As transport of diverse traffic types such as voice, frame relay, and ATM over MPLS become more common, the ability to detect, handle and diagnose control and data plane defects becomes critical. Detection and specification of how to handle those defects is not only important because such defects may not only affect the fundamental operation of an MPLS network, but also because they may impact SLA commitments for customers of that network. This Internet draft describes requirements for user and data plane operations and management (OAM) for Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS). These requirements have been gathered from network operators who have extensive experience deploying MPLS networks, similarly some of these requirements have appeared in other documents [Y1710]. This draft specifies OAM requirements for MPLS, as well as for applications of MPLS such as pseudowire voice and VPN services. Those interested in specific issues relating to instrumenting MPLS for OAM purposes are directed to [FRAMEWORK]