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RFC2702 - Requirements for Traffic Engineering Over MPLS
This document presents a set of requirements for Traffic Engineering over Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS). It identifies the functional capabilities required to implement policies that facilitate efficient and reliable network operations in an MPLS domain. This memo provides information for the Internet community.
RFC3031 - Multiprotocol Label Switching Architecture
This document specifies the architecture for Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS). [STANDARDS-TRACK]
RFC3032 - MPLS Label Stack Encoding
This document specifies the encoding to be used by an LSR in order to transmit labeled packets on Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP) data links, on LAN data links, and possibly on other data links as well. This document also specifies rules and procedures for processing the various fields of the label stack encoding. [STANDARDS-TRACK]
RFC3033 - The Assignment of the Information Field and Protocol Identifier in the Q.2941 Generic Identifier and Q.2957 User-to-user Signaling for the Internet Protocol
The purpose of this document is to specify the assignment of the information field and protocol identifier in the Q.2941 Generic Identifier and Q.2957 User-to-user Signaling for the Internet protocol. [STANDARDS-TRACK]
RFC3034 - Use of Label Switching on Frame Relay Networks Specification
This document defines the model and generic mechanisms for Multiprotocol Label Switching on Frame Relay networks. [STANDARDS-TRACK]
RFC3035 - MPLS using LDP and ATM VC Switching
This document extends and clarifies the relevant portions of RFC 3031 and RFC 3036 by specifying in more detail the procedures which to be used when distributing labels to or from ATM-LSRs, when those labels represent Forwarding Equivalence Classes (FECs, see RFC 3031) for which the routes are determined on a hop-by-hop basis by network layer routing algorithms. [STANDARDS-TRACK]
RFC3036 - LDP Specification
A fundamental concept in MPLS is that two Label Switching Routers (LSRs) must agree on the meaning of the labels used to forward traffic between and through them. This common understanding is achieved by using a set of procedures, called a label distribution protocol, by which one LSR informs another of label bindings it has made. This document defines a set of such procedures called LDP (for Label Distribution Protocol) by which LSRs distribute labels to support MPLS forwarding along normally routed paths. [STANDARDS-TRACK]
RFC3037 - LDP Applicability
A fundamental concept in MPLS is that two Label Switching Routers (LSRs) must agree on the meaning of the labels used to forward traffic between and through them. This common understanding is achieved by using a set of procedures, called a label distribution protocol, by which one LSR informs another of label bindings it has made. This document describes the applicability of a set of such procedures called LDP (for Label Distribution Protocol) by which LSRs distribute labels to support MPLS forwarding along normally routed paths. This memo provides information for the Internet community.
RFC3038 - VCID Notification over ATM link for LDP
This document specifies the procedures for the communication of VCID values between neighboring ATM-LSRs that must occur in order to ensure this property. [STANDARDS-TRACK]
RFC3063 - MPLS Loop Prevention Mechanism
This paper presents a simple mechanism, based on "threads", which can be used to prevent Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) from setting up label switched path (LSPs) which have loops. This memo defines an Experimental Protocol for the Internet community.
RFC3107 - Carrying Label Information in BGP-4
This document specifies the way in which the label mapping information for a particular route is piggybacked in the same Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) Update message that is used to distribute the route itself. [STANDARDS-TRACK]
RFC3209 - RSVP-TE: Extensions to RSVP for LSP Tunnels
This document describes the use of RSVP (Resource Reservation Protocol), including all the necessary extensions, to establish label-switched paths (LSPs) in MPLS (Multi-Protocol Label Switching). Since the flow along an LSP is completely identified by the label applied at the ingress node of the path, these paths may be treated as tunnels. A key application of LSP tunnels is traffic engineering with MPLS as specified in RFC 2702. [STANDARDS-TRACK]
RFC3210 - Applicability Statement for Extensions to RSVP for LSP-Tunnels
This memo discusses the applicability of "Extensions to RSVP (Resource ReSerVation Protocol) for LSP Tunnels". It highlights the protocol's principles of operation and describes the network context for which it was designed. Guidelines for deployment are offered and known protocol limitations are indicated. This document is intended to accompany the submission of "Extensions to RSVP for LSP Tunnels" onto the Internet standards track. This memo provides information for the Internet community.
RFC3212 - Constraint-Based LSP Setup using LDP
This document specifies mechanisms and TLVs (Type/Length/Value) for support of CR-LSPs (constraint-based routed Label Switched Path) using LDP (Label Distribution Protocol). [STANDARDS-TRACK]
RFC3213 - Applicability Statement for CR-LDP
This document discusses the applicability of Constraint-Based LSP Setup using LDP. It discusses possible network applications, extensions to Label Distribution Protocol (LDP) required to implement constraint-based routing, guidelines for deployment and known limitations of the protocol. This document is a prerequisite to advancing CR-LDP on the standards track. This memo provides information for the Internet community.
RFC3214 - LSP Modification Using CR-LDP
This document presents an approach to modify the bandwidth and possibly other parameters of an established CR-LSP (Constraint-based Routed Label Switched Paths) using CR-LDP (Constraint-based Routed Label Distribution Protocol) without service interruption. [STANDARDS-TRACK]
RFC3215 - LDP State Machine
This document provides state machine tables for ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode) switch LSRs. In the current LDP specification, there is no state machine specified for processing LDP messages. We think that defining a common state machine is very important for interoperability between different LDP and CR-LDP implementations. This memo provides information for the Internet community.
RFC3270 - Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) Support of Differentiated Services
This document defines a flexible solution for support of Differentiated Services (Diff-Serv) over Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) networks. [STANDARDS-TRACK]
RFC3353 - Overview of IP Multicast in a Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) Environment
RFC3443 - Time To Live (TTL) Processing in Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) Networks
This document describes Time To Live (TTL) processing in hierarchical Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) networks and is motivated by the need to formalize a TTL-transparent mode of operation for an MPLS label-switched path. It updates RFC 3032, "MPLS Label Stack Encoding". TTL processing in both Pipe and Uniform Model hierarchical tunnels are specified with examples for both "push" and "pop" cases. The document also complements RFC 3270, "MPLS Support of Differentiated Services" and ties together the terminology introduced in that document with TTL processing in hierarchical MPLS networks. [STANDARDS-TRACK]
RFC3468 - The Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) Working Group decision on MPLS signaling protocols
This document documents the consensus reached by the Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) Working Group within the IETF to focus its efforts on "Resource Reservation Protocol (RSVP)-TE: Extensions to RSVP for Label- Switched Paths (LSP) Tunnels" (RFC 3209) as the MPLS signalling protocol for traffic engineering applications and to undertake no new efforts relating to "Constraint-Based LSP Setup using Label Distribution Protocol (LDP)" (RFC 3212). The recommendations of section 6 have been accepted by the IESG. This memo provides information for the Internet community.
RFC3469 - Framework for Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS)-based Recovery
Multi-protocol label switching (MPLS) integrates the label swapping forwarding paradigm with network layer routing. To deliver reliable service, MPLS requires a set of procedures to provide protection of the traffic carried on different paths. This requires that the label switching routers (LSRs) support fault detection, fault notification, and fault recovery mechanisms, and that MPLS signaling support the configuration of recovery. With these objectives in mind, this document specifies a framework for MPLS based recovery. Restart issues are not included in this framework. This memo provides information for the Internet community.
RFC3477 - Signalling Unnumbered Links in Resource ReSerVation Protocol - Traffic Engineering (RSVP-TE)
Current signalling used by Multi-Protocol Label Switching Traffic Engineering (MPLS TE) does not provide support for unnumbered links. This document defines procedures and extensions to Resource ReSerVation Protocol (RSVP) for Label Switched Path (LSP) Tunnels (RSVP-TE), one of the MPLS TE signalling protocols, that are needed in order to support unnumbered links. [STANDARDS-TRACK]
RFC3478 - Graceful Restart Mechanism for Label Distribution Protocol
This document describes a mechanism that helps to minimize the negative effects on MPLS traffic caused by Label Switching Router's (LSR's) control plane restart, specifically by the restart of its Label Distribution Protocol (LDP) component, on LSRs that are capable of preserving the MPLS forwarding component across the restart. The mechanism described in this document is applicable to all LSRs, both those with the ability to preserve forwarding state during LDP restart and those without (although the latter needs to implement only a subset of the mechanism described in this document). Supporting (a subset of) the mechanism described here by the LSRs that can not preserve their MPLS forwarding state across the restart would not reduce the negative impact on MPLS traffic caused by their control plane restart, but it would minimize the impact if their neighbor(s) are capable of preserving the forwarding state across the restart of their control plane and implement the mechanism described here. The mechanism makes minimalistic assumptions on what has to be preserved across restart - the mechanism assumes that only the actual MPLS forwarding state has to be preserved; the mechanism does not require any of the LDP-related states to be preserved across the restart. The procedures described in this document apply to downstream unsolicited label distribution. Extending these procedures to downstream on demand label distribution is for further study. [STANDARDS-TRACK]
RFC3479 - Fault Tolerance for the Label Distribution Protocol (LDP)
Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) systems will be used in core networks where system downtime must be kept to an absolute minimum. Many MPLS Label Switching Routers (LSRs) may, therefore, exploit Fault Tolerant (FT) hardware or software to provide high availability of the core networks. The details of how FT is achieved for the various components of an FT LSR, including Label Distribution Protocol (LDP), the switching hardware and TCP, are implementation specific. This document identifies issues in the LDP specification in RFC 3036, "LDP Specification", that make it difficult to implement an FT LSR using the current LDP protocols, and defines enhancements to the LDP specification to ease such FT LSR implementations. The issues and extensions described here are equally applicable to RFC 3212, "Constraint-Based LSP Setup Using LDP" (CR-LDP). [STANDARDS-TRACK]
RFC3480 - Signalling Unnumbered Links in CR-LDP (Constraint-Routing Label Distribution Protocol)
Current signalling used by Multi-Protocol Label Switching Traffic Engineering (MPLS TE) does not provide support for unnumbered links. This document defines procedures and extensions to Constraint-Routing Label Distribution Protocol (CR-LDP), one of the MPLS TE signalling protocols that are needed in order to support unnumbered links. [STANDARDS-TRACK]
RFC3612 - Applicability Statement for Restart Mechanisms for the Label Distribution Protocol (LDP)
This document provides guidance on when it is advisable to implement some form of Label Distribution Protocol (LDP) restart mechanism and which approach might be more suitable. The issues and extensions described in this document are equally applicable to RFC 3212, "Constraint-Based LSP Setup Using LDP".
RFC3811 - Definitions of Textual Conventions (TCs) for Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) Management
This memo defines a Management Information Base (MIB) module which contains Textual Conventions to represent commonly used Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) management information. The intent is that these TEXTUAL CONVENTIONS (TCs) will be imported and used in MPLS related MIB modules that would otherwise define their own representations. [STANDARDS-TRACK]
RFC3812 - Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) Traffic Engineering (TE) Management Information Base (MIB)
This memo defines a portion of the Management Information Base (MIB) for use with network management protocols in the Internet community. In particular, it describes managed objects for Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) based traffic engineering (TE). [STANDARDS-TRACK]
RFC3813 - Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) Label Switching Router (LSR) Management Information Base (MIB)
This memo defines an portion of the Management Information Base (MIB) for use with network management protocols in the Internet community. In particular, it describes managed objects to configure and/or monitor a Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) Label Switching Router (LSR). [STANDARDS-TRACK]
RFC3814 - Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) Forwarding Equivalence Class To Next Hop Label Forwarding Entry (FEC-To-NHLFE) Management Information Base (MIB)
This memo defines a portion of the Management Information Base (MIB) for use with network management protocols in the Internet community. In particular, it describes managed objects for defining, configuring, and monitoring Forwarding Equivalence Class (FEC) to Next Hop Label Forwarding Entry (NHLFE) mappings and corresponding actions for use with Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS). [STANDARDS-TRACK]
RFC3815 - Definitions of Managed Objects for the Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS), Label Distribution Protocol (LDP)
This memo defines a portion of the Management Information Base (MIB) for use with network management protocols in the Internet community. In particular, it describes managed objects for the Multiprotocol Label Switching, Label Distribution Protocol (LDP). [STANDARDS-TRACK]
RFC3988 - Maximum Transmission Unit Signalling Extensions for the Label Distribution Protocol
Proper functioning of RFC 1191 path Maximum Transmission Unit (MTU) discovery requires that IP routers have knowledge of the MTU for each link to which they are connected. As currently specified, the Label Distribution Protocol (LDP) does not have the ability to signal the MTU for a Label Switched Path (LSP) to the ingress Label Switching Router (LSR). In the absence of this functionality, the MTU for each LSP must be statically configured by network operators or by equivalent off-line mechanisms. This document specifies experimental extensions to LDP in support of LSP MTU discovery. This memo defines an Experimental Protocol for the Internet community.
RFC4023 - Encapsulating MPLS in IP or Generic Routing Encapsulation (GRE)
Various applications of MPLS make use of label stacks with multiple entries. In some cases, it is possible to replace the top label of the stack with an IP-based encapsulation, thereby enabling the application to run over networks that do not have MPLS enabled in their core routers. This document specifies two IP-based encapsulations: MPLS-in-IP and MPLS-in-GRE (Generic Routing Encapsulation). Each of these is applicable in some circumstances. [STANDARDS-TRACK]
RFC4090 - Fast Reroute Extensions to RSVP-TE for LSP Tunnels
This document defines RSVP-TE extensions to establish backup label-switched path (LSP) tunnels for local repair of LSP tunnels. These mechanisms enable the re-direction of traffic onto backup LSP tunnels in 10s of milliseconds, in the event of a failure.
Two methods are defined here. The one-to-one backup method creates detour LSPs for each protected LSP at each potential point of local repair. The facility backup method creates a bypass tunnel to protect a potential failure point; by taking advantage of MPLS label stacking, this bypass tunnel can protect a set of LSPs that have similar backup constraints. Both methods can be used to protect links and nodes during network failure. The described behavior and extensions to RSVP allow nodes to implement either method or both and to interoperate in a mixed network. [STANDARDS-TRACK]
RFC4182 - Removing a Restriction on the use of MPLS Explicit NULL
The label stack encoding for Multi-protocol Label Switching (MPLS) defines a reserved label value known as "IPv4 Explicit NULL" and a reserved label value known as "IPv6 Explicit NULL". Previously, these labels were only legal when they occurred at the bottom of the MPLS label stack. This restriction is now removed, so that these label values may legally occur anywhere in the stack.
This document updates RFC 3032. [STANDARDS-TRACK]
RFC4201 - Link Bundling in MPLS Traffic Engineering (TE)
For the purpose of Generalized Multi-Protocol Label Switching (GMPLS) signaling, in certain cases a combination of <link identifier, label> is not sufficient to unambiguously identify the appropriate resource used by a Label Switched Path (LSP). Such cases are handled by using the link bundling construct, which is described in this document. This document updates the interface identification TLVs, which are defined in the GMPLS Signaling Functional Description. [STANDARDS-TRACK]
RFC4206 - Label Switched Paths (LSP) Hierarchy with Generalized Multi-Protocol Label Switching (GMPLS) Traffic Engineering (TE)
To improve scalability of Generalized Multi-Protocol Label Switching (GMPLS) it may be useful to aggregate Label Switched Paths (LSPs) by creating a hierarchy of such LSPs. A way to create such a hierarchy is by (a) a Label Switching Router (LSR) creating a Traffic Engineering Label Switched Path (TE LSP), (b) the LSR forming a forwarding adjacency (FA) out of that LSP (by advertising this LSP as a Traffic Engineering (TE) link into the same instance of ISIS/OSPF as the one that was used to create the LSP), (c) allowing other LSRs to use FAs for their path computation, and (d) nesting of LSPs originated by other LSRs into that LSP (by using the label stack construct).
This document describes the mechanisms to accomplish this. [PROPOSED STANDARD]
RFC4220 - Traffic Engineering Link Management Information Base
This memo defines a portion of the Management Information Base (MIB) for use with network management protocols in the Internet community. In particular, it describes managed objects for modeling TE links as described in the Link Bundling in MPLS Traffic Engineering (TE) document. [STANDARDS-TRACK]
RFC4221 - Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) Management Overview
A range of Management Information Base (MIB) modules has been developed to help model and manage the various aspects of Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) networks. These MIB modules are defined in separate documents that focus on the specific areas of responsibility of the modules that they describe.
This document describes the management architecture for MPLS and indicates the interrelationships between the different MIB modules used for MPLS network management. This memo provides information for the Internet community.
RFC4368 - Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) Label-Controlled Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) and Frame-Relay Management Interface Definition
This memo defines two MIB modules and corresponding MIB Object Definitions that describe how label-switching-controlled Frame-Relay and Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) interfaces can be managed given the interface stacking as defined in the MPLS-LSR-STD-MIB and MPLS-TE-STD-MIB. [STANDARDS-TRACK]
RFC4377 - Operations and Management (OAM) Requirements for Multi-Protocol Label Switched (MPLS) Networks
This document specifies Operations and Management (OAM) requirements for Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS), as well as for applications of MPLS, such as pseudo-wire voice and virtual private network services. These requirements have been gathered from network operators who have extensive experience deploying MPLS networks. This memo provides information for the Internet community.
RFC4378 - A Framework for Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) Operations and Management (OAM)
This document is a framework for how data plane protocols can be applied to operations and maintenance procedures for Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS). The document is structured to outline how Operations and Management (OAM) functionality can be used to assist in fault, configuration, accounting, performance, and security management, commonly known by the acronym FCAPS. This memo provides information for the Internet community.
RFC4379 - Detecting Multi-Protocol Label Switched (MPLS) Data Plane Failures
This document describes a simple and efficient mechanism that can be used to detect data plane failures in Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) Label Switched Paths (LSPs). There are two parts to this document: information carried in an MPLS "echo request" and "echo reply" for the purposes of fault detection and isolation, and mechanisms for reliably sending the echo reply. [STANDARDS-TRACK]
RFC4420 - Encoding of Attributes for Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) Label Switched Path (LSP) Establishment Using Resource ReserVation Protocol-Traffic Engineering (RSVP-TE)
Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) Label Switched Paths (LSPs) may be established using the Resource Reservation Protocol Traffic Engineering (RSVP-TE) extensions. This protocol includes an object (the SESSION_ATTRIBUTE object) that carries a Flags field used to indicate options and attributes of the LSP. That Flags field has eight bits allowing for eight options to be set. Recent proposals in many documents that extend RSVP-TE have suggested uses for each of the previously unused bits.
This document defines a new object for RSVP-TE messages that allows the signaling of further attribute bits and also the carriage of arbitrary attribute parameters to make RSVP-TE easily extensible to support new requirements. Additionally, this document defines a way to record the attributes applied to the LSP on a hop-by-hop basis.
The object mechanisms defined in this document are equally applicable to Generalized MPLS (GMPLS) Packet Switch Capable (PSC) LSPs and to GMPLS non-PSC LSPs. [STANDARDS-TRACK]
RFC4461 - Signaling Requirements for Point-to-Multipoint Traffic-Engineered MPLS Label Switched Paths (LSPs)
This document presents a set of requirements for the establishment and maintenance of Point-to-Multipoint (P2MP) Traffic-Engineered (TE) Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) Label Switched Paths (LSPs).
There is no intent to specify solution-specific details or application-specific requirements in this document.
The requirements presented in this document not only apply to packet-switched networks under the control of MPLS protocols, but also encompass the requirements of Layer Two Switching (L2SC), Time Division Multiplexing (TDM), lambda, and port switching networks managed by Generalized MPLS (GMPLS) protocols. Protocol solutions developed to meet the requirements set out in this document must attempt to be equally applicable to MPLS and GMPLS. This memo provides information for the Internet community.
RFC4561 - Definition of a Record Route Object (RRO) Node-Id Sub-Object
In the context of MPLS TE Fast Reroute, the Merge Point (MP) address is required at the Point of Local Repair (PLR) in order to select a backup tunnel intersecting a fast reroutable Traffic Engineering Label Switched Path (TE LSP) on a downstream Label Switching Router (LSR). However, existing protocol mechanisms are not sufficient to find an MP address in multi-domain routing networks where a domain is defined as an Interior Gateway Protocol (IGP) area or an Autonomous System (AS). Hence, the current MPLS Fast Reroute mechanism cannot be used in order to protect inter-domain TE LSPs from a failure of an Area Border Router (ABR) or Autonomous System Border Router (ASBR). This document specifies the use of existing Record Route Object (RRO) IPv4 and IPv6 sub-objects (with a new flag defined) thus defining the node-id sub-object in order to solve this issue. The MPLS Fast Reroute mechanism mentioned in this document refers to the "Facility backup" MPLS TE Fast Reroute method. [STANDARDS-TRACK]
RFC4687 - Operations and Management (OAM) Requirements for Point-to-Multipoint MPLS Networks
Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) has been extended to encompass point-to-multipoint (P2MP) Label Switched Paths (LSPs). As with point-to-point MPLS LSPs, the requirement to detect, handle, and diagnose control and data plane defects is critical.
For operators deploying services based on P2MP MPLS LSPs, the detection and specification of how to handle those defects are important because such defects not only may affect the fundamentals of an MPLS network, but also may impact service level specification commitments for customers of their network.
This document describes requirements for data plane operations and management for P2MP MPLS LSPs. These requirements apply to all forms of P2MP MPLS LSPs, and include P2MP Traffic Engineered (TE) LSPs and multicast LSPs. This memo provides information for the Internet community.
RFC4781 - Graceful Restart Mechanism for BGP with MPLS
A mechanism for BGP that helps minimize the negative effects on routing caused by BGP restart has already been developed and is described in a separate document ("Graceful Restart Mechanism for BGP"). This document extends this mechanism to minimize the negative effects on MPLS forwarding caused by the Label Switching Router's (LSR's) control plane restart, and specifically by the restart of its BGP component when BGP is used to carry MPLS labels and the LSR is capable of preserving the MPLS forwarding state across the restart.
The mechanism described in this document is agnostic with respect to the types of the addresses carried in the BGP Network Layer Reachability Information (NLRI) field. As such, it works in conjunction with any of the address families that could be carried in BGP (e.g., IPv4, IPv6, etc.). [STANDARDS-TRACK]
RFC4817 - Encapsulation of MPLS over Layer 2 Tunneling Protocol Version 3
The Layer 2 Tunneling Protocol, Version 3 (L2TPv3) defines a protocol for tunneling a variety of payload types over IP networks. This document defines how to carry an MPLS label stack and its payload over the L2TPv3 data encapsulation. This enables an application that traditionally requires an MPLS-enabled core network, to utilize an L2TPv3 encapsulation over an IP network instead. [STANDARDS-TRACK]
RFC4859 - Codepoint Registry for the Flags Field in the Resource Reservation Protocol-Traffic Engineering (RSVP-TE) Session Attribute Object
This document provides instructions to IANA for the creation of a new codepoint registry for the flags field in the Session Attribute object of the Resource Reservation Protocol Traffic Engineering (RSVP-TE) signaling messages used in Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) and Generalized MPLS (GMPLS) signaling. This memo provides information for the Internet community.
RFC4875 - Extensions to Resource Reservation Protocol - Traffic Engineering (RSVP-TE) for Point-to-Multipoint TE Label Switched Paths (LSPs)
This document describes extensions to Resource Reservation Protocol - Traffic Engineering (RSVP-TE) for the set up of Traffic Engineered (TE) point-to-multipoint (P2MP) Label Switched Paths (LSPs) in Multi- Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) and Generalized MPLS (GMPLS) networks. The solution relies on RSVP-TE without requiring a multicast routing protocol in the Service Provider core. Protocol elements and procedures for this solution are described.
There can be various applications for P2MP TE LSPs such as IP multicast. Specification of how such applications will use a P2MP TE LSP is outside the scope of this document. [STANDARDS-TRACK]
RFC4928 - Avoiding Equal Cost Multipath Treatment in MPLS Networks
This document describes the Equal Cost Multipath (ECMP) behavior of currently deployed MPLS networks. This document makes best practice recommendations for anyone defining an application to run over an MPLS network that wishes to avoid the reordering that can result from transmission of different packets from the same flow over multiple different equal cost paths. These recommendations rely on inspection of the IP version number field in packets. Despite the heuristic nature of the recommendations, they provide a relatively safe way to operate MPLS networks, even if future allocations of IP version numbers were made for some purpose. This document specifies an Internet Best Current Practices for the Internet Community, and requests discussion and suggestions for improvements.
RFC4950 - ICMP Extensions for Multiprotocol Label Switching
This memo defines an extension object that can be appended to selected multi-part ICMP messages. This extension permits Label Switching Routers to append MPLS information to ICMP messages, and has already been widely deployed. [STANDARDS-TRACK]
RFC5036 - LDP Specification
The architecture for Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) is described in RFC 3031. A fundamental concept in MPLS is that two Label Switching Routers (LSRs) must agree on the meaning of the labels used to forward traffic between and through them. This common understanding is achieved by using a set of procedures, called a label distribution protocol, by which one LSR informs another of label bindings it has made. This document defines a set of such procedures called LDP (for Label Distribution Protocol) by which LSRs distribute labels to support MPLS forwarding along normally routed paths. [STANDARDS-TRACK]
RFC5037 - Experience with the Label Distribution Protocol (LDP)
The purpose of this memo is to document how some of the requirements specified in RFC 1264 for advancing protocols developed by working groups within the IETF Routing Area to Draft Standard have been satisfied by LDP (Label Distribution Protocol). Specifically, this report documents operational experience with LDP, requirement 5 of section 5.0 in RFC 1264. This memo provides information for the Internet community.
RFC5038 - The Label Distribution Protocol (LDP) Implementation Survey Results
Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS), described in RFC 3031, is a method for forwarding packets that uses short, fixed-length values carried by packets, called labels, to determine packet next hops. A fundamental concept in MPLS is that two Label Switching Routers (LSRs) must agree on the meaning of the labels used to forward traffic between and through them. This common understanding is achieved by using a set of procedures, called a Label Distribution Protocol (as described in RFC 3036) , by which one LSR informs another of label bindings it has made. One such protocol, called LDP, is used by LSRs to distribute labels to support MPLS forwarding along normally routed paths. This document reports on a survey of LDP implementations conducted in August 2002 as part of the process of advancing LDP from Proposed to Draft Standard. This memo provides information for the Internet community.
RFC5283 - LDP Extension for Inter-Area Label Switched Paths (LSPs)
To facilitate the establishment of Label Switched Paths (LSPs) that would span multiple IGP areas in a given Autonomous System (AS), this document describes a new optional Longest-Match Label Mapping Procedure for the Label Distribution Protocol (LDP).
This procedure allows the use of a label if the Forwarding Equivalence Class (FEC) Element matches an entry in the Routing Information Base (RIB). Matching is defined by an IP longest-match search and does not mandate an exact match. [STANDARDS-TRACK]
RFC5330 - A Link-Type sub-TLV to Convey the Number of Traffic Engineering Label Switched Paths Signalled with Zero Reserved Bandwidth across a Link
Several Link-type sub-Type-Length-Values (sub-TLVs) have been defined for Open Shortest Path First (OSPF) and Intermediate System to Intermediate System (IS-IS) in the context of Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) Traffic Engineering (TE), in order to advertise some link characteristics such as the available bandwidth, traffic engineering metric, administrative group, and so on. By making statistical assumptions about the aggregated traffic carried onto a set of TE Label Switched Paths (LSPs) signalled with zero bandwidth (referred to as "unconstrained TE LSP" in this document), algorithms can be designed to load balance (existing or newly configured) unconstrained TE LSP across a set of equal cost paths. This requires knowledge of the number of unconstrained TE LSPs signalled across a link. This document specifies a new Link-type Traffic Engineering sub-TLV used to advertise the number of unconstrained TE LSPs signalled across a link. [STANDARDS-TRACK]
RFC5331 - MPLS Upstream Label Assignment and Context-Specific Label Space
RFC 3031 limits the MPLS architecture to downstream-assigned MPLS labels. This document introduces the notion of upstream-assigned MPLS labels. It describes the procedures for upstream MPLS label assignment and introduces the concept of a "Context-Specific Label Space". [STANDARDS-TRACK]
RFC5332 - MPLS Multicast Encapsulations
RFC 3032 established two data link layer codepoints for MPLS, used to distinguish whether the data link layer frame is carrying an MPLS unicast or an MPLS multicast packet. However, this usage was never deployed. This specification updates RFC 3032 by redefining the meaning of these two codepoints. Both codepoints can now be used to carry multicast packets. The second codepoint (formerly the "multicast codepoint") is now to be used only on multiaccess media, and it is to mean "the top label of the following label stack is an upstream-assigned label".
RFC 3032 does not specify the destination address to be placed in the "MAC DA" (Medium Access Layer Destination Address) field of an ethernet frame that carries an MPLS multicast packet. This document provides that specification.
This document updates RFC 3032 and RFC 4023. [STANDARDS-TRACK]
RFC5439 - An Analysis of Scaling Issues in MPLS-TE Core Networks
Traffic engineered Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS-TE) is deployed in providers' core networks. As providers plan to grow these networks, they need to understand whether existing protocols and implementations can support the network sizes that they are planning.
This document presents an analysis of some of the scaling concerns for the number of Label Switching Paths (LSPs) in MPLS-TE core networks, and examines the value of two techniques (LSP hierarchies and multipoint-to-point LSPs) for improving scaling. The intention is to motivate the development of appropriate deployment techniques and protocol extensions to enable the application of MPLS-TE in large networks.
This document only considers the question of achieving scalability for the support of point-to-point MPLS-TE LSPs. Point-to-multipoint MPLS-TE LSPs are for future study. This memo provides information for the Internet community.
RFC5443 - LDP IGP Synchronization
In certain networks, there is dependency on the edge-to-edge Label Switched Paths (LSPs) setup by the Label Distribution Protocol (LDP), e.g., networks that are used for Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) Virtual Private Network (VPN) applications. For such applications, it is not possible to rely on Internet Protocol (IP) forwarding if the MPLS LSP is not operating appropriately. Blackholing of labeled traffic can occur in situations where the Interior Gateway Protocol (IGP) is operational on a link on which LDP is not. While the link could still be used for IP forwarding, it is not useful for MPLS forwarding, for example, MPLS VPN applications or Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) route-free cores. This document describes a mechanism to avoid traffic loss due to this condition without introducing any protocol changes. This memo provides information for the Internet community.
RFC5462 - Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) Label Stack Entry: "EXP" Field Renamed to "Traffic Class" Field
The early Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) documents defined the form of the MPLS label stack entry. This includes a three-bit field called the "EXP field". The exact use of this field was not defined by these documents, except to state that it was to be "reserved for experimental use".
Although the intended use of the EXP field was as a "Class of Service" (CoS) field, it was not named a CoS field by these early documents because the use of such a CoS field was not considered to be sufficiently defined. Today a number of standards documents define its usage as a CoS field.
To avoid misunderstanding about how this field may be used, it has become increasingly necessary to rename this field. This document changes the name of the field to the "Traffic Class field" ("TC field"). In doing so, it also updates documents that define the current use of the EXP field. [STANDARDS-TRACK]
RFC5561 - LDP Capabilities
A number of enhancements to the Label Distribution Protocol (LDP) have been proposed. Some have been implemented, and some are advancing toward standardization. It is likely that additional enhancements will be proposed in the future. This document defines a mechanism for advertising LDP enhancements at session initialization time, as well as a mechanism to enable and disable enhancements after LDP session establishment. [STANDARDS-TRACK]
RFC5586 - MPLS Generic Associated Channel
This document generalizes the applicability of the pseudowire (PW) Associated Channel Header (ACH), enabling the realization of a control channel associated to MPLS Label Switched Paths (LSPs) and MPLS Sections in addition to MPLS pseudowires. In order to identify the presence of this Associated Channel Header in the label stack, this document also assigns one of the reserved MPLS label values to the Generic Associated Channel Label (GAL), to be used as a label based exception mechanism.
RFC5654 - Requirements of an MPLS Transport Profile
This document specifies the requirements of an MPLS Transport Profile (MPLS-TP). This document is a product of a joint effort of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) and IETF to include an MPLS Transport Profile within the IETF MPLS and PWE3 architectures to support the capabilities and functionalities of a packet transport network as defined by International Telecommunications Union - Telecommunications Standardization Sector (ITU-T).
This work is based on two sources of requirements: MPLS and PWE3 architectures as defined by IETF, and packet transport networks as defined by ITU-T.
The requirements expressed in this document are for the behavior of the protocol mechanisms and procedures that constitute building blocks out of which the MPLS Transport Profile is constructed. The requirements are not implementation requirements. [STANDARDS-TRACK]
RFC5710 - PathErr Message Triggered MPLS and GMPLS LSP Reroutes
This document describes how Resource ReserVation Protocol (RSVP) PathErr messages may be used to trigger rerouting of Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) and Generalized MPLS (GMPLS) point-to-point Traffic Engineering (TE) Label Switched Paths (LSPs) without first removing LSP state or resources. Such LSP rerouting may be desirable in a number of cases, including, for example, soft-preemption and graceful shutdown. This document describes the usage of existing Standards Track mechanisms to support LSP rerouting. In this case, it relies on mechanisms already defined as part of RSVP-TE and simply describes a sequence of actions to be executed. While existing protocol definitions can be used to support reroute applications, this document also defines a new reroute-specific error code to allow for the future definition of reroute-application-specific error values. [STANDARDS-TRACK]
RFC5711 - Node Behavior upon Originating and Receiving Resource Reservation Protocol (RSVP) Path Error Messages
The aim of this document is to describe a common practice with regard to the behavior of nodes that send and receive a Resource Reservation Protocol (RSVP) Traffic Engineering (TE) Path Error messages for a preempted Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) or Generalized MPLS (GMPLS) Traffic Engineering Label Switched Path (TE LSP). (For reference to the notion of TE LSP preemption, see RFC 3209.) This document does not define any new protocol extensions. [STANDARDS-TRACK]
RFC5712 - MPLS Traffic Engineering Soft Preemption
This document specifies Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) Traffic Engineering Soft Preemption, a suite of protocol modifications extending the concept of preemption with the goal of reducing or eliminating traffic disruption of preempted Traffic Engineering Label Switched Paths (TE LSPs). Initially, MPLS RSVP-TE was defined with support for only immediate TE LSP displacement upon preemption. The utilization of a reroute request notification helps more gracefully mitigate the reroute process of preempted TE LSP. For the brief period soft preemption is activated, reservations (though not necessarily traffic levels) are in effect under-provisioned until the TE LSP(s) can be rerouted. For this reason, the feature is primarily, but not exclusively, interesting in MPLS-enabled IP networks with Differentiated Services and Traffic Engineering capabilities. [STANDARDS-TRACK]
RFC5718 - An In-Band Data Communication Network For the MPLS Transport Profile
The Generic Associated Channel (G-ACh) has been defined as a generalization of the pseudowire (PW) associated control channel to enable the realization of a control/communication channel that is associated with Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) Label Switched Paths (LSPs), MPLS PWs, MPLS LSP segments, and MPLS sections between adjacent MPLS-capable devices.
The MPLS Transport Profile (MPLS-TP) is a profile of the MPLS architecture that identifies elements of the MPLS toolkit that may be combined to build a carrier-grade packet transport network based on MPLS packet switching technology.
This document describes how the G-ACh may be used to provide the infrastructure that forms part of the Management Communication Network (MCN) and a Signaling Communication Network (SCN). Collectively, the MCN and SCN may be referred to as the Data Communication Network (DCN). This document explains how MCN and SCN messages are encapsulated, carried on the G-ACh, and demultiplexed for delivery to the management or signaling/routing control plane components on an MPLS-TP node. [STANDARDS-TRACK]
RFC5860 - Requirements for Operations, Administration, and Maintenance (OAM) in MPLS Transport Networks
This document lists architectural and functional requirements for the Operations, Administration, and Maintenance of MPLS Transport Profile. These requirements apply to pseudowires, Label Switched Paths, and Sections. [STANDARDS-TRACK]
RFC5918 - Label Distribution Protocol (LDP) 'Typed Wildcard' Forward Equivalence Class (FEC)
The Label Distribution Protocol (LDP) specification for the Wildcard Forward Equivalence Class (FEC) element has several limitations. This document addresses those limitations by defining a Typed Wildcard FEC Element and associated procedures. In addition, it defines a new LDP capability to address backward compatibility. [STANDARDS-TRACK]
RFC5919 - Signaling LDP Label Advertisement Completion
There are situations following Label Distribution Protocol (LDP) session establishment where it would be useful for an LDP speaker to know when its peer has advertised all of its labels. The LDP specification provides no mechanism for an LDP speaker to notify a peer when it has completed its initial label advertisements to that peer. This document specifies means for an LDP speaker to signal completion of its initial label advertisements following session establishment. [STANDARDS-TRACK]
RFC5920 - Security Framework for MPLS and GMPLS Networks
This document provides a security framework for Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) and Generalized Multiprotocol Label Switching (GMPLS) Networks. This document addresses the security aspects that are relevant in the context of MPLS and GMPLS. It describes the security threats, the related defensive techniques, and the mechanisms for detection and reporting. This document emphasizes RSVP-TE and LDP security considerations, as well as inter-AS and inter-provider security considerations for building and maintaining MPLS and GMPLS networks across different domains or different Service Providers. This document is not an Internet Standards Track specification; it is published for informational purposes.
RFC5921 - A Framework for MPLS in Transport Networks
This document specifies an architectural framework for the application of Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) to the construction of packet-switched transport networks. It describes a common set of protocol functions -- the MPLS Transport Profile (MPLS-TP) -- that supports the operational models and capabilities typical of such networks, including signaled or explicitly provisioned bidirectional connection-oriented paths, protection and restoration mechanisms, comprehensive Operations, Administration, and Maintenance (OAM) functions, and network operation in the absence of a dynamic control plane or IP forwarding support. Some of these functions are defined in existing MPLS specifications, while others require extensions to existing specifications to meet the requirements of the MPLS-TP.
This document defines the subset of the MPLS-TP applicable in general and to point-to-point transport paths. The remaining subset, applicable specifically to point-to-multipoint transport paths, is outside the scope of this document.
This document is a product of a joint Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) / International Telecommunication Union Telecommunication Standardization Sector (ITU-T) effort to include an MPLS Transport Profile within the IETF MPLS and Pseudowire Emulation Edge-to-Edge (PWE3) architectures to support the capabilities and functionalities of a packet transport network as defined by the ITU-T. This document is not an Internet Standards Track specification; it is published for informational purposes.
RFC5950 - Network Management Framework for MPLS-based Transport Networks
This document provides the network management framework for the Transport Profile for Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS-TP).
This framework relies on the management terminology from the ITU-T to describe the management architecture that could be used for an MPLS-TP management network.
The management of the MPLS-TP network could be based on multi-tiered distributed management systems. This document provides a description of the network and element management architectures that could be applied and also describes heuristics associated with fault, configuration, and performance aspects of the management system.
This document is a product of a joint Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) / International Telecommunication Union Telecommunication Standardization Sector (ITU-T) effort to include an MPLS Transport Profile within the IETF MPLS and PWE3 architectures to support the capabilities and functionalities of a packet transport network. This document is not an Internet Standards Track specification; it is published for informational purposes.
RFC5951 - Network Management Requirements for MPLS-based Transport Networks
This document specifies the requirements for the management of equipment used in networks supporting an MPLS Transport Profile (MPLS-TP). The requirements are defined for specification of network management aspects of protocol mechanisms and procedures that constitute the building blocks out of which the MPLS Transport Profile is constructed. That is, these requirements indicate what management capabilities need to be available in MPLS for use in managing the MPLS-TP. This document is intended to identify essential network management capabilities, not to specify what functions any particular MPLS implementation supports. [STANDARDS-TRACK]
RFC5960 - MPLS Transport Profile Data Plane Architecture
The Multiprotocol Label Switching Transport Profile (MPLS-TP) is the set of MPLS protocol functions applicable to the construction and operation of packet-switched transport networks. This document specifies the subset of these functions that comprises the MPLS-TP data plane: the architectural layer concerned with the encapsulation and forwarding of packets within an MPLS-TP network.
This document is a product of a joint Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) / International Telecommunication Union Telecommunication Standardization Sector (ITU-T) effort to include an MPLS Transport Profile within the IETF MPLS and Pseudowire Emulation Edge-to-Edge (PWE3) architectures to support the capabilities and functionalities of a packet transport network. [STANDARDS-TRACK]
RFC6138 - LDP IGP Synchronization for Broadcast Networks
RFC 5443 describes a mechanism to achieve LDP IGP synchronization to prevent black-holing traffic (e.g., VPN) when an Interior Gateway Protocol (IGP) is operational on a link but Label Distribution Protocol (LDP) is not. If this mechanism is applied to broadcast links that have more than one LDP peer, the metric increase procedure can only be applied to the link as a whole but not to an individual peer. When a new LDP peer comes up on a broadcast network, this can result in loss of traffic through other established peers on that network. This document describes a mechanism to address that use-case without dropping traffic. The mechanism does not introduce any protocol message changes. This document is not an Internet Standards Track specification; it is published for informational purposes.
RFC6178 - Label Edge Router Forwarding of IPv4 Option Packets
This document specifies how Label Edge Routers (LERs) should behave when determining whether to MPLS encapsulate an IPv4 packet with header options. Lack of a formal standard has resulted in different LER forwarding behaviors for IPv4 packets with header options despite being associated with a prefix-based Forwarding Equivalence Class (FEC). IPv4 option packets that belong to a prefix-based FEC, yet are forwarded into an IPv4/MPLS network without being MPLS- encapsulated, present a security risk against the MPLS infrastructure. Further, LERs that are unable to MPLS encapsulate IPv4 packets with header options cannot operate in certain MPLS environments. While this newly defined LER behavior is mandatory to implement, it is optional to invoke. [STANDARDS-TRACK]
RFC6215 - MPLS Transport Profile User-to-Network and Network-to-Network Interfaces
The framework for MPLS in transport networks (RFC 5921) provides reference models for the MPLS Transport Profile (MPLS-TP) Transport Service Interfaces, which are a User-to-Network Interface (UNI), and a Network-to-Network Interface (NNI). This document updates those reference models to show detailed reference points for these interfaces, along with further clarification of the functional architecture of MPLS-TP at a UNI and NNI.
This document is a product of a joint Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) / International Telecommunication Union Telecommunication Standardization Sector (ITU-T) effort to include an MPLS Transport Profile within the IETF MPLS and Pseudowire Emulation Edge-to-Edge (PWE3) architectures to support the capabilities and functionalities of a packet transport network as defined by the ITU-T. This document is not an Internet Standards Track specification; it is published for informational purposes.
RFC6348 - Requirements for Point-to-Multipoint Extensions to the Label Distribution Protocol
This document lists a set of functional requirements that served as input to the design of Label Distribution Protocol (LDP) extensions for setting up point-to-multipoint (P2MP) Label Switched Paths (LSP), in order to deliver point-to-multipoint applications over a Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) infrastructure.
This work was overtaken by the protocol solution developed by the MPLS working group, but that solution did not closely follow the requirements documented here. This document is published as a historic record of the ideas and requirements that shaped the protocol work. This document defines a Historic Document for the Internet community.
RFC6370 - MPLS Transport Profile (MPLS-TP) Identifiers
This document specifies an initial set of identifiers to be used in the Transport Profile of Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS-TP). The MPLS-TP requirements (RFC 5654) require that the elements and objects in an MPLS-TP environment are able to be configured and managed without a control plane. In such an environment, many conventions for defining identifiers are possible. This document defines identifiers for MPLS-TP management and Operations, Administration, and Maintenance (OAM) functions compatible with IP/ MPLS conventions.
This document is a product of a joint Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) / International Telecommunication Union Telecommunication Standardization Sector (ITU-T) effort to include an MPLS Transport Profile within the IETF MPLS and Pseudowire Emulation Edge-to-Edge (PWE3) architectures to support the capabilities and functionalities of a packet transport network as defined by the ITU-T. [STANDARDS-TRACK]
RFC6371 - Operations, Administration, and Maintenance Framework for MPLS-Based Transport Networks
The Transport Profile of Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS-TP) is a packet-based transport technology based on the MPLS Traffic Engineering (MPLS-TE) and pseudowire (PW) data-plane architectures.
This document describes a framework to support a comprehensive set of Operations, Administration, and Maintenance (OAM) procedures that fulfill the MPLS-TP OAM requirements for fault, performance, and protection-switching management and that do not rely on the presence of a control plane.
This document is a product of a joint Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) / International Telecommunications Union Telecommunication Standardization Sector (ITU-T) effort to include an MPLS Transport Profile within the IETF MPLS and Pseudowire Emulation Edge-to-Edge (PWE3) architectures to support the capabilities and functionalities of a packet transport network as defined by the ITU-T.
This document is not an Internet Standards Track specification; it is published for informational purposes.
RFC6372 - MPLS Transport Profile (MPLS-TP) Survivability Framework
Network survivability is the ability of a network to recover traffic delivery following failure or degradation of network resources. Survivability is critical for the delivery of guaranteed network services, such as those subject to strict Service Level Agreements (SLAs) that place maximum bounds on the length of time that services may be degraded or unavailable.
The Transport Profile of Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS-TP) is a packet-based transport technology based on the MPLS data plane that reuses many aspects of the MPLS management and control planes.
This document comprises a framework for the provision of survivability in an MPLS-TP network; it describes recovery elements, types, methods, and topological considerations. To enable data-plane recovery, survivability may be supported by the control plane, management plane, and by Operations, Administration, and Maintenance (OAM) functions. This document describes mechanisms for recovering MPLS-TP Label Switched Paths (LSPs). A detailed description of pseudowire recovery in MPLS-TP networks is beyond the scope of this document.
This document is a product of a joint Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) / International Telecommunication Union Telecommunication Standardization Sector (ITU-T) effort to include an MPLS Transport Profile within the IETF MPLS and Pseudowire Emulation Edge-to-Edge (PWE3) architectures to support the capabilities and functionalities of a packet-based transport network as defined by the ITU-T.
This document is not an Internet Standards Track specification; it is published for informational purposes.
RFC6374 - Packet Loss and Delay Measurement for MPLS Networks
Many service provider service level agreements (SLAs) depend on the ability to measure and monitor performance metrics for packet loss and one-way and two-way delay, as well as related metrics such as delay variation and channel throughput. This measurement capability also provides operators with greater visibility into the performance characteristics of their networks, thereby facilitating planning, troubleshooting, and network performance evaluation. This document specifies protocol mechanisms to enable the efficient and accurate measurement of these performance metrics in MPLS networks. [STANDARDS-TRACK]
RFC6375 - A Packet Loss and Delay Measurement Profile for MPLS-Based Transport Networks
Procedures and protocol mechanisms to enable efficient and accurate measurement of packet loss, delay, and throughput in MPLS networks are defined in RFC 6374.
The MPLS Transport Profile (MPLS-TP) is the set of MPLS protocol functions applicable to the construction and operation of packet- switched transport networks.
This document describes a profile of the general MPLS loss, delay, and throughput measurement techniques that suffices to meet the specific requirements of MPLS-TP.
This document is a product of a joint Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) / International Telecommunication Union Telecommunication Standardization Sector (ITU-T) effort to include an MPLS Transport Profile within the IETF MPLS and Pseudowire Emulation Edge-to-Edge (PWE3) architectures to support the capabilities and functionalities of a packet transport network as defined by the ITU-T. This document is not an Internet Standards Track specification; it is published for informational purposes.
RFC6378 - MPLS Transport Profile (MPLS-TP) Linear Protection
This document is a product of a joint Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) / International Telecommunications Union Telecommunications Standardization Sector (ITU-T) effort to include an MPLS Transport Profile within the IETF MPLS and Pseudowire Emulation Edge-to-Edge (PWE3) architectures to support the capabilities and functionalities of a packet transport network as defined by the ITU-T.
This document addresses the functionality described in the MPLS-TP Survivability Framework document (RFC 6372) and defines a protocol that may be used to fulfill the function of the Protection State Coordination for linear protection, as described in that document. [STANDARDS-TRACK]
RFC6388 - Label Distribution Protocol Extensions for Point-to-Multipoint and Multipoint-to-Multipoint Label Switched Paths
This document describes extensions to the Label Distribution Protocol (LDP) for the setup of point-to-multipoint (P2MP) and multipoint-to-multipoint (MP2MP) Label Switched Paths (LSPs) in MPLS networks. These extensions are also referred to as multipoint LDP. Multipoint LDP constructs the P2MP or MP2MP LSPs without interacting with or relying upon any other multicast tree construction protocol. Protocol elements and procedures for this solution are described for building such LSPs in a receiver-initiated manner. There can be various applications for multipoint LSPs, for example IP multicast or support for multicast in BGP/MPLS Layer 3 Virtual Private Networks (L3VPNs). Specification of how such applications can use an LDP signaled multipoint LSP is outside the scope of this document. [STANDARDS-TRACK]
RFC6389 - MPLS Upstream Label Assignment for LDP
This document describes procedures for distributing upstream-assigned labels for the Label Distribution Protocol (LDP). It also describes how these procedures can be used for avoiding branch Label Switching Router (LSR) traffic replication on a LAN for LDP point-to-multipoint (P2MP) Label Switched Paths (LSPs). [STANDARDS-TRACK]
RFC6424 - Mechanism for Performing Label Switched Path Ping (LSP Ping) over MPLS Tunnels
This document describes methods for performing LSP ping (specified in RFC 4379) traceroute over MPLS tunnels and for traceroute of stitched MPLS Label Switched Paths (LSPs). The techniques outlined in RFC 4379 are insufficient to perform traceroute Forwarding Equivalency Class (FEC) validation and path discovery for an LSP that goes over other MPLS tunnels or for a stitched LSP. This document deprecates the Downstream Mapping TLV (defined in RFC 4379) in favor of a new TLV that, along with other procedures outlined in this document, can be used to trace such LSPs. [STANDARDS-TRACK]
RFC6425 - Detecting Data-Plane Failures in Point-to-Multipoint MPLS - Extensions to LSP Ping
Recent proposals have extended the scope of Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) Label Switched Paths (LSPs) to encompass point-to-multipoint (P2MP) LSPs.
The requirement for a simple and efficient mechanism that can be used to detect data-plane failures in point-to-point (P2P) MPLS LSPs has been recognized and has led to the development of techniques for fault detection and isolation commonly referred to as "LSP ping".
The scope of this document is fault detection and isolation for P2MP MPLS LSPs. This documents does not replace any of the mechanisms of LSP ping, but clarifies their applicability to MPLS P2MP LSPs, and extends the techniques and mechanisms of LSP ping to the MPLS P2MP environment.
This document updates RFC 4379. [STANDARDS-TRACK]
RFC6426 - MPLS On-Demand Connectivity Verification and Route Tracing
Label Switched Path Ping (LSP ping) is an existing and widely deployed Operations, Administration, and Maintenance (OAM) mechanism for Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) Label Switched Paths (LSPs). This document describes extensions to LSP ping so that LSP ping can be used for on-demand connectivity verification of MPLS Transport Profile (MPLS-TP) LSPs and pseudowires. This document also clarifies procedures to be used for processing the related OAM packets. Further, it describes procedures for using LSP ping to perform connectivity verification and route tracing functions in MPLS-TP networks. Finally, this document updates RFC 4379 by adding a new address type and creating an IANA registry. [STANDARDS-TRACK]
RFC6427 - MPLS Fault Management Operations, Administration, and Maintenance (OAM)
This document specifies Operations, Administration, and Maintenance (OAM) messages to indicate service disruptive conditions for MPLS-based transport network Label Switched Paths. The notification mechanism employs a generic method for a service disruptive condition to be communicated to a Maintenance Entity Group End Point. This document defines an MPLS OAM channel, along with messages to communicate various types of service disruptive conditions. [STANDARDS-TRACK]
RFC6428 - Proactive Connectivity Verification, Continuity Check, and Remote Defect Indication for the MPLS Transport Profile
Continuity Check, Proactive Connectivity Verification, and Remote Defect Indication functionalities are required for MPLS Transport Profile (MPLS-TP) Operations, Administration, and Maintenance (OAM).
Continuity Check monitors a Label Switched Path for any loss of continuity defect. Connectivity Verification augments Continuity Check in order to provide confirmation that the desired source is connected to the desired sink. Remote Defect Indication enables an end point to report, to its associated end point, a fault or defect condition that it detects on a pseudowire, Label Switched Path, or Section.
This document specifies specific extensions to Bidirectional Forwarding Detection (BFD) and methods for proactive Continuity Check, Continuity Verification, and Remote Defect Indication for MPLS-TP pseudowires, Label Switched Paths, and Sections using BFD as extended by this memo. [STANDARDS-TRACK]
RFC6435 - MPLS Transport Profile Lock Instruct and Loopback Functions
Two useful Operations, Administration, and Maintenance (OAM) functions in a transport network are "lock" and "loopback". The lock function enables an operator to lock a transport path such that it does not carry client traffic, but can continue to carry OAM messages and may carry test traffic. The loopback function allows an operator to set a specific node on the transport path into loopback mode such that it returns all received data.
This document specifies the lock function for MPLS networks and describes how the loopback function operates in MPLS networks.
This document updates Sections 7.1.1 and 7.1.2 of RFC 6371. [STANDARDS-TRACK]
RFC6445 - Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) Traffic Engineering Management Information Base for Fast Reroute
This memo defines a portion of the Management Information Base for use with network management protocols in the Internet community. In particular, it describes managed objects used to support two fast reroute (FRR) methods for Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS)-based traffic engineering (TE). The two methods are the one-to-one backup method and the facility backup method. [STANDARDS-TRACK]
RFC6511 - Non-Penultimate Hop Popping Behavior and Out-of-Band Mapping for RSVP-TE Label Switched Paths
There are many deployment scenarios that require an egress Label Switching Router (LSR) to receive binding of the Resource Reservation Protocol - Traffic Engineering (RSVP-TE) Label Switched Path (LSP) to an application and a payload identifier using some "out-of-band" (OOB) mechanism. This document defines protocol mechanisms to address this requirement. The procedures described in this document are equally applicable for point-to-point (P2P) and point-to-multipoint (P2MP) LSPs. [STANDARDS-TRACK]
RFC6512 - Using Multipoint LDP When the Backbone Has No Route to the Root
The control protocol used for constructing Point-to-Multipoint and Multipoint-to-Multipoint Label Switched Paths ("MP LSPs") contains a field that identifies the address of a "root node". Intermediate nodes are expected to be able to look up that address in their routing tables. However, this is not possible if the route to the root node is a BGP route and the intermediate nodes are part of a BGP-free core. This document specifies procedures that enable an MP LSP to be constructed through a BGP-free core. In these procedures, the root node address is temporarily replaced by an address that is known to the intermediate nodes and is on the path to the true root node. [STANDARDS-TRACK]
RFC6639 - Multiprotocol Label Switching Transport Profile (MPLS-TP) MIB-Based Management Overview
A range of Management Information Base (MIB) modules has been developed to help model and manage the various aspects of Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) networks. These MIB modules are defined in separate documents that focus on the specific areas of responsibility of the modules that they describe.
The MPLS Transport Profile (MPLS-TP) is a profile of MPLS functionality specific to the construction of packet-switched transport networks.
This document describes the MIB-based architecture for MPLS-TP, indicates the interrelationships between different existing MIB modules that can be leveraged for MPLS-TP network management, and identifies areas where additional MIB modules are required. This document is not an Internet Standards Track specification; it is published for informational purposes.
RFC6669 - An Overview of the Operations, Administration, and Maintenance (OAM) Toolset for MPLS-Based Transport Networks
This document provides an overview of the Operations, Administration, and Maintenance (OAM) toolset for MPLS-based transport networks. The toolset consists of a comprehensive set of fault management and performance monitoring capabilities (operating in the data plane) that are appropriate for transport networks as required in RFC 5860 and support the network and services at different nested levels. This overview includes a brief recap of the MPLS Transport Profile (MPLS-TP) OAM requirements and functions and the generic mechanisms created in the MPLS data plane that allow the OAM packets to run in-band and share their fate with data packets. The protocol definitions for each of the MPLS-TP OAM tools are defined in separate documents (RFCs or Working Group documents), which are referenced by this document. This document is not an Internet Standards Track specification; it is published for informational purposes.
RFC6720 - The Generalized TTL Security Mechanism (GTSM) for the Label Distribution Protocol (LDP)
The Generalized TTL Security Mechanism (GTSM) describes a generalized use of a packet's Time to Live (TTL) (IPv4) or Hop Limit (IPv6) to verify that the packet was sourced by a node on a connected link, thereby protecting the router\'s IP control plane from CPU utilization-based attacks. This technique improves security and is used by many protocols. This document defines the GTSM use for the Label Distribution Protocol (LDP).
This specification uses a bit reserved in RFC 5036 and therefore updates RFC 5036. [STANDARDS-TRACK]
RFC6790 - The Use of Entropy Labels in MPLS Forwarding
Load balancing is a powerful tool for engineering traffic across a network. This memo suggests ways of improving load balancing across MPLS networks using the concept of "entropy labels". It defines the concept, describes why entropy labels are useful, enumerates properties of entropy labels that allow maximal benefit, and shows how they can be signaled and used for various applications. This document updates RFCs 3031, 3107, 3209, and 5036. [STANDARDS-TRACK]
RFC6826 - Multipoint LDP In-Band Signaling for Point-to-Multipoint and Multipoint-to-Multipoint Label Switched Paths
Consider an IP multicast tree, constructed by Protocol Independent Multicast (PIM), that needs to pass through an MPLS domain in which Multipoint LDP (mLDP) point-to-multipoint and/or multipoint-to-multipoint Labels Switched Paths (LSPs) can be created. The part of the IP multicast tree that traverses the MPLS domain can be instantiated as a multipoint LSP. When a PIM Join message is received at the border of the MPLS domain, information from that message is encoded into mLDP messages. When the mLDP messages reach the border of the next IP domain, the encoded information is used to generate PIM messages that can be sent through the IP domain. The result is an IP multicast tree consisting of a set of IP multicast sub-trees that are spliced together with a multipoint LSP. This document describes procedures regarding how IP multicast trees are spliced together with multipoint LSPs. [STANDARDS-TRACK]
RFC6829 - Label Switched Path (LSP) Ping for Pseudowire Forwarding Equivalence Classes (FECs) Advertised over IPv6
The Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) Label Switched Path (LSP) Ping and traceroute mechanisms are commonly used to detect and isolate data-plane failures in all MPLS LSPs, including LSPs used for each direction of an MPLS Pseudowire (PW). However, the LSP Ping and traceroute elements used for PWs are not specified for IPv6 address usage.
This document extends the PW LSP Ping and traceroute mechanisms so they can be used with PWs that are set up and maintained using IPv6 LDP sessions. This document updates RFC 4379. [STANDARDS-TRACK]
RFC6923 - MPLS Transport Profile (MPLS-TP) Identifiers Following ITU-T Conventions
This document specifies an extension to the identifiers to be used in the Transport Profile of Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS-TP). Identifiers that follow IP/MPLS conventions have already been defined. This memo augments that set of identifiers for MPLS-TP management and Operations, Administration, and Maintenance (OAM) functions to include identifier information in a format typically used by the International Telecommunication Union Telecommunication Standardization Sector (ITU-T).
RFC6941 - MPLS Transport Profile (MPLS-TP) Security Framework
This document provides a security framework for the MPLS Transport Profile (MPLS-TP). MPLS-TP extends MPLS technologies and introduces new Operations, Administration, and Maintenance (OAM) capabilities, a transport-oriented path protection mechanism, and strong emphasis on static provisioning supported by network management systems. This document addresses the security aspects relevant in the context of MPLS-TP specifically. It describes potential security threats as well as mitigation procedures related to MPLS-TP networks and to MPLS-TP interconnection to other MPLS and GMPLS networks. This document is built on RFC 5920 ("Security Framework for MPLS and GMPLS Networks") by providing additional security considerations that are applicable to the MPLS-TP extensions. All the security considerations from RFC 5920 are assumed to apply.
This document is a product of a joint Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) / International Telecommunication Union Telecommunication Standardization Sector (ITU-T) effort to include an MPLS Transport Profile within the IETF MPLS and Pseudowire Emulation Edge-to-Edge (PWE3) architectures to support the capabilities and functionality of a packet transport network.
RFC6965 - MPLS Transport Profile (MPLS-TP) Applicability: Use Cases and Design
This document describes the applicability of the MPLS Transport Profile (MPLS-TP) with use case studies and network design considerations. The use cases include Metro Ethernet access and aggregation transport, mobile backhaul, and packet optical transport.
RFC6974 - Applicability of MPLS Transport Profile for Ring Topologies
This document presents an applicability of existing MPLS protection mechanisms, both local and end-to-end, to the MPLS Transport Profile (MPLS-TP) in ring topologies. This document does not propose any new mechanisms or protocols. Requirements for MPLS-TP protection especially for protection in ring topologies are discussed in "Requirements of an MPLS Transport Profile" (RFC 5654) and "MPLS Transport Profile (MPLS-TP) Survivability Framework" (RFC 6372). This document discusses how most of the requirements are met by applying linear protection as defined in RFC 6378 in a ring topology.
RFC7026 - Retiring TLVs from the Associated Channel Header of the MPLS Generic Associated Channel
The MPLS Generic Associated Channel (G-ACh) is a generalization of the applicability of the pseudowire (PW) Associated Channel Header (ACH). RFC 5586 defines the concept of TLV constructs that can be carried in messages on the G-ACh by placing them in the ACH between the fixed header fields and the G-ACh message. These TLVs are called ACH TLVs
No Associated Channel Type yet defined uses an ACH TLV. Furthermore, it is believed that handling TLVs in hardware introduces significant problems to the fast path, and since G-ACh messages are intended to be processed substantially in hardware, the use of ACH TLVs is undesirable.
This document updates RFC 5586 by retiring ACH TLVs and removing the associated registry.
RFC7032 - LDP Downstream-on-Demand in Seamless MPLS
Seamless MPLS design enables a single IP/MPLS network to scale over core, metro, and access parts of a large packet network infrastructure using standardized IP/MPLS protocols. One of the key goals of Seamless MPLS is to meet requirements specific to access networks including high number of devices, device position in network topology, and compute and memory constraints that limit the amount of state access devices can hold. This can be achieved with LDP Downstream-on-Demand (DoD) label advertisement. This document describes LDP DoD use cases and lists required LDP DoD procedures in the context of Seamless MPLS design.
In addition, a new optional TLV type in the LDP Label Request message is defined for fast-up convergence.
RFC7054 - Addressing Requirements and Design Considerations for Per-Interface Maintenance Entity Group Intermediate Points (MIPs)
The framework for Operations, Administration and Maintenance (OAM) within the MPLS Transport Profile (MPLS-TP) describes how the Maintenance Entity Group Intermediate Points (MIPs) may be situated within network nodes at incoming and outgoing interfaces.
This document elaborates on important considerations for internal MIP addressing. More precisely, it describes important restrictions for any mechanism that specifies a way of forming OAM messages so that they can be targeted at MIPs on either incoming or outgoing interfaces and forwarded correctly through the forwarding engine. Furthermore, the document includes considerations for node implementations where there is no distinction between the incoming and outgoing MIP.
RFC7060 - Using LDP Multipoint Extensions on Targeted LDP Sessions
Label Distribution Protocol (LDP) can be used to set up Point-to-Multipoint (P2MP) and Multipoint-to-Multipoint (MP2MP) Label Switched Paths. However, the specification for the Multipoint Extensions to LDP presupposes that the two endpoints of an LDP session are directly connected. The LDP base specification allows for the case where the two endpoints of an LDP session are not directly connected; such a session is known as a "Targeted LDP" session. This document provides the specification for using the LDP Multipoint Extensions over a Targeted LDP session.
RFC7087 - A Thesaurus for the Interpretation of Terminology Used in MPLS Transport Profile (MPLS-TP) Internet-Drafts and RFCs in the Context of the ITU-T's Transport Network Recommendations
The MPLS Transport Profile (MPLS-TP) is based on a profile of the MPLS and Pseudowire (PW) procedures as specified in the MPLS Traffic Engineering (MPLS-TE), PW, and Multi-Segment Pseudowire (MS-PW) architectures developed by the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF). The International Telecommunication Union Telecommunication Standardization Sector (ITU-T) has specified a Transport Network architecture.
This document provides a thesaurus for the interpretation of MPLS-TP terminology within the context of the ITU-T Transport Network Recommendations.
It is important to note that MPLS-TP is applicable in a wider set of contexts than just Transport Networks. The definitions presented in this document do not provide exclusive or complete interpretations of MPLS-TP concepts. This document simply allows the MPLS-TP terms to be applied within the Transport Network context.
RFC7110 - Return Path Specified Label Switched Path (LSP) Ping
This document defines extensions to the data-plane failure-detection protocol for Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) Label Switched Paths (LSPs) known as "LSP ping". These extensions allow a selection of the LSP to be used for the echo reply return path. Enforcing a specific return path can be used to verify bidirectional connectivity and also increase LSP ping robustness.
RFC7140 - LDP Extensions for Hub and Spoke Multipoint Label Switched Path
This document introduces a hub and spoke multipoint (HSMP) Label Switched Path (LSP), which allows traffic from root to leaf through point-to-multipoint (P2MP) LSPs and also leaf to root along the reverse path. That means traffic entering the HSMP LSP from the application/customer at the root node travels downstream to each leaf node, exactly as if it were traveling downstream along a P2MP LSP to each leaf node. Upstream traffic entering the HSMP LSP at any leaf node travels upstream along the tree to the root, as if it were unicast to the root. Direct communication among the leaf nodes is not allowed.
RFC7167 - A Framework for Point-to-Multipoint MPLS in Transport Networks
The Multiprotocol Label Switching Transport Profile (MPLS-TP) is the common set of MPLS protocol functions defined to enable the construction and operation of packet transport networks. The MPLS-TP supports both point-to-point and point-to-multipoint transport paths. This document defines the elements and functions of the MPLS-TP architecture that are applicable specifically to supporting point-to-multipoint transport paths.
RFC7190 - Use of Multipath with MPLS and MPLS Transport Profile (MPLS-TP)
Many MPLS implementations have supported multipath techniques, and many MPLS deployments have used multipath techniques, particularly in very high-bandwidth applications, such as provider IP/MPLS core networks. MPLS Transport Profile (MPLS-TP) has strongly discouraged the use of multipath techniques. Some degradation of MPLS-TP Operations, Administration, and Maintenance (OAM) performance cannot be avoided when operating over many types of multipath implementations.
Using MPLS Entropy Labels (RFC 6790), MPLS Label Switched Paths (LSPs) can be carried over multipath links while also providing a fully MPLS-TP-compliant server layer for MPLS-TP LSPs. This document describes the means of supporting MPLS as a server layer for MPLS-TP. The use of MPLS-TP LSPs as a server layer for MPLS LSPs is also discussed.
RFC7212 - MPLS Generic Associated Channel (G-ACh) Advertisement Protocol
The MPLS Generic Associated Channel (G-ACh) provides an auxiliary logical data channel associated with a Label Switched Path (LSP), a pseudowire, or a section (link) over which a variety of protocols may flow. These protocols are commonly used to provide Operations, Administration, and Maintenance (OAM) mechanisms associated with the primary data channel. This document specifies simple procedures by which an endpoint of an LSP, pseudowire, or section may inform the other endpoints of its capabilities and configuration parameters, or other application-specific information. This information may then be used by the receiver to validate or adjust its local configuration, and by the network operator for diagnostic purposes.
RFC7213 - MPLS Transport Profile (MPLS-TP) Next-Hop Ethernet Addressing
The MPLS Transport Profile (MPLS-TP) is the set of MPLS protocol functions applicable to the construction and operation of packet- switched transport networks. This document presents considerations for link-layer addressing of Ethernet frames carrying MPLS-TP packets.
RFC7214 - Moving Generic Associated Channel (G-ACh) IANA Registries to a New Registry
RFC 5586 generalized the applicability of the pseudowire Associated Channel Header (PW-ACH) into the Generic Associated Channel G-ACh. However, registries and allocations of G-ACh parameters had been distributed throughout different, sometimes unrelated, registries. This document coalesces these into a new "Generic Associated Channel (G-ACh) Parameters" registry under the "Multiprotocol Label Switching Architecture (MPLS)" heading. This document updates RFC 5586.
This document also updates RFCs 6374, 6378, 6427, and 6428.
RFC7271 - MPLS Transport Profile (MPLS-TP) Linear Protection to Match the Operational Expectations of Synchronous Digital Hierarchy, Optical Transport Network, and Ethernet Transport Network Operators
This document describes alternate mechanisms to perform some of the functions of MPLS Transport Profile (MPLS-TP) linear protection defined in RFC 6378, and also defines additional mechanisms. The purpose of these alternate and additional mechanisms is to provide operator control and experience that more closely models the behavior of linear protection seen in other transport networks.
This document also introduces capabilities and modes for linear protection. A capability is an individual behavior, and a mode is a particular combination of capabilities. Two modes are defined in this document: Protection State Coordination (PSC) mode and Automatic Protection Switching (APS) mode.
This document describes the behavior of the PSC protocol including priority logic and state machine when all the capabilities associated with the APS mode are enabled.
This document updates RFC 6378 in that the capability advertisement method defined here is an addition to that document.
RFC7274 - Allocating and Retiring Special-Purpose MPLS Labels
Some MPLS labels have been allocated for specific purposes. A block of labels (0-15) has been set aside to this end; these labels are commonly called "reserved labels". They will be called "special-purpose labels" in this document.
As there are only 16 of these special-purpose labels, caution is needed in the allocation of new special-purpose labels; yet, at the same time, forward progress should be allowed when one is called for.
This memo defines new procedures for the allocation and retirement of special-purpose labels, as well as a method to extend the special-purpose label space and a description of how to handle extended special-purpose labels in the data plane. Finally, this memo renames the IANA registry for special-purpose labels to "Special-Purpose MPLS Label Values" and creates a new registry called the "Extended Special-Purpose MPLS Label Values" registry.
This document updates a number of previous RFCs that use the term "reserved label". Specifically, this document updates RFCs 3032, 3038, 3209, 3811, 4182, 4928, 5331, 5586, 5921, 5960, 6391, 6478, and 6790.
RFC7307 - LDP Extensions for Multi-Topology
Multi-Topology (MT) routing is supported in IP networks with the use of MT-aware IGPs. In order to provide MT routing within Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) Label Distribution Protocol (LDP) networks, new extensions are required.
This document describes the LDP protocol extensions required to support MT routing in an MPLS environment.
RFC7308 - Extended Administrative Groups in MPLS Traffic Engineering (MPLS-TE)
MPLS Traffic Engineering (MPLS-TE) advertises 32 administrative groups (commonly referred to as "colors" or "link colors") using the Administrative Group sub-TLV. This is defined for OSPFv2 (RFC 3630), OSPFv3 (RFC 5329) and IS-IS (RFC 5305).
This document adds a sub-TLV to the IGP TE extensions, "Extended Administrative Group". This sub-TLV provides for additional administrative groups (link colors) beyond the current limit of 32.
RFC7324 - Updates to MPLS Transport Profile Linear Protection
This document contains a number of updates to the Protection State Coordination (PSC) logic defined in RFC 6378, "MPLS Transport Profile (MPLS-TP) Linear Protection". These updates provide some rules and recommendations around the use of TLVs in PSC, address some issues raised in an ITU-T liaison statement, and clarify PSC's behavior in a case not well explained in RFC 6378.
RFC7325 - MPLS Forwarding Compliance and Performance Requirements
This document provides guidelines for implementers regarding MPLS forwarding and a basis for evaluations of forwarding implementations. Guidelines cover many aspects of MPLS forwarding. Topics are highlighted where implementers might otherwise overlook practical requirements which are unstated or under emphasized or are optional for conformance to RFCs but are often considered mandatory by providers.
RFC7349 - LDP Hello Cryptographic Authentication
This document introduces a new optional Cryptographic Authentication TLV that LDP can use to secure its Hello messages. It secures the Hello messages against spoofing attacks and some well-known attacks against the IP header. This document describes a mechanism to secure the LDP Hello messages using Hashed Message Authentication Code (HMAC) with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Secure Hash Standard family of algorithms.
RFC7358 - Label Advertisement Discipline for LDP Forwarding Equivalence Classes (FECs)
The label advertising behavior of an LDP speaker for a given Forwarding Equivalence Class (FEC) is governed by the FEC type and not necessarily by the LDP session's negotiated label advertisement mode. This document updates RFC 5036 to make that fact clear. It also updates RFCs 3212, 4447, 5918, 6388, and 7140 by specifying the label advertisement mode for all currently defined LDP FEC types.
RFC7394 - Definition of Time to Live TLV for LSP-Ping Mechanisms
LSP-Ping is a widely deployed Operation, Administration, and Maintenance (OAM) mechanism in MPLS networks. However, in the present form, this mechanism is inadequate to verify connectivity of a segment of a Multi-Segment Pseudowire (MS-PW) and/or bidirectional co-routed Label Switched Path (LSP) from any node on the path of the MS-PW and/or bidirectional co-routed LSP. This document defines a TLV to address this shortcoming.
RFC7412 - Requirements for MPLS Transport Profile (MPLS-TP) Shared Mesh Protection
This document presents the basic network objectives for the behavior of Shared Mesh Protection (SMP) that are not based on control-plane support. This document provides an expansion of the basic requirements presented in RFC 5654 ("Requirements of an MPLS Transport Profile") and RFC 6372 ("MPLS Transport Profile (MPLS-TP) Survivability Framework"). This document provides requirements for any mechanism that would be used to implement SMP for MPLS-TP data paths, in networks that delegate protection switch coordination to the data plane.
RFC7438 - Multipoint LDP (mLDP) In-Band Signaling with Wildcards
There are scenarios in which an IP multicast tree traverses an MPLS domain. In these scenarios, it can be desirable to convert the IP multicast tree "seamlessly" into an MPLS Multipoint Label Switched Path (MP-LSP) when it enters the MPLS domain, and then to convert it back to an IP multicast tree when it exits the MPLS domain. Previous documents specify procedures that allow certain kinds of IP multicast trees (either Source-Specific Multicast trees or Bidirectional Multicast trees) to be attached to an MPLS Multipoint Label Switched Path (MP-LSP). However, the previous documents do not specify procedures for attaching IP Any-Source Multicast trees to MP-LSPs, nor do they specify procedures for aggregating multiple IP multicast trees onto a single MP-LSP. This document specifies the procedures to support these functions. It does so by defining "wildcard" encodings that make it possible to specify, when setting up an MP- LSP, that a set of IP multicast trees, or a shared IP multicast tree, should be attached to that MP-LSP. Support for non-bidirectional IP Any-Source Multicast trees is subject to certain applicability restrictions that are discussed in this document. This document updates RFCs 6826 and 7246.
RFC7439 - Gap Analysis for Operating IPv6-Only MPLS Networks
This document reviews the Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) protocol suite in the context of IPv6 and identifies gaps that must be addressed in order to allow MPLS-related protocols and applications to be used with IPv6-only networks. This document is intended to focus on gaps in the standards defining the MPLS suite, and is not intended to highlight particular vendor implementations (or lack thereof) in the context of IPv6-only MPLS functionality.
In the data plane, MPLS fully supports IPv6, and MPLS labeled packets can be carried over IPv6 packets in a variety of encapsulations. However, support for IPv6 among MPLS control-plane protocols, MPLS applications, MPLS Operations, Administration, and Maintenance (OAM), and MIB modules is mixed, with some protocols having major gaps. For most major gaps, work is in progress to upgrade the relevant protocols.
RFC7442 - Carrying Protocol Independent Multicast - Sparse Mode (PIM-SM) in Any-Source Multicast (ASM) Mode Trees over Multipoint LDP (mLDP)
When IP multicast trees created by Protocol Independent Multicast - Sparse Mode (PIM-SM) in Any-Source Multicast (ASM) mode need to pass through an MPLS domain, it may be desirable to map such trees to Point-to-Multipoint Label Switched Paths (P2MP LSPs). This document describes how to accomplish this in the case where such P2MP LSPs are established using Label Distribution Protocol (LDP) Extensions for P2MP and Multipoint-to-Multipoint LSPs: Multipoint LDP (mLDP).
RFC7447 - Deprecation of BGP Entropy Label Capability Attribute
The BGP Entropy Label Capability attribute is defined in RFC 6790. Regrettably, it has a bug: although RFC 6790 mandates that routers incapable of processing Entropy Labels must remove the attribute, fulfillment of this requirement cannot be guaranteed in practice. This specification deprecates the attribute. A forthcoming document will propose a replacement.
RFC7453 - MPLS Transport Profile (MPLS-TP) Traffic Engineering (TE) Management Information Base (MIB)
This memo defines a portion of the Management Information Base (MIB) for use with network management protocols in the Internet community. In particular, it describes additional managed objects and textual conventions for tunnels, identifiers, and Label Switching Routers to support Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) MIB modules for transport networks.
RFC7473 - Controlling State Advertisements of Non-negotiated LDP Applications
There is no capability negotiation done for Label Distribution Protocol (LDP) applications that set up Label Switched Paths (LSPs) for IP prefixes or that signal point-to-point (P2P) Pseudowires (PWs) for Layer 2 Virtual Private Networks (L2VPNs). When an LDP session comes up, an LDP speaker may unnecessarily advertise its local state for such LDP applications even when the peer session is established for some other applications like Multipoint LDP (mLDP) or the Inter-Chassis Communication Protocol (ICCP). This document defines a solution by which an LDP speaker announces to its peer its disinterest in such non-negotiated applications, thus disabling the unnecessary advertisement of corresponding application state, which would have otherwise been advertised over the established LDP session.
RFC7506 - IPv6 Router Alert Option for MPLS Operations, Administration, and Maintenance (OAM)
RFC 4379 defines the MPLS Label Switched Path (LSP) Ping/Traceroute mechanism in which the Router Alert Option (RAO) MUST be set in the IP header of the MPLS Echo Request messages and may conditionally be set in the IP header of the MPLS Echo Reply messages depending on the Reply Mode used. While a generic "Router shall examine packet" Option Value is used for the IPv4 RAO, there is no generic RAO value defined for IPv6 that can be used. This document allocates a new, generic IPv6 RAO value that can be used by MPLS Operations, Administration, and Maintenance (OAM) tools, including the MPLS Echo Request and MPLS Echo Reply messages for MPLS in IPv6 environments. Consequently, it updates RFC 4379.
The initial motivation to request an IPv6 RAO value for MPLS OAM comes from the MPLS LSP Ping/Traceroute. However, this value is applicable to all MPLS OAM and not limited to MPLS LSP Ping/ Traceroute.
RFC7510 - Encapsulating MPLS in UDP
This document specifies an IP-based encapsulation for MPLS, called MPLS-in-UDP for situations where UDP (User Datagram Protocol) encapsulation is preferred to direct use of MPLS, e.g., to enable UDP-based ECMP (Equal-Cost Multipath) or link aggregation. The MPLS- in-UDP encapsulation technology must only be deployed within a single network (with a single network operator) or networks of an adjacent set of cooperating network operators where traffic is managed to avoid congestion, rather than over the Internet where congestion control is required. Usage restrictions apply to MPLS-in-UDP usage for traffic that is not congestion controlled and to UDP zero checksum usage with IPv6.
RFC7524 - Inter-Area Point-to-Multipoint (P2MP) Segmented Label Switched Paths (LSPs)
This document describes procedures for building inter-area point-to-multipoint (P2MP) segmented service label switched paths (LSPs) by partitioning such LSPs into intra-area segments and using BGP as the inter-area routing and Label Distribution Protocol (LDP). Within each IGP area, the intra-area segments are either carried over intra-area P2MP LSPs, using P2MP LSP hierarchy, or instantiated using ingress replication. The intra-area P2MP LSPs may be signaled using P2MP RSVP-TE or P2MP multipoint LDP (mLDP). If ingress replication is used within an IGP area, then (multipoint-to-point) LDP LSPs or (point-to-point) RSVP-TE LSPs may be used in the IGP area. The applications/services that use such inter-area service LSPs may be BGP Multicast VPN, Virtual Private LAN Service (VPLS) multicast, or global table multicast over MPLS.
RFC7537 - IANA Registries for LSP Ping Code Points
RFCs 4379 and 6424 created name spaces for Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) Label Switched Path (LSP) Ping. However, those RFCs did not create the corresponding IANA registries for Downstream Mapping object Flags (DS Flags), Multipath Types, Pad TLVs, and Interface and Label Stack Address Types.
There is now a need to make further code point allocations from these name spaces. This document updates RFCs 4379 and 6424 in that it creates IANA registries for that purpose.
RFC7552 - Updates to LDP for IPv6
The Label Distribution Protocol (LDP) specification defines procedures to exchange label bindings over either IPv4 or IPv6 networks, or both. This document corrects and clarifies the LDP behavior when an IPv6 network is used (with or without IPv4). This document updates RFCs 5036 and 6720.
RFC7555 - Proxy MPLS Echo Request
This document defines a means of remotely initiating Multiprotocol Label Switched Protocol (MPLS) Pings on Label Switched Paths. An MPLS Proxy Ping Request is sent to any Label Switching Router along a Label Switched Path. The primary motivations for this facility are first to limit the number of messages and related processing when using LSP Ping in large Point-to-Multipoint LSPs, and second to enable tracing from leaf to leaf (or root).
RFC7697 - MPLS Transport Profile (MPLS-TP) Operations, Administration, and Maintenance (OAM) Identifiers Management Information Base (MIB)
This memo defines a portion of the Management Information Base (MIB) for use with network management protocols in the Internet community. In particular, it describes managed objects to configure the Operations, Administration, and Maintenance (OAM) identifiers for Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) and the MPLS-based Transport Profile (TP).
RFC7715 - Multipoint LDP (mLDP) Node Protection
This document describes procedures to support node protection for Point-to-Multipoint and Multipoint-to-Multipoint Label Switched Paths (P2MP and MP2MP LSPs) that have been built by the Multipoint Label Distribution Protocol (mLDP). In order to protect a node N, the Point of Local Repair (PLR) Label Switching Router (LSR) of N must learn the Merge Point (MPT) LSR(s) of node N such that traffic can be redirected to them in case node N fails. Redirecting the traffic around the failed node N depends on existing Point-to-Point (P2P) Label Switched Paths (LSPs). The pre-established LSPs originate from the PLR LSR and terminate on the MPT LSRs while bypassing LSR N.
RFC7737 - Label Switched Path (LSP) Ping and Traceroute Reply Mode Simplification
The Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) Label Switched Path (LSP) Ping and Traceroute use the Reply Mode field to signal the method to be used in the MPLS echo reply. This document updates the procedures for the "Reply via Specified Path" Reply Mode. The value of this Reply Mode is 5. The update creates a simple way to indicate that the reverse LSP should be used as the return path. This document also adds an optional TLV that can carry an ordered list of Reply Mode values.
RFC7743 - Relayed Echo Reply Mechanism for Label Switched Path (LSP) Ping
In some inter-AS (Autonomous System) and inter-area deployment scenarios for RFC 4379 ("Label Switched Path (LSP) Ping and Traceroute"), a replying Label Switching Router (LSR) may not have the available route to an initiator, and the Echo Reply message sent to the initiator would be discarded, resulting in false negatives or a complete failure of operation of the LSP Ping and Traceroute. This document describes extensions to the LSP Ping mechanism to enable the replying LSR to have the capability to relay the Echo Response by a set of routable intermediate nodes to the initiator. This document updates RFC 4379.
RFC7746 - Label Switched Path (LSP) Self-Ping
When certain RSVP-TE optimizations are implemented, ingress Label Switching Router (LSRs) can receive RSVP RESV messages before forwarding state has been installed on all downstream nodes. According to the RSVP-TE specification, the ingress LSR can forward traffic through a Label Switched Path (LSP) as soon as it receives a RESV message. However, if the ingress LSR forwards traffic through the LSP before forwarding state has been installed on all downstream nodes, traffic can be lost.
This document describes LSP Self-ping. When an ingress LSR receives an RESV message, it can invoke LSP Self-ping procedures to ensure that forwarding state has been installed on all downstream nodes.
LSP Self-ping is a new protocol. It is not an extension of LSP Ping. Although LSP Ping and LSP Self-ping are named similarly, each is designed for a unique purpose. Each protocol listens on its own UDP port and executes its own procedures.
LSP Self-ping is an extremely lightweight mechanism. It does not consume control-plane resources on transit or egress LSRs.
RFC7759 - Configuration of Proactive Operations, Administration, and Maintenance (OAM) Functions for MPLS-Based Transport Networks Using Label Switched Path (LSP) Ping
This specification describes the configuration of proactive MPLS-TP Operations, Administration, and Maintenance (OAM) functions for a given Label Switched Path (LSP) using a set of TLVs that are carried by the LSP Ping protocol.
RFC7876 - UDP Return Path for Packet Loss and Delay Measurement for MPLS Networks
RFC 6374 defines a protocol for Packet Loss and Delay Measurement for MPLS networks (MPLS-PLDM). This document specifies the procedures to be used when sending and processing out-of-band MPLS performance management Responses over an UDP/IP return path.
RFC8012 - Label Switched Path (LSP) and Pseudowire (PW) Ping/Trace over MPLS Networks Using Entropy Labels (ELs)
Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) Label Switched Path (LSP) ping and traceroute are methods used to test Equal-Cost Multipath (ECMP) paths. Ping is known as a connectivity-verification method and traceroute is known as a fault-isolation method, as described in RFC 4379. When an LSP is signaled using the Entropy Label (EL) described in RFC 6790, the ability for LSP ping and traceroute operations to discover and exercise ECMP paths is lost for scenarios where Label Switching Routers (LSRs) apply different load-balancing techniques. One such scenario is when some LSRs apply EL-based load balancing while other LSRs apply load balancing that is not EL based (e.g., IP). Another scenario is when an EL-based LSP is stitched with another LSP that can be EL based or not EL based.
This document extends the MPLS LSP ping and traceroute multipath mechanisms in RFC 6424 to allow the ability of exercising LSPs that make use of the EL. This document updates RFC 6790.
RFC8029 - Detecting Multiprotocol Label Switched (MPLS) Data-Plane Failures
This document describes a simple and efficient mechanism to detect data-plane failures in Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) Label Switched Paths (LSPs). It defines a probe message called an "MPLS echo request" and a response message called an "MPLS echo reply" for returning the result of the probe. The MPLS echo request is intended to contain sufficient information to check correct operation of the data plane and to verify the data plane against the control plane, thereby localizing faults.
This document obsoletes RFCs 4379, 6424, 6829, and 7537, and updates RFC 1122.
RFC8150 - MPLS Transport Profile Linear Protection MIB
This memo defines a portion of the Management Information Base (MIB) for use with network management protocols. In particular, it defines objects for managing Multiprotocol Label Switching - Transport Profile (MPLS-TP) linear protection.
RFC8169 - Residence Time Measurement in MPLS Networks
This document specifies a new Generic Associated Channel (G-ACh) for Residence Time Measurement (RTM) and describes how it can be used by time synchronization protocols within an MPLS domain.
Residence time is the variable part of the propagation delay of timing and synchronization messages; knowing this delay for each message allows for a more accurate determination of the delay to be taken into account when applying the value included in a Precision Time Protocol event message.
RFC8223 - Application-Aware Targeted LDP
Recent Targeted Label Distribution Protocol (tLDP) applications, such as remote Loop-Free Alternates (LFAs) and BGP auto-discovered pseudowires, may automatically establish a tLDP session with any Label Switching Router (LSR) in a network. The initiating LSR has information about the targeted applications to administratively control initiation of the session. However, the responding LSR has no such information to control acceptance of this session. This document defines a mechanism to advertise and negotiate the Targeted Application Capability (TAC) during LDP session initialization. As the responding LSR becomes aware of targeted applications, it may establish a limited number of tLDP sessions for certain applications. In addition, each targeted application is mapped to LDP Forwarding Equivalence Class (FEC) elements to advertise only necessary LDP FEC label bindings over the session. This document updates RFC 7473 for enabling advertisement of LDP FEC label bindings over the session.
RFC8227 - MPLS-TP Shared-Ring Protection (MSRP) Mechanism for Ring Topology
This document describes requirements, architecture, and solutions for MPLS-TP Shared-Ring Protection (MSRP) in a ring topology for point- to-point (P2P) services. The MSRP mechanism is described to meet the ring protection requirements as described in RFC 5654. This document defines the Ring Protection Switching (RPS) protocol that is used to coordinate the protection behavior of the nodes on an MPLS ring.
RFC8234 - Updates to MPLS Transport Profile (MPLS-TP) Linear Protection in Automatic Protection Switching (APS) Mode
This document contains updates to MPLS Transport Profile (MPLS-TP) linear protection in Automatic Protection Switching (APS) mode defined in RFC 7271. The updates provide rules related to the initialization of the Protection State Coordination (PSC) Control Logic (in which the state machine resides) when operating in APS mode and clarify the operation related to state transition table lookup.
RFC8256 - Requirements for Hitless MPLS Path Segment Monitoring
One of the most important Operations, Administration, and Maintenance (OAM) capabilities for transport-network operation is fault localization. An in-service, on-demand path segment monitoring function of a transport path is indispensable, particularly when the service monitoring function is activated only between endpoints. However, the current segment monitoring approach defined for MPLS (including the MPLS Transport Profile (MPLS-TP)) in RFC 6371 "Operations, Administration, and Maintenance Framework for MPLS-Based Transport Networks" has drawbacks. This document provides an analysis of the existing MPLS-TP OAM mechanisms for the path segment monitoring and provides requirements to guide the development of new OAM tools to support Hitless Path Segment Monitoring (HPSM).
RFC8277 - Using BGP to Bind MPLS Labels to Address Prefixes
This document specifies a set of procedures for using BGP to advertise that a specified router has bound a specified MPLS label (or a specified sequence of MPLS labels organized as a contiguous part of a label stack) to a specified address prefix. This can be done by sending a BGP UPDATE message whose Network Layer Reachability Information field contains both the prefix and the MPLS label(s) and whose Next Hop field identifies the node at which said prefix is bound to said label(s). This document obsoletes RFC 3107.
RFC8287 - Label Switched Path (LSP) Ping/Traceroute for Segment Routing (SR) IGP-Prefix and IGP-Adjacency Segment Identifiers (SIDs) with MPLS Data Planes
A Segment Routing (SR) architecture leverages source routing and tunneling paradigms and can be directly applied to the use of a Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) data plane. A node steers a packet through a controlled set of instructions called "segments" by prepending the packet with an SR header.
The segment assignment and forwarding semantic nature of SR raises additional considerations for connectivity verification and fault isolation for a Label Switched Path (LSP) within an SR architecture. This document illustrates the problem and defines extensions to perform LSP Ping and Traceroute for Segment Routing IGP-Prefix and IGP-Adjacency Segment Identifiers (SIDs) with an MPLS data plane.
RFC8320 - LDP Extensions to Support Maximally Redundant Trees
This document specifies extensions to the Label Distribution Protocol (LDP) to support the creation of Label Switched Paths (LSPs) for Maximally Redundant Trees (MRTs). A prime use of MRTs is for unicast and multicast IP/LDP Fast Reroute, which we will refer to as "MRT-FRR".
The sole protocol extension to LDP is simply the ability to advertise an MRT Capability. This document describes that extension and the associated behavior expected for Label Switching Routers (LSRs) and Label Edge Routers (LERs) advertising the MRT Capability.
MRT-FRR uses LDP multi-topology extensions, so three multi-topology IDs have been allocated from the MPLS MT-ID space.
RFC8372 - MPLS Flow Identification Considerations
This document discusses aspects to consider when developing a solution for MPLS flow identification. The key application that needs this solution is in-band performance monitoring of MPLS flows when MPLS is used to encapsulate user data packets.
RFC8577 - Signaling RSVP-TE Tunnels on a Shared MPLS Forwarding Plane
As the scale of MPLS RSVP-TE networks has grown, the number of Label Switched Paths (LSPs) supported by individual network elements has increased. Various implementation recommendations have been proposed to manage the resulting increase in the amount of control-plane state information.
However, those changes have had no effect on the number of labels that a transit Label Switching Router (LSR) has to support in the forwarding plane. That number is governed by the number of LSPs transiting or terminated at the LSR and is directly related to the total LSP state in the control plane.
This document defines a mechanism to prevent the maximum size of the label space limit on an LSR from being a constraint to control-plane scaling on that node. It introduces the notion of preinstalled 'per-TE link labels' that can be shared by MPLS RSVP-TE LSPs that traverse these TE links. This approach significantly reduces the forwarding-plane state required to support a large number of LSPs. This couples the feature benefits of the RSVP-TE control plane with the simplicity of the Segment Routing (SR) MPLS forwarding plane.
RFC8595 - An MPLS-Based Forwarding Plane for Service Function Chaining
This document describes how Service Function Chaining (SFC) can be achieved in an MPLS network by means of a logical representation of the Network Service Header (NSH) in an MPLS label stack. That is, the NSH is not used, but the fields of the NSH are mapped to fields in the MPLS label stack. This approach does not deprecate or replace the NSH, but it acknowledges that there may be a need for an interim deployment of SFC functionality in brownfield networks.
RFC8596 - MPLS Transport Encapsulation for the Service Function Chaining (SFC) Network Service Header (NSH)
This document describes how to use a Service Function Forwarder (SFF) Label (similar to a pseudowire label or VPN label) to indicate the presence of a Service Function Chaining (SFC) Network Service Header (NSH) between an MPLS label stack and the packet original packet/ frame. This allows SFC packets using the NSH to be forwarded between SFFs over an MPLS network, and to select one of multiple SFFs in the destination MPLS node.
RFC8611 - Label Switched Path (LSP) Ping and Traceroute Multipath Support for Link Aggregation Group (LAG) Interfaces
This document defines extensions to the MPLS Label Switched Path (LSP) Ping and Traceroute mechanisms as specified in RFC 8029. The extensions allow the MPLS LSP Ping and Traceroute mechanisms to discover and exercise specific paths of Layer 2 (L2) Equal-Cost Multipath (ECMP) over Link Aggregation Group (LAG) interfaces. Additionally, a mechanism is defined to enable the determination of the capabilities supported by a Label Switching Router (LSR).
This document updates RFC 8029.
RFC8662 - Entropy Label for Source Packet Routing in Networking (SPRING) Tunnels
Segment Routing (SR) leverages the source-routing paradigm. A node steers a packet through an ordered list of instructions, called segments. Segment Routing can be applied to the Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) data plane. Entropy labels (ELs) are used in MPLS to improve load-balancing. This document examines and describes how ELs are to be applied to Segment Routing MPLS.
RFC8663 - MPLS Segment Routing over IP
MPLS Segment Routing (SR-MPLS) is a method of source routing a packet through an MPLS data plane by imposing a stack of MPLS labels on the packet to specify the path together with any packet-specific instructions to be executed on it. SR-MPLS can be leveraged to realize a source-routing mechanism across MPLS, IPv4, and IPv6 data planes by using an MPLS label stack as a source-routing instruction set while making no changes to SR-MPLS specifications and interworking with SR-MPLS implementations.
This document describes how SR-MPLS-capable routers and IP-only routers can seamlessly coexist and interoperate through the use of SR-MPLS label stacks and IP encapsulation/tunneling such as MPLS-over-UDP as defined in RFC 7510.
RFC8679 - MPLS Egress Protection Framework
This document specifies a fast reroute framework for protecting IP/MPLS services and MPLS transport tunnels against egress node and egress link failures. For each type of egress failure, it defines the roles of Point of Local Repair (PLR), protector, and backup egress router and the procedures of establishing a bypass tunnel from a PLR to a protector. It describes the behaviors of these routers in handling an egress failure, including local repair on the PLR and context-based forwarding on the protector. The framework can be used to develop egress protection mechanisms to reduce traffic loss before global repair reacts to an egress failure and control-plane protocols converge on the topology changes due to the egress failure.
RFC8690 - Clarification of Segment ID Sub-TLV Length for RFC 8287
RFC 8287 defines the extensions to perform LSP Ping and Traceroute for Segment Routing IGP-Prefix and IGP-Adjacency Segment Identifiers (SIDs) with the MPLS data plane. RFC 8287 proposes three Target Forwarding Equivalence Class (FEC) Stack sub-TLVs. While RFC 8287 defines the format and procedure to handle those sub-TLVs, it does not sufficiently clarify how the length of the Segment ID sub-TLVs should be computed to be included in the Length field of the sub-TLVs. This ambiguity has resulted in interoperability issues.
This document updates RFC 8287 by clarifying the length of each of the Segment ID sub-TLVs defined in RFC 8287.
RFC8796 - RSVP-TE Summary Fast Reroute Extensions for Label Switched Path (LSP) Tunnels
This document updates RFC 4090 for the Resource Reservation Protocol (RSVP) Traffic Engineering (TE) procedures defined for facility backup protection. The updates include extensions that reduce the amount of signaling and processing that occurs during Fast Reroute (FRR); as a result, scalability when undergoing FRR convergence after a link or node failure is improved. These extensions allow the RSVP message exchange between the Point of Local Repair (PLR) and the Merge Point (MP) nodes to be independent of the number of protected Label Switched Paths (LSPs) traversing between them when facility bypass FRR protection is used. The signaling extensions are fully backwards compatible with nodes that do not support them.
RFC8957 - Synonymous Flow Label Framework
RFC 8372 ("MPLS Flow Identification Considerations") describes the requirement for introducing flow identities within the MPLS architecture. This document describes a method of accomplishing this by using a technique called "Synonymous Flow Labels" in which labels that mimic the behavior of other labels provide the identification service. These identifiers can be used to trigger per-flow operations on the packet at the receiving label switching router.
RFC8960 - A YANG Data Model for MPLS Base
This document contains a specification of the MPLS base YANG data model. The MPLS base YANG data model serves as a base framework for configuring and managing an MPLS switching subsystem on an MPLS-enabled router. It is expected that other MPLS YANG data models (e.g., MPLS Label Switched Path (LSP) static, LDP, or RSVP-TE YANG data models) will augment the MPLS base YANG data model.
RFC9017 - Special-Purpose Label Terminology
This document discusses and recommends terminology that may be used when MPLS Special-Purpose Labels (SPLs) are specified and documented.
This document applies that terminology change to the relevant IANA registry and also clarifies the use of the Entropy Label Indicator (7) when immediately preceded by the Extension Label (15).
This document updates RFCs 3032 and 7274.
RFC9041 - Updating the MPLS Label Switched Paths (LSPs) Ping Parameters IANA Registry
This document updates RFCs 8029 and 8611, both of which define IANA registries for MPLS Label Switched Path (LSP) Ping. In particular, the registration procedure "Private Use" (previously known as "Vendor Private Use") has been changed to "First Come First Served" for the TLV and sub-TLV registries.
It also updates the description of the procedures for the responses sent when an unknown or erroneous code point is found. The updates are to clarify and align this namespace with recent developments, e.g., aligning terminology with RFC 8126 instead of the now obsoleted RFC 5226 (both titled "Guidelines for Writing an IANA Considerations Section in RFCs").
RFC9070 - YANG Data Model for MPLS LDP
This document describes a YANG data model for the Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) Label Distribution Protocol (LDP). The model also serves as the base model to define the Multipoint LDP (mLDP) model.
The YANG modules in this document conform to the Network Management Datastore Architecture (NMDA).
RFC9214 - OSPFv3 Code Point for MPLS LSP Ping
IANA has created "Protocol in the Segment ID Sub-TLV" and "Protocol in Label Stack Sub-TLV of Downstream Detailed Mapping TLV" registries under the "Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) Label Switched Paths (LSPs) Ping Parameters" registry. RFC 8287 defines the code points for Open Shortest Path First (OSPF) and Intermediate System to Intermediate System (IS-IS) protocols.
This document specifies the code point to be used in the Segment ID sub-TLV and Downstream Detailed Mapping (DDMAP) TLV when the Interior Gateway Protocol (IGP) is OSPFv3. This document also updates RFC 8287 by clarifying that the existing "OSPF" code point is to be used only to indicate OSPFv2 and by defining the behavior when the Segment ID sub-TLV indicates the use of IPv6.
RFC9570 - Deprecating the Use of Router Alert in LSP Ping
The MPLS echo request and MPLS echo response messages, defined in RFC 8029, "Detecting Multiprotocol Label Switched (MPLS) Data-Plane Failures" (usually referred to as LSP ping), are encapsulated in IP packets with headers that include a Router Alert Option (RAO). In actual deployments, the RAO was neither required nor used. Furthermore, RFC 6398 identifies security vulnerabilities associated with the RAO in non-controlled environments, e.g., the case of using the MPLS echo request/reply as inter-area Operations, Administration, and Maintenance (OAM), and recommends against its use outside of controlled environments.
Therefore, this document retires the RAO for MPLS OAM and updates RFC 8029 to remove the RAO from LSP ping message encapsulations. Furthermore, this document explains why RFC 7506 has been reclassified as Historic.
Also, this document recommends the use of an IPv6 loopback address (::1/128) as the IPv6 destination address for an MPLS echo request message.
RFC9571 - Extension of RFC 6374-Based Performance Measurement Using Synonymous Flow Labels
RFC 6374 describes methods of making loss and delay measurements on Label Switched Paths (LSPs) primarily as they are used in MPLS Transport Profile (MPLS-TP) networks. This document describes a method of extending the performance measurements (specified in RFC 6374) from flows carried over MPLS-TP to flows carried over generic MPLS LSPs. In particular, it extends the technique to allow loss and delay measurements to be made on multipoint-to-point LSPs and introduces some additional techniques to allow more sophisticated measurements to be made in both MPLS-TP and generic MPLS networks.
RFC9612 - Bidirectional Forwarding Detection (BFD) Reverse Path for MPLS Label Switched Paths (LSPs)
Bidirectional Forwarding Detection (BFD) is expected to be able to monitor a wide variety of encapsulations of paths between systems. When a BFD session monitors an explicitly routed unidirectional path, there may be a need to direct the egress BFD peer to use a specific path for the reverse direction of the BFD session. This document describes an extension to the MPLS Label Switched Path (LSP) echo request that allows a BFD system to request that the remote BFD peer transmit BFD control packets over the specified LSP.
RFC9613 - Requirements for Solutions that Support MPLS Network Actions (MNAs)
This document specifies requirements for the development of MPLS Network Actions (MNAs) that affect the forwarding or other processing of MPLS packets. These requirements are informed by a number of proposals for additions to the MPLS information in the labeled packet to allow such actions to be performed, either by a transit or terminating Label Switching Router (i.e., the Label Edge Router - LER).
RFC9655 - Egress Validation in Label Switched Path Ping and Traceroute Mechanisms
The MPLS ping and traceroute mechanisms described in RFC 8029 and the related extensions for Segment Routing (SR) defined in RFC 8287 are highly valuable for validating control plane and data plane synchronization. In certain environments, only some intermediate or transit nodes may have been upgraded to support these validation procedures. A straightforward MPLS ping and traceroute mechanism allows traversal of any path without validation of the control plane state. RFC 8029 supports this mechanism with the Nil Forwarding Equivalence Class (FEC). The procedures outlined in RFC 8029 are primarily applicable when the Nil FEC is used as an intermediate FEC in the FEC stack. However, challenges arise when all labels in the label stack are represented using the Nil FEC.
This document introduces a new Type-Length-Value (TLV) as an extension to the existing Nil FEC. It describes MPLS ping and traceroute procedures using the Nil FEC with this extension to address and overcome these challenges.
RFC9658 - Multipoint LDP Extensions for Multi-Topology Routing
Multi-Topology Routing (MTR) is a technology that enables service differentiation within an IP network. The Flexible Algorithm (FA) is another mechanism for creating a sub-topology within a topology using defined topology constraints and computation algorithms. In order to deploy Multipoint LDP (mLDP) in a network that supports MTR, FA, or other methods of signaling non-default IGP Algorithms (IPAs), mLDP is required to become topology and algorithm aware. This document specifies extensions to mLDP to support the use of MTR/IPAs such that, when building multipoint Label Switched Paths (LSPs), the LSPs can follow a particular topology and algorithm. This document updates RFC 7307 by allocating eight bits from a previously reserved field to be used as the "IPA" field.