The figure shows an MPLS packet with multiple labels.

Comprehensive and Detailed In-Depth Explanation:

1. Understanding MPLS Label Stack and the S (Bottom of Stack) Bit

MPLS (Multiprotocol Label Switching) packets can have multiple labels stacked on top of each other.

Each label has the following fields:

Label (20 bits): Identifies the forwarding path.

EXP (3 bits): Used for QoS/priority marking.

TTL (8 bits): Time-to-live, similar to IP TTL.

S (1 bit): Bottom of Stack (BoS) indicator:

S = 0: This is not the last label in the stack.

S = 1: This is the last label in the stack, meaning the next header is the IP header.

2. Analyzing the MPLS Packet Structure in the Figure

The diagram shows three MPLS headers (labels).

The last MPLS header before the IP header must have S = 1, indicating the bottom of the stack.

All other MPLS headers above it must have S = 0, meaning they are part of the stacked labels.

3. Evaluating the Answer Choices

Option

S1

S2

S3

Correct?

Reasoning

A

3

2

1

❌ Incorrect

S field cannot have values greater than 1.

B

2

1

0

❌ Incorrect

S field must be 0 for non-bottom labels.

C

1

1

0

❌ Incorrect

There should be only one label with S = 1 (BoS).

D

0

0

1

✅ Correct

Only the last label should have S = 1.

✅ Correct Answer: D. S1 = 0, S2 = 0, S3 = 1

Final Conclusion:

Only the last MPLS label (closest to the IP header) should have S = 1.

All previous MPLS labels should have S = 0.

Thus, the correct answer is: D. S1 = 0, S2 = 0, S3 = 1