What is MPLS-TP?

MPLS-TP or MPLS Transport Profile is a profile of MPLS .designed for use as a network layer technology in transport networks.

MPLS-TP is to be based on the same architectural principles of layered networking that are used in longstanding transport network technologies like SDH, SONET and OTN. Service providers have already developed management processes and work procedures based on these principles.

MPLS-TP will provide service providers with a reliable packet-based technology that is based upon circuit-based transport networking, and thus is expected to align with current organizational processes and large-scale work procedures similar to other packet transport technologies.

MPLS-TP is expected to be a low cost L2 technology (if the limited profile to be specified is implemented in isolation) that will provide QoS, end-to-end OA&M and protection switching.

In February2008 the ITU-T and IETF agreed to work jointly on the design of MPLS-TP. Based on this agreement IETF and ITU-T experts will jointly work out the requirements and solutions. ITU-T in turn will update the existing T-MPLS standards based on the MPLS-TP related RFCs listed below.

MPLS is considered a leading connection-oriented packet transport networking technology. Recently many carriers have shown their desire to converge their next-generation core networks onto MPLS, and subsequently have deployed their core networks using MPLS. Given the deployment of MPLS networks and the desire to align packet networking with more traditional transport operations methods is known as MPLS Transport Profile (MPLS-TP) in the IETF (groups - MPLS, PWE3, and CCAMP) and the ITU-T SG15.

MPLS-TP or MPLS Transport Profile is a profile of MPLS .designed for use as a network layer technology in transport networks.