MPLS-TP
In
telecommunications, Multiprotocol Label Switching - Transport Profile (MPLS-TP) is a variant of the MPLS protocol that is used in packet switched data networks. MPLS-TP is the 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.
Description
MPLS-TP is designed for use as a network layer technology in transport networks. It will be a continuation of the work started by the transport network experts of the
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
OTN
. Service providers have already developed management processes and work procedures based on these principles.
MPLS-TP gives service providers 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 a low cost L2.5 technology (if the limited profile to be specified is implemented in isolation) that provides
OA&M
and protection switching.
In February 2008 the
IETF agreed to work jointly[1]
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[2] based on the MPLS-TP related RFCs listed below.
ITU-T
The following ITU-T Recommendations exist for MPLS-TP. Some of those Recommendations are superseding the ones that applied to T-MPLS before this work was ceased.
| Recommendation | Title |
|---|---|
| G.8110.1[3] | Architecture of the Multi-Protocol Label Switching transport profile layer network |
| G.8112[4] | Interfaces for the MPLS transport profile layer network |
| G.8113.1[5] | Operations, administration and maintenance mechanisms for MPLS-TP in packet transport networks |
| G.8113.2[6] | Operations, administration and maintenance mechanisms for MPLS-TP networks using the tools defined for MPLS |
| G.8121[7] | Characteristics of MPLS-TP equipment functional blocks |
| G.8121.1[8] | Characteristics of MPLS-TP equipment functional blocks supporting ITU-T G.8113.1/Y.1372.1 OAM mechanisms |
| G.8121.2[9] | Characteristics of MPLS-TP equipment functional blocks supporting ITU-T G.8113.2/Y.1372.2 OAM mechanisms |
| G.8131[10] | Linear protection switching for MPLS transport profile |
| G.8151[11] | Management aspects of the MPLS-TP network element |
| G.8152[12] | Protocol-neutral management information model for the MPLS-TP network element |
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 |
| RFC 6669 | 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 |
| RFC 6478 | 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:[13]
- 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"
- RFC 6435 MPLS Transport Profile Lock Instruct and Loopback Functions
- RFC 7087 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 Recommendation
- MPLS-TP ACH TLV (IETF Draft)
- Proactive continuity and connectivity verification (Individual Draft)
- RFC 6291 Guidelines for the Use of the "OAM" Acronym in the IETF
- MPLS-TP OAM based on Y.1731 (Individual Draft)
- MPLS-TP Performance monitoring (Individual Draft)
- RFC 6427 MPLS Fault Management Operations, Administration, and Maintenance (OAM)
- RFC 6378 MPLS Transport Profile (MPLS-TP) Linear Protection
- RFC 7347 Pre-standard Linear Protection Switching in MPLS Transport Profile (MPLS-TP)
- 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
References
- ^ "ITU-T/IETF interoperability issues addressed". ITU-T Study Group 15.
- ^ Meeting results concerning T-MPLS_MPLS-TP Evolution
- ^ "Architecture of the Multi-Protocol Label Switching transport profile layer network". International Telecommunication Union. December 2011.
- ^ "Interfaces for the MPLS transport profile layer network". International Telecommunication Union. August 2015.
- ^ "Operations, administration and maintenance mechanisms for MPLS-TP in packet transport networks". International Telecommunication Union. November 2016.
- ^ "Operations, administration and maintenance mechanisms for MPLS-TP networks using the tools defined for MPLS". International Telecommunication Union. August 2017.
- ^ "Characteristics of MPLS-TP equipment functional blocks". International Telecommunication Union. November 2018.
- ^ "Characteristics of MPLS-TP equipment functional blocks supporting ITU-T G.8113.1/Y.1372.1 OAM mechanisms". International Telecommunication Union. November 2018.
- ^ "Characteristics of MPLS-TP equipment functional blocks supporting ITU-T G.8113.2/Y.1372.2 OAM mechanisms". International Telecommunication Union. November 2018.
- ^ "Linear protection switching for MPLS transport profile". International Telecommunication Union. July 2014.
- ^ "Management aspects of the MPLS-TP network element". International Telecommunication Union. December 2018.
- ^ "Protocol-neutral management information model for the MPLS-TP network element". International Telecommunication Union. December 2018.
- ^ "MPLS-TP Standard". wiki.tools.ietf.org. Archived from the original on 2009-06-01.