Network Working Group                                   M.Bocci, (Ed.)
Internet Draft                                          Alcatel-Lucent

                                                         D.Ward, (Ed.)
                                                                Cisco





Intended status: Proposed Standard                        June 26, 2008
Expires: December 2008



                      MPLS Generic Associated Channel


                  draft-bocci-pwe3-mpls-tp-ge-ach-00.txt


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Copyright Notice



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   Copyright (C) The IETF Trust (2008).

   Abstract

   This draft describes a generic associated channel header (GE-ACH)
   that provides a control channel associated with an MPLS LSP,
   pseudowire or MPLS section. The VCCV ACH defined for PWs in RFC 5085
   is generalized to allow a larger set of control channel and OAM
   functions to be used to meet the requirements of packet transport and
   other applications of MPLS.

Conventions used in this document

   The key words "MUST", "MUST NOT", "REQUIRED", "SHALL", "SHALL NOT",
   "SHOULD", "SHOULD NOT", "RECOMMENDED", "MAY", and "OPTIONAL" in this
   document are to be interpreted as described in RFC-2119 [1].

Table of Contents


   1. Introduction................................................2
      1.1. Contributing Authors....................................3
      1.2. Objectives.............................................3
      1.3. Scope..................................................3
      1.4. Terminology............................................4
   2. Generic Associated Channel...................................4
      2.1. Generic Associated Channel Header.......................4
   3. Congestion Considerations....................................5
   4. Security Considerations......................................5
   5. IANA Considerations.........................................5
   6. Acknowledgments.............................................6
   7. References..................................................6
      7.1. Normative References....................................6
      7.2. Informative References..................................7
   Author's Addresses.............................................7
   Intellectual Property Statement.................................8

1. Introduction

   There is a need for Operations and Maintenance (OAM) mechanisms that
   can be used for edge-to-edge (i.e. between originating and
   terminating LSRs or T-PEs) and segment fault detection (e.g. between
   any two LSRs or S-PEs along the path of an LSP or PW), diagnostics,
   maintenance and other functions for a Pseudowire and an LSP. Some of
   these functions can be supported using tools such as VCCV [3], BFD
   [8], or LSP-Ping [7]. However, a requirement has been indicated to
   extend these toolsets, in particular where MPLS networks are used for


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   packet transport services and network operations [6]. These include
   performance monitoring, automatic protection switching, and support
   for management and signaling communication channels. These tools must
   be applicable to, and function in essentially the same manner (from
   an operational point of view) on both MPLS PWs and MPLS LSPs. They
   must also operate in-band on the PW or LSP such that they do not
   depend on PSN routing, user data traffic or ultimately on control
   plane functions.

   Virtual Circuit Connectivity Verification (VCCV) can use an
   associated channel to provide a control channel between a PW's
   ingress and egress points over which OAM and other control messages
   can be exchanged. In this draft, we propose a generic associated
   channel header (GE-ACH) to enable the same control channel mechanism
   be used for MPLS Sections, LSPs and PWs. The associated channel
   header (ACH) specified in RFC 4385 [2] is used with additional code
   points to support additional MPLS OAM functions.

1.1. Contributing Authors

   The editors gratefully acknowledge the following additional
   contributors: Stewart Bryant, Italo Busi, Marc Lasserre, Lieven
   Levrau, and Martin Vigoureux.



1.2. Objectives

   This draft proposes a mechanism to provide for the OAM needs of
   transport applications. It creates a generic OAM identification
   mechanism that may be applied to all MPLS LSPs, while maintaining
   compatibility with the PW associated channel header (ACH) [2].  It
   also normalizes the use of the ACH for PWs in a transport context.



1.3. Scope

   This draft defines the encapsulation header for LSP, MPLS Section and
   PW associated channel messages.

   It does not define how associated channel capabilities are signaled
   or negotiated between LSRs or PEs, the operation of various OAM
   functions, or the messages transmitted on the associated channel.

   This draft does not deprecate existing MPLS and PW OAM mechanisms.



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1.4. Terminology

   ACH: Associated Channel Header

   MPLS Section:  A Section is a network segment between two LSRs that
   are immediately adjacent.

2. Generic Associated Channel

   VCCV [3] defines three control channel types that may be used to
   multiplex OAM messages onto a PW. CC type 1, uses an associated
   channel header and is referred to as "In-band VCCV", CC type 2 which
   uses the router alert label to indicate VCCV packets and is referred
   to as "Out of Band VCCV", and CC type 3 that uses the TTL to force
   the packet to be processed by the destination routers control plane
   (known as "MPLS PW Label with TTL == 1").

   This draft proposes that in transport applications only the type 1
   (associated channel header) mechanism is used for LSP OAM and for PW
   OAM. In transport applications a static or traffic engineered LSP is
   normally used, thus the data and the OAM will follow the same path.
   This does not preclude the use of the GE-ACH mechanism described in
   this draft for other applications of MPLS.

   Note that VCCV also includes mechanisms for negotiating the control
   channel and connectivity verification (i.e. OAM tool) types between
   PEs. These mechanisms need to be extended when a generic associated
   channel is used for MPLS LSP OAM. This will most likely require
   extensions to label distribution protocols and is outside the scope
   of this document.

   This section defines a generic associated channel header (GE-ACH)
   that identifies packets on the associated channel.

2.1. Generic Associated Channel Header

   The format of the GE-ACH for LSP, Section and PW associated channel
   traffic is shown in Figure 1:


       0                   1                   2                   3
       0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1
      +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
      |0 0 0 1|Version|   Reserved    |         Channel Type          |
      +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

               Figure 1 Generic Associated Channel Header


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   The first nibble is set to 0001b to indicate a channel associated
   with a PW or LSP. The Version and Reserved fields are set to 0, as
   specified in RFC 4385 [2].

   Values for the channel type used for VCCV are specified in RFC 4446
   [4].

   This draft specifies the following additional channel types:

   0xXX - for OAM functions

   0xYY - for APS functions

   0xKK - for Management Communications Channel (MCC) functions

   0xZZ - for Signaling Communications Channel (SCC) functions

   The functionality of these channel types will be defined elsewhere.



3. Congestion Considerations

   The congestion considerations detailed in RFC 5085 [1] apply. Further
   generic associated channel-specific congestion considerations will be
   detailed in a future revision of this draft.

4. Security Considerations

   The security considerations detailed in RFC 5085 [1] apply. Further
   generic associated channel-specific security considerations will be
   detailed in a future revision of this draft.

5. IANA Considerations

   This draft requests that code points for the following GE-ACH channel
   types be allocated from the IANA PW Associated Channel Type registry
   [4]:

   0xXX - for OAM functions

   0xYY - for APS functions

   0xKK - for Management Communications Channel (MCC) functions

   0xZZ - for Signaling Communications Channel (SCC) functions



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   The PW Associated Channel Type registry is currently allocated based
   on the IETF consensus process, described in [5]. This allocation
   process was chosen based on the consensus reached in the PWE3 working
   group that pseudowire associated channel mechanisms should be
   reviewed by the IETF and only those that are consistent with the PWE3
   architecture and requirements should be allocated a code point.

   However, a requirement has emerged to allow for vendor-specific
   optimizations or extensions to OAM and other control protocols
   running in an associated channel, by supporting vendor specific code
   points [6]. This would prevent code points used for such functions
   from being allocated through the IETF standards process in future.
   Vendor specific code point space thus protects an installed base of
   equipment from potential inadvertent overloading of code points.

   Each draft specifying ACH protocols must provide a solution for
   supporting vendor-specific types, in accordance with [6], in addition
   to those allocated by IETF consensus. The details of these solutions
   are outside the scope of this draft.



6. Acknowledgments

   The authors gratefully acknowledge the input of Lou Berger, George
   Swallow and Rahul Aggarwal.

7. References

7.1. Normative References

   [1]  Bradner, S., "Key words for use in RFCs to Indicate Requirement
         Levels", BCP 14, RFC 2119, March 1997.

   [2]  S. Bryant et al., "Pseudowire Emulation Edge-to-Edge (PWE3)
         Control Word for Use over an MPLS PSN", RFC 4385, February 2006

   [3]  Nadeau, T. & Pignataro, S., "Pseudowire Virtual Circuit
         Connectivity Verification (VCCV): A Control Channel for
         Pseudowires", RFC 5085, December 2007

   [4]  Martini, L., "IANA Allocations for Pseudowire Edge to Edge
         Emulation (PWE3)", RFC 4446, April 2006

   [5]  Narten, T., Alvestrand, H., " Guidelines for Writing an IANA
         Considerations Section in RFCs", RFC 2434, October 1998



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7.2. Informative References

   [6]  M. Vigoureux et al., "Requirements for OAM in MPLS Transport
         Networks", draft-vigoureux-mpls-tp-oam-requirements-00.txt,
         June 2008

   [7]  K. Kompella, G. Swallow, "Detecting Multi-Protocol Label
         Switched (MPLS) Data Plane Failures", RFC 4379, February 2006

   [8]  R. Aggarwal et al, "BFD for MPLS LSPs", draft-ietf-bfd-mpls-
         07.txt, June 2008



Author's Addresses

   Matthew Bocci, (Ed.)
   Alcatel-Lucent
   Voyager Place,
   Maidenhead,
   Berks, UK
   Phone: +44 1633 413600
   Email: matthew.bocci@alcatel-lucent.co.uk

   David Ward, (Ed.)
   Cisco
   170 W. Tasman Dr.
   San Jose, CA 95134 USA
   Phone: +1-408-526-4000
   Email: dward@cisco.com

   Stewart Bryant
   Cisco
   250, Longwater,
   Green Park,
   Reading, RG2 6GB,
   United Kingdom.
   Email: stbryant@cisco.com









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   Italo Busi,
   Alcatel-Lucent
   VIA TRENTO 30,
   20059 VIMERCATE ITALY
   Email: italo.busi@alcatel-lucent.it


   Marc Lasserre
   Alcatel-Lucent
   16 Avenue Descartes,
   92352 LE PLESSIS ROBINSON CEDE,
   France
   Email: mlaserre@alcatel-lucent.com

   Lieven Levrau
   Alcatel-Lucent
   7-9, Avenue Morane,
   Saulnier BP 57 78141,
   VELIZY,
   France
   Email: llevrau@alcatel-lucent.com


   Martin Vigoureux
   Alcatel-Lucent
   Centre De Villarceaux,
   France
   Email: martin.vigoureux@alcatel-lucent.fr


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