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RFC 7274 - Allocating and Retiring Special-Purpose MPLS Labels

  • Status: Standards Track
  • Published: June 2014
  • Stream: IETF
  • Updates: RFC 3032, RFC 3038, RFC 3209, RFC 3811, RFC 4182, RFC 4928, RFC 5331, RFC 5586, RFC 5921, RFC 5960, RFC 6391, RFC 6478, RFC 6790
  • Errata: No Errata

Document Information​

  • RFC Number: 7274
  • Title: Allocating and Retiring Special-Purpose MPLS Labels
  • Authors: K. Kompella (Juniper Networks), L. Andersson (Huawei), A. Farrel (Juniper Networks)
  • Date: June 2014
  • Category: Standards Track
  • Updates: RFC 3032, RFC 3038, RFC 3209, RFC 3811, RFC 4182, RFC 4928, RFC 5331, RFC 5586, RFC 5921, RFC 5960, RFC 6391, RFC 6478, RFC 6790
  • ISSN: 2070-1721

Abstract​

Some MPLS labels have been allocated for specific purposes. A block of labels (0-15) has been set aside to this end; these labels are commonly called "reserved labels". They will be called "special-purpose labels" in this document.

As there are only 16 of these special-purpose labels, caution is needed in the allocation of new special-purpose labels; yet, at the same time, forward progress should be allowed when one is called for.

This memo defines new procedures for the allocation and retirement of special-purpose labels, as well as a method to extend the special-purpose label space and a description of how to handle extended special-purpose labels in the data plane. Finally, this memo renames the IANA registry for special-purpose labels to "Special-Purpose MPLS Label Values" and creates a new registry called the "Extended Special-Purpose MPLS Label Values" registry.

This document updates a number of previous RFCs that use the term "reserved label". Specifically, this document updates RFCs 3032, 3038, 3209, 3811, 4182, 4928, 5331, 5586, 5921, 5960, 6391, 6478, and 6790.

Status of This Memo​

This is an Internet Standards Track document.

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). Further information on Internet Standards is available in 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/rfc7274.

Copyright (c) 2014 IETF Trust and the persons identified as the document authors. All rights reserved.

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