be completed in a few basic steps, as follows:
  1. Globally enable MLS on the Route Processor for IP using the mls rp ip command.
  2. Assign an MLS Virtual Trunking Protocol (VTP) domain to the interface using the mls rp vtp-domain command.
  3. Enable MLS on the Route Processor for a specific interface using the mls rp vlan-id command (if this is a nontrunk interface).
  4. Specify an MLS management interface using the mls rp management-interface command.
  5. Assign a VLAN ID to an interface.

Before you can configure multilayer switching for a specific VLAN or interface, you must globally enable the MLSP that operates between the Route Processor and the switch.

To enable MLSP on the Route Processor, enter the following command in global configuration mode:

Router(config)#mls rp ip

The running configuration example in the Figure shows that the MLS-RP is configured to multilayer switch-routed IP packets. The command mls rp ipx is needed for the MLS-RP to multilayer switch-routed IPX packets. To disable multilayer switching on the Route Processor/RSM, enter the no mls rp ip command in global configuration mode.