Subject: MPLS PID

From: "Ron Cohen" <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 23 Mar 2003 10:04:11 +0200

Stewart,

I went over your SF arch presentation. I have doubts regarding the
introduction of a requirement/suggestion for an all zero PID field
within the PWE3 control word. My doubts relates both to the scope of
this work as well as for the applications you are describing. Since I
haven't been to the SF IETF, please forgive me in advance if these
issues have already been discussed.

MPLS PID scope:
--------------
In your presentation you describe a requirement/suggestion for an MPLS
PID, that allows a network node to distinguish between an IPv4, IPv6 and
PWE3 stream. The Multi-Protocol part of MPLS stands for carrying any
network protocol on top of MPLS, including possibly IPX, CLNS, etc.
Therefore, what you are proposing is introduction of an MPLS Protocol
Identifier, which I believe has a much larger scope than just the PWE3
WG.

1. Would you agree that this is an MPLS WG item? Has this requirement
(MPLS PID) been discussed in the MPLS WG before / are there any drafts
written?

2. If so, would 4 bits suffice for an MPLS PID?

Applications:
------------
You list a number of applications that require IP flow recognition,
including load balancing, billing, and protection against network abuse
and attacks. I would like to better understand if these applications
indeed require the introduction of the PID field. For example, are these
applications edge applications? Do these applications run on all LSPs,
or are sensitive to BE LSP vs. LSP with priority? Do you run these
applications on TE paths?

1. Are there any drafts that describe these applications? 

2. If not, could you elaborate on each application, its scope, etc?

Thanks
Ron

Ron Cohen
CTO
Lycium Networks
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