Operations and Management (OAM) Requirements for Multi-Protocol Label Switched (MPLS) Networks.

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 Multi-Protocol Label Switching network, but also because they MAY impact service level specification commitments for customers of that network. This document describes requirements for user and data plane operations and management for Multi-Protocol Label Switching. These requirements have been gathered from network operators who have extensive experience deploying Multi-Protocol Label Switching networks, similarly some of these requirements have appeared in other documents. This draft specifies Operations and Management requirements for Multi-Protocol Label Switching, as well as for applications of Multi-Protocol Label Switching such as pseudowire voice and virtual private network services. Those interested in specific issues relating to instrumenting Multi-Protocol Label Switching for Operations and Management purposes are directed to the Multi-Protocol Label Switching Architecture specification.