MPLS-TP
Encyclopedia
MPLS-TP or MPLS Transport Profile is a profile of MPLS
whose definition has been commenced by the IETF. It will be designed for use as a network layer technology in transport networks. Its design will be a continuation of the work started by the transport network experts of the ITU-T
, specifically SG15, as T-MPLS
. Since 2008 the work is progressed in a cooperation between ITU-T
and IETF. The required protocol extensions to MPLS being designed by the IETF based on requirements provided by service providers. It will be a connection-oriented packet-switched (CO-PS) application. It will offer a dedicated MPLS implementation by removing features that are not relevant to CO-PS applications and adding mechanisms that provide support of critical transport functionality.
MPLS-TP is to be based on the same architectural principles of layered networking that are used in longstanding transport network technologies like SDH, SONET and OTN
. Service providers have already developed management processes and work procedures based on these principles.
MPLS-TP will provide service providers with a reliable packet-based technology that is based upon circuit-based transport networking, and thus is expected to align with current organizational processes and large-scale work procedures similar to other packet transport technologies.
MPLS-TP is expected to be a low cost L2 technology (if the limited profile to be specified is implemented in isolation) that will provide QoS
, end-to-end OA&M
and protection switching.
In February 2008 the ITU-T
and IETF agreed to work jointly
on the design of MPLS-TP. Based on this agreement IETF and ITU-T experts will jointly work out the requirements and solutions. ITU-T in turn will update the existing T-MPLS standards based on the MPLS-TP related RFCs listed below.
Multiprotocol Label Switching
Multiprotocol Label Switching is a mechanism in high-performance telecommunications networks that directs data from one network node to the next based on short path labels rather than long network addresses, avoiding complex lookups in a routing table. The labels identify virtual links between...
whose definition has been commenced by the IETF. It will be designed for use as a network layer technology in transport networks. Its design will be a continuation of the work started by the transport network experts of the ITU-T
ITU-T
The ITU Telecommunication Standardization Sector is one of the three sectors of the International Telecommunication Union ; it coordinates standards for telecommunications....
, specifically SG15, as T-MPLS
T-MPLS
T-MPLS or Transport MPLS is a transport network layer technology that uses extensions to a subset of the existing MPLS standards and is designed specifically for application in transport networks. Work to define T-MPLS was started by the ITU-T in February 2006...
. Since 2008 the work is progressed in a cooperation between ITU-T
ITU-T
The ITU Telecommunication Standardization Sector is one of the three sectors of the International Telecommunication Union ; it coordinates standards for telecommunications....
and IETF. The required protocol extensions to MPLS being designed by the IETF based on requirements provided by service providers. It will be a connection-oriented packet-switched (CO-PS) application. It will offer a dedicated MPLS implementation by removing features that are not relevant to CO-PS applications and adding mechanisms that provide support of critical transport functionality.
MPLS-TP is to be based on the same architectural principles of layered networking that are used in longstanding transport network technologies like SDH, SONET and OTN
Optical Transport Network
ITU-T defines an Optical Transport Network as a set of Optical Network Elements connected by optical fibre links, able to provide functionality of transport, multiplexing, switching, management, supervision and survivability of optical channels carrying client signals...
. Service providers have already developed management processes and work procedures based on these principles.
MPLS-TP will provide service providers with a reliable packet-based technology that is based upon circuit-based transport networking, and thus is expected to align with current organizational processes and large-scale work procedures similar to other packet transport technologies.
MPLS-TP is expected to be a low cost L2 technology (if the limited profile to be specified is implemented in isolation) that will provide QoS
Quality of service
The quality of service refers to several related aspects of telephony and computer networks that allow the transport of traffic with special requirements...
, end-to-end OA&M
OA&M
Operations, administration and management or operations, administration and maintenance is a general term used to describe the processes, activities, tools, standards, etc involved with operating, administering, managing and maintaining any system...
and protection switching.
In February 2008 the ITU-T
ITU-T
The ITU Telecommunication Standardization Sector is one of the three sectors of the International Telecommunication Union ; it coordinates standards for telecommunications....
and IETF agreed to work jointly
on the design of MPLS-TP. Based on this agreement IETF and ITU-T experts will jointly work out the requirements and solutions. ITU-T in turn will update the existing T-MPLS standards based on the MPLS-TP related RFCs listed below.
RFC or drafts
The following IETF RFCs or drafts exist for MPLS-TP:| RFC | Title | Draft |
|---|---|---|
| RFC 5317 | Joint Working Team (JWT) Report on MPLS Architectural Considerations for a Transport Profile | draft-bryant-mpls-tp-jwt-report |
| RFC 5586 | MPLS Generic Associated Channel | draft-ietf-mpls-tp-gach-gal |
| RFC 5654 | MPLS-TP Requirements | draft-ietf-mpls-tp-requirements |
| RFC 5718 | An In-Band Data Communication Network For the MPLS Transport Profile | draft-ietf-mpls-tp-gach-dcn |
| RFC 5860 | Requirements for Operations, Administration, and Maintenance (OAM) in MPLS Transport Networks | draft-ietf-mpls-tp-oam-requirements |
| RFC 5921 | A Framework for MPLS in Transport Networks | draft-ietf-mpls-tp-framework |
| RFC 5950 | Network Management Framework for MPLS-based Transport Networks | draft-ietf-mpls-tp-nm-framework |
| RFC 5951 | Network Management Requirements for MPLS-based Transport Networks | draft-ietf-mpls-tp-nm-req |
| RFC 5960 | MPLS Transport Profile Data Plane Architecture | draft-ietf-mpls-tp-data-plane |
| RFC 6215 | MPLS Transport Profile User-to-Network and Network-to-Network Interfaces | draft-ietf-mpls-tp-uni-nni |
| RFC 6291 | Guidelines for the Use of the "OAM" Acronym in the IETF | draft-ietf-opsawg-mpls-tp-oam-def |
| RFC 6370 | MPLS-TP Identifiers | draft-ietf-mpls-tp-identifiers |
| RFC 6371 | Operations, Administration, and Maintenance Framework for MPLS-Based Transport Networks | draft-ietf-mpls-tp-oam-framework |
| RFC 6372 | MPLS Transport Profile (MPLS-TP) Survivability Framework | draft-ietf-mpls-tp-survive-fwk |
| RFC 6373 | MPLS-TP Control Plane Framework | draft-ietf-ccamp-mpls-tp-cp-framework |
| RFC 6375 | A Packet Loss and Delay Measurement Profile for MPLS-based Transport Networks | draft-ietf-mpls-tp-loss-delay-profile |
| tbd | MPLS-TP OAM Analysis | draft-ietf-mpls-tp-oam-analysis |
| RFC 6426 | MPLS On-demand Connectivity Verification and Route Tracing | draft-ietf-mpls-tp-on-demand-cv |
| RFC 6378 | MPLS-TP Linear Protection | draft-ietf-mpls-tp-linear-protection |
| RFC 6427 | MPLS Fault Management OAM | draft-ietf-mpls-tp-fault |
| RFC 6428 | Proactive Connectivity Verification, Continuity Check and Remote Defect indication for MPLS Transport Profile | draft-ietf-mpls-tp-cc-cv-rdi |
| tbd | Pseudowire Status for Static Pseudowires | draft-ietf-pwe3-static-pw-status |
| RFC 6435 | MPLS Transport Profile lock Instruct and Loopback Functions | draft-ietf-mpls-tp-li-lb |
Solutions
The solutions for the above requirements and framework are as mentioned below and is under development.:- RFC 5718 An In-Band Data Communication Network For the MPLS Transport Profile
- RFC 5586 MPLS Generic Associated Channel- Defines GAL/G-ACH
- RFC 5462 "EXP field" renamed to "Traffic Class field"
- Loopback (Individual Draft)
- MPLS-TP Terminology (IETF Draft)
- MPLS-TP ACH TLV (IETF Draft)
- Proactive continuity and connectivity verification (Individual Draft)
- OAM Acronyms (IETF Draft)
- MPLS-TP OAM based on Y.1731 (Individual Draft)
- MPLS-TP Performance monitoring (Individual Draft)
- MPLS-TP Fault Management (Individual Draft)
- MPLS-TP Linear Protection (IETF Draft)
- Linear Protection Switching in MPLS-TP (Individual Draft)
- MPLS-TP P2MP traffic protection (Individual Draft)
- MPLS-TP OAM Alarm suppression (Individual Draft)
- MPLS-TP & IP/MPLS Interworking (Individual Draft)
- MPLS-TP Ring Protection (Individual Draft)
- MPLS-TP LDP extension: No work
- MPLS-TP RSVP-TE extensions: No work