Abstract: In general, techniques are described for decapsulating and forwarding VPLS frames in a hybrid PE router space. In one example, a method includes sending a first control plane message that includes first configuration information to a first PE router, the first control plane message comprising a request that the VPLS frames include a control word when forwarded to the first PE router. The first PE router may receive from a second PE router a second L3 control plane message that includes second configuration information for forwarding VPLS frames to the second PE router, the second L3 control plane message not comprising a request to include the control word when forwarded to the second PE router. The method may include configuring a forwarding plane of the first PE router to process VPLS frames that are received from the second PE router without processing the VPLS frames to remove the control word.

Abstract: An egress network device of a point-to-point (P2P) tunnel can receive an LSP Ping message via the P2P tunnel from an ingress network device of the P2P LSP, wherein the LSP Ping message specifies a label that the egress network device associates with a service provided to the egress network device via the P2P tunnel. In response to receiving the LSP Ping message, the egress network device can store an association between the label and the P2P tunnel. The egress network device also uses a fault detection network protocol session over the P2P tunnel to monitor a state of the P2P tunnel. In response to detecting based on the fault detection network protocol session that the state of the P2P tunnel is down, the egress network device determines the service is unavailable from the ingress network device via the P2P tunnel, and selects a new source to provide the service.

Abstract: In response to receiving a reply message for reserving bandwidth along a primary path for a first label switched path (LSP) for carrying data traffic from an ingress network device to an egress network device, a point of local repair (PLR) network device establishes a second LSP from the PLR to a merge point (MP) network device along a subset of the primary path. The second LSP is dedicated to carrying operations, administration and management (OAM) messages to verify connectivity of the subset of the primary path, and is not used for sending data traffic. The PLR sends an OAM message to verify connectivity of at least one protected resource along the subset of the primary path to a next hop along the second LSP, wherein the OAM message is encapsulated by a second label associated with the second LSP.

Abstract: An egress network device of a point-to-point (P2P) tunnel can receive an LSP Ping message via the P2P tunnel from an ingress network device of the P2P LSP, wherein the LSP Ping message specifies a label that the egress network device associates with a service provided to the egress network device via the P2P tunnel. In response to receiving the LSP Ping message, the egress network device can store an association between the label and the P2P tunnel. The egress network device also uses a fault detection network protocol session over the P2P tunnel to monitor a state of the P2P tunnel. In response to detecting based on the fault detection network protocol session that the state of the P2P tunnel is down, the egress network device determines the service is unavailable from the ingress network device via the P2P tunnel, and selects a new source to provide the service.

Abstract: Techniques are described for verifying the connectivity status of multiple paths through a computer network. The techniques may be useful in testing the connectivity of label switched paths (LSPs), and particularly useful point-to-multipoint (P2MP) LSPs. In some embodiments, a P2MP label switched path (LSP) ping protocol may be used a first connectivity verification protocol for the P2MP LSP and a Multipoint Bidirectional Forwarding Detection (MP BFD) protocol may be used as a second connectivity verification protocol. In addition, use of the LSP ping protocol for connectivity testing of the P2MP LSP may be used to boot-strap session information for MP BFD sessions with egress devices of the P2MP LSP.

Abstract: In response to receiving a reply message for reserving bandwidth along a primary path for a first label switched path (LSP) for carrying data traffic from an ingress network device to an egress network device, a point of local repair (PLR) network device establishes a second LSP from the PLR to a merge point (MP) network device along a subset of the primary path. The second LSP is dedicated to carrying operations, administration and management (OAM) messages to verify connectivity of the subset of the primary path, and is not used for sending data traffic. The PLR sends an OAM message to verify connectivity of at least one protected resource along the subset of the primary path to a next hop along the second LSP, wherein the OAM message is encapsulated by a second label associated with the second LSP.