Gap Analysis for Operating IPv6-Only MPLS Networks
RFC 7439

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Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF)                    W. George, Ed.
Request for Comments: 7439                             Time Warner Cable
Category: Informational                                C. Pignataro, Ed.
ISSN: 2070-1721                                                    Cisco
                                                            January 2015

           Gap Analysis for Operating IPv6-Only MPLS Networks

Abstract

   This document reviews the Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS)
   protocol suite in the context of IPv6 and identifies gaps that must
   be addressed in order to allow MPLS-related protocols and
   applications to be used with IPv6-only networks.  This document is
   intended to focus on gaps in the standards defining the MPLS suite,
   and is not intended to highlight particular vendor implementations
   (or lack thereof) in the context of IPv6-only MPLS functionality.

   In the data plane, MPLS fully supports IPv6, and MPLS labeled packets
   can be carried over IPv6 packets in a variety of encapsulations.
   However, support for IPv6 among MPLS control-plane protocols, MPLS
   applications, MPLS Operations, Administration, and Maintenance (OAM),
   and MIB modules is mixed, with some protocols having major gaps.  For
   most major gaps, work is in progress to upgrade the relevant
   protocols.

Status of This Memo

   This document is not an Internet Standards Track specification; it is
   published for informational purposes.

   This document is a product of the Internet Engineering Task Force
   (IETF).  It represents the consensus of the IETF community.  It has
   received public review and has been approved for publication by the
   Internet Engineering Steering Group (IESG).  Not all documents
   approved by the IESG are a candidate for any level of Internet
   Standard; see Section 2 of RFC 5741.

   Information about the current status of this document, any errata,
   and how to provide feedback on it may be obtained at
   http://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc7439.

George & Pignataro            Informational                     [Page 1]
RFC 7439                     IPv6-Only MPLS                 January 2015

Copyright Notice

   Copyright (c) 2015 IETF Trust and the persons identified as the
   document authors.  All rights reserved.

   This document is subject to BCP 78 and the IETF Trust's Legal
   Provisions Relating to IETF Documents
   (http://trustee.ietf.org/license-info) in effect on the date of
   publication of this document.  Please review these documents
   carefully, as they describe your rights and restrictions with respect
   to this document.  Code Components extracted from this document must
   include Simplified BSD License text as described in Section 4.e of
   the Trust Legal Provisions and are provided without warranty as
   described in the Simplified BSD License.

George & Pignataro            Informational                     [Page 2]
RFC 7439                     IPv6-Only MPLS                 January 2015

Table of Contents

   1.  Introduction  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   4
   2.  Use Case  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   4
   3.  Gap Analysis  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   5
     3.1.  MPLS Data Plane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   6
     3.2.  MPLS Control Plane  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   6
       3.2.1.  Label Distribution Protocol (LDP) . . . . . . . . . .   6
       3.2.2.  Multipoint LDP (mLDP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   6
       3.2.3.  RSVP - Traffic Engineering (RSVP-TE)  . . . . . . . .   7
         3.2.3.1.  Interior Gateway Protocol (IGP) . . . . . . . . .   8
         3.2.3.2.  RSVP-TE Point-to-Multipoint (P2MP)  . . . . . . .   8
         3.2.3.3.  RSVP-TE Fast Reroute (FRR)  . . . . . . . . . . .   8
       3.2.4.  Path Computation Element (PCE)  . . . . . . . . . . .   8
       3.2.5.  Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) . . . . . . . . . . . .   9
       3.2.6.  Generalized Multi-Protocol Label Switching (GMPLS)  .   9
     3.3.  MPLS Applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   9
       3.3.1.  Layer 2 Virtual Private Network (L2VPN) . . . . . . .   9
         3.3.1.1.  Ethernet VPN (EVPN) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  10
       3.3.2.  Layer 3 Virtual Private Network (L3VPN) . . . . . . .  10
         3.3.2.1.  IPv6 Provider Edge/IPv4 Provider Edge (6PE/4PE) .  11
         3.3.2.2.  IPv6 Virtual Private Extension/IPv4 Virtual
                   Private Extension (6VPE/4VPE) . . . . . . . . . .  11
         3.3.2.3.  BGP Encapsulation Subsequent Address Family
                   Identifier (SAFI) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  12
         3.3.2.4.  Multicast in MPLS/BGP IP VPN (MVPN) . . . . . . .  12
       3.3.3.  MPLS Transport Profile (MPLS-TP)  . . . . . . . . . .  13
     3.4.  MPLS Operations, Administration, and Maintenance (MPLS
           OAM)  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  13