Signaling Requirements for Point-to-Multipoint Traffic-Engineered MPLS Label Switched Paths (LSPs)
RFC 4461

Network Working Group                                   S. Yasukawa, Ed.
Request for Comments: 4461                                           NTT
Category: Informational                                       April 2006

             Signaling Requirements for Point-to-Multipoint
          Traffic-Engineered MPLS Label Switched Paths (LSPs)

Status of This Memo

   This memo provides information for the Internet community.  It does
   not specify an Internet standard of any kind.  Distribution of this
   memo is unlimited.

Copyright Notice

   Copyright (C) The Internet Society (2006).

Abstract

   This document presents a set of requirements for the establishment
   and maintenance of Point-to-Multipoint (P2MP) Traffic-Engineered (TE)
   Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) Label Switched Paths (LSPs).

   There is no intent to specify solution-specific details or
   application-specific requirements in this document.

   The requirements presented in this document not only apply to
   packet-switched networks under the control of MPLS protocols, but
   also encompass the requirements of Layer Two Switching (L2SC), Time
   Division Multiplexing (TDM), lambda, and port switching networks
   managed by Generalized MPLS (GMPLS) protocols.  Protocol solutions
   developed to meet the requirements set out in this document must
   attempt to be equally applicable to MPLS and GMPLS.

Yasukawa                     Informational                      [Page 1]
RFC 4461      Signaling Requirements for P2MP TE MPLS LSPs    April 2006

Table of Contents

   1. Introduction ....................................................3
      1.1. Non-Objectives .............................................6
   2. Definitions .....................................................6
      2.1. Acronyms ...................................................6
      2.2. Terminology ................................................6
           2.2.1. Terminology for Partial LSPs ........................8
      2.3. Conventions ................................................9
   3. Problem Statement ...............................................9
      3.1. Motivation .................................................9
      3.2. Requirements Overview ......................................9
   4. Detailed Requirements for P2MP TE Extensions ...................11
      4.1. P2MP LSP ..................................................11
      4.2. P2MP Explicit Routing .....................................12
      4.3. Explicit Path Loose Hops and Widely Scoped
           Abstract Nodes ............................................13
      4.4. P2MP TE LSP Establishment, Teardown, and
           Modification Mechanisms ...................................14
      4.5. Fragmentation .............................................14
      4.6. Failure Reporting and Error Recovery ......................15
      4.7. Record Route of P2MP TE LSP ...............................16
      4.8. Call Admission Control (CAC) and QoS Control
           Mechanism of P2MP TE LSPs .................................17
      4.9. Variation of LSP Parameters ...............................17
      4.10. Re-Optimization of P2MP TE LSPs ..........................18
      4.11. Merging of Tree Branches .................................18
      4.12. Data Duplication .........................................19
      4.13. IPv4/IPv6 Support ........................................20
      4.14. P2MP MPLS Label ..........................................20
      4.15. Advertisement of P2MP Capability .........................20
      4.16. Multi-Access LANs ........................................21
      4.17. P2MP MPLS OAM ............................................21
      4.18. Scalability ..............................................21
            4.18.1. Absolute Limits ..................................22
      4.19. Backwards Compatibility ..................................24
      4.20. GMPLS ....................................................24
      4.21. P2MP Crankback Routing ...................................25
   5. Security Considerations ........................................25
   6. Acknowledgements ...............................................26
   7. References .....................................................26
      7.1. Normative References ......................................26
      7.2. Informative References ....................................26

Yasukawa                     Informational                      [Page 2]
RFC 4461      Signaling Requirements for P2MP TE MPLS LSPs    April 2006

1.  Introduction

   Existing MPLS traffic engineering (MPLS-TE) allows for strict QoS
   guarantees, resource optimization, and fast failure recovery, but it