RFC 3429 (rfc3429) - Page 1 of 6

Assignment of the 'OAM Alert Label' for Multiprotocol Label Switching Architecture (MPLS) Operation and Maintenance (OAM) Functions

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Network Working Group                                            H. Ohta
Request for Comments: 3429                                           NTT
Category: Informational                                    November 2002


                Assignment of the 'OAM Alert Label' for
           Multiprotocol Label Switching Architecture (MPLS)
              Operation and Maintenance (OAM) Functions

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 (2002).  All Rights Reserved.

Abstract

   This document describes the assignment of one of the reserved label
   values defined in RFC 3032 (MPLS label stack encoding) to the
   'Operation and Maintenance (OAM) Alert Label' that is used by user-
   plane Multiprotocol Label Switching Architecture (MPLS) OAM functions
   for identification of MPLS OAM packets.

1. Introduction

   This document describes the assignment of one of the reserved label
   values defined in RFC 3032 (MPLS label stack encoding [2]) to the
   'OAM Alert Label' that is used by user-plane MPLS OAM functions for
   identification of MPLS OAM packets as described in the ITU-T
   Recommendation Y.1711 [1] (on MPLS OAM functions).

2. OAM functions

   MPLS OAM (Operation and Maintenance) functions provide necessary
   tools for network operators to operate and maintain the networks.
   MPLS OAM functionality is required at the MPLS layer, and more
   specifically at each MPLS level, independent of OAM functionality
   provided by the lower layers (SONET/SDH, etc.).  The objectives of
   the OAM functions include the following:

   -  Defect and failure detection: Defect/failures affecting the
      transport of user information are detected by continuous or
      periodic checking.  As a result, maintenance event information or
      appropriate alarms will be produced.



Ohta                         Informational
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