Generalized Labels for the Flexi-Grid in Lambda Switch Capable (LSC) Label Switching Routers
draft-farrkingel-ccamp-flexigrid-lambda-label-06

Network Working Group                                            D. King
Internet Draft                                                 A. Farrel
Updates: 3471, 6205 (if approved)                     Old Dog Consulting
Category: Standards Track                                          Y. Li
Expires: 9 October 2013                               Nanjing University
                                                            9 April 2013

                Generalized Labels for the Flexi-Grid in
          Lambda Switch Capable (LSC) Label Switching Routers

          draft-farrkingel-ccamp-flexigrid-lambda-label-06.txt

Abstract

   GMPLS supports the description of optical switching by identifying
   entries in fixed lists of switchable wavelengths (called grids)
   through the encoding of lambda labels.  Work within the ITU-T Study
   Group 15 has defined a finer granularity grid, and the facility to
   flexibly select different widths of spectrum from the grid.  This
   document defines a new GMPLS lambda label format to support this
   flexi-grid.

   This document updates RFC 3471 and RFC 6205 by introducing a new
   label format.

Status of this Memo

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1.  Introduction

   As described in [RFC3945], GMPLS extends MPLS from supporting only
   Packet Switching Capable (PSC) interfaces and switching, to also
   support four new classes of interfaces and switching that include
   Lambda Switch Capable (LSC).

   A functional description of the extensions to MPLS signaling needed
   to support this new class of interface and switching is provided in
   [RFC3471].

   Section 3.2.1.1 of [RFC3471] states that wavelength labels "only have
   significance between two neighbors": global wavelength semantics are
   not considered.  [RFC6205] defines a standard lambda label format
   that has a global semantic and which is compliant with both the Dense
   Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM) grid [G.694.1] and the Coarse
   Wavelength Division Multiplexing (CWDM) grid [G.694.2].  The terms
   DWDM and CWDM are defined in [G.671].

   A flexible grid network selects its data channels as arbitrarily
   assigned pieces of the spectrum.  Mixed bitrate transmission systems
   can allocate their channels with different spectral bandwidths so
   that the channels can be optimized for the bandwidth requirements of
   the particular bit rate and modulation scheme of the individual
   channels.  This technique is regarded as a promising way to improve
   the network utilization efficiency and fundamentally reduce the cost
   of the core network.

   The "flexi-grid" has been developed within the ITU-T Study Group 15
   to allow selection and switching of pieces of the optical spectrum
   chosen flexibly from a fine granularity grid of wavelengths with
   variable spectral bandwidth [G.694.1].  This document updates the

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   definition of GMPLS lambda labels provided in [RFC6205] to support
   the flexi-grid.

   This document relies on [G.694.1] for the definition of the optical