Labels
Labels are logical names used to identify LAN and WAN interfaces. They are defined once at the Customer level and reused across Sites.
Labels make policies independent of hardware-specific interface names. For example, one router model may use an interface named GigabitEthernet0/0, while another model may use TenGigabitEthernet0/0. By using labels, the SD-WAN configuration can refer to the purpose of the interface instead of its physical name.
There are two main types of labels:
Type | Role |
|---|---|
LAN labels | Identify user, guest, voice, IoT, or other LAN segments. |
WAN labels | Identify underlay links (fiber, MPLS, 4G, and so on). |
At each Site, a label is mapped to a physical or logical interface. Depending on the deployment, the mapping can also include local settings such as VLAN (Virtual Local Area Network), IP address, DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) mode, or bandwidth.
Traffic Rules can use a LAN label as a match condition. This allows traffic to be classified based on the source LAN segment. For example, traffic coming from a guest LAN can be handled differently from traffic coming from a corporate LAN.
Overlays and WAN-side QoS use WAN labels to identify which WAN links can participate in traffic steering, load sharing, or link selection.
Role in the Model
Labels provide a stable naming layer between global policy and physical interfaces. They allow the same Traffic Rules, Overlays, and WAN policies to be reused across different Sites and router models.
When a new Site is added, or when a router model changes, the global policy does not need to be rewritten. Only the Site-specific mapping between labels and physical interfaces must be configured.