"Provisioning, Autodiscovery, and Signaling in L2VPNs", Eric Rosen, 5-May-06. ( bytes)

Provider Provisioned Layer 2 Virtual Private Networks (L2VPNs) may have different "provisioning models", i.e., models for what information needs to be configured in what entities. Once configured, the provisioning information is distributed by a "discovery process". When the discovery process is complete, a signaling protocol is automatically invoked to set up the mesh of Pseudowires (PWs) that form the (virtual) backbone of the L2VPN. This document specifies a number of L2VPN provisioning models, and further specifies the semantic structure of the endpoint identifiers required by each model. It discusses the distribution of these identifiers by the discovery process, especially when discovery is based on the Border Gateway Protocol (BGP). It then specifies how the endpoint identifiers are carried in the two signaling protocols that are used to set up PWs, the Label Distribution Protocol (LDP) and the Layer 2 Tunneling Protocol (L2TPv3).

"IP-Only LAN Service (IPLS)", Himanshu Shah, 22-Feb-08. ( bytes)

A Virtual Private LAN Service (VPLS) [VPLS] is used to interconnect systems across a wide-area or metropolitan-area network, making it appear that they are on a private LAN. The systems which are interconnected may themselves be LAN switches. If, however, they are IP hosts or IP routers, certain simplifications to the operation of the VPLS are possible. We call this simplified type of VPLS an "IP-only LAN Service" (IPLS). In an IPLS, as in a VPLS, LAN interfaces are run in promiscuous mode, and frames are forwarded based on their destination MAC addresses. However, the maintenance of the MAC forwarding tables is done via signaling, rather than via the MAC address learning procedures specified in [IEEE 802.1D]. This draft specifies the protocol extensions and procedures for support of the IPLS service.

"L2VPN OAM Requirements and Framework", Dinesh Mohan, Ali Sajassi, 21-Sep-07. ( bytes)

This draft provides framework and requirements for Layer 2 Virtual Private Networks (L2VPN) Operation, Administration and Maintenance (OAM). The OAM framework is intended to provide OAM layering across L2VPN services, Pseudo Wires (PWs) and Packet Switched Network (PSN) tunnels. The requirements are intended to identify OAM requirement for L2VPN services (i.e. VPLS, VPWS, and IPLS). Furthermore, if L2VPN services OAM requirements impose specific requirements on PW OAM and/or PSN OAM, those specific PW and/or PSN OAM requirements are also identified.

"ARP Mediation for IP Interworking of Layer 2 VPN", Himanshu Shah, 22-Feb-08. ( bytes)

The VPWS service [L2VPN-FRM] provides point-to-point connections between pairs of Customer Edge (CE) devices. It does so by binding two Attachment Circuits (each connecting a CE device with a Provider Edge, PE, device) to a pseudowire (connecting the two PEs). In general, the Attachment Circuits must be of the same technology (e.g., both Ethernet, both ATM), and the pseudowire must carry the frames of that technology. However, if it is known that the frames' payload consists solely of IP datagrams, it is possible to provide a point-to-point connection in which the pseudowire connects Attachment Circuits of different technologies. This requires the PEs to perform a function known as "ARP Mediation". ARP Mediation refers to the process of resolving Layer 2 addresses when different resolution protocols are used on either Attachment Circuit. The methods described in this document are applicable even when the CEs run a routing protocol between them, as long as the routing protocol runs over IP.

"Requirements for Multicast Support in Virtual Private LAN Services", Yuji Kamite, 12-Sep-07. ( bytes)

This document provides functional requirements for network solutions that support multicast over Virtual Private LAN Service (VPLS). It specifies requirements both from the end user and service provider standpoints. It is intended that potential solutions will use these requirements as guidelines.

"Multicast in VPLS", Rahul Aggarwal, Yuji Kamite, Luyuan Fang, Yakov Rekhter, 17-Nov-07. ( bytes)

This document describes a solution for overcoming a subset of the limitations of existing VPLS multicast solutions. It describes procedures for VPLS multicast that utilize multicast trees in the sevice provider (SP) network. One such multicast tree can be shared between multiple VPLS instances. Procedures by which a single multicast tree in the backbone can be used to carry traffic belonging only to a specified set of one or more IP multicast streams from one or more VPLSs are also described.

"VPLS Interoperability with CE Bridges", Ali Sajassi, 4-Oct-07. ( bytes)

One of the main motivations behind VPLS is its ability to provide connectivity not only among customer routers and servers/hosts but also among customer bridges. If only connectivity among customer IP routers/hosts was desired, then IPLS solution [IPLS] could have been used. The strength of the VPLS solution is that it can provide connectivity to both bridge and non-bridge types of CE devices. VPLS is expected to deliver the same level of service that current enterprise users are accustomed to from their own enterprise bridged networks today or the same level of service that they receive from their Ethernet Service Providers using IEEE 802.1ad-based networks [P802.1ad] (or its predecessor, QinQ-based network). When CE devices are IEEE bridges, then there are certain issues and challenges that need to be accounted for in a VPLS network. Majority of these issues have currently been addressed in IEEE 802.1ad standard for provider bridges and they need to be addressed for VPLS networks. This draft discusses these issues and wherever possible, the recommended solutions to these issues.

"Virtual Private Lan Services (VPLS) Management Information Base", Thomas Nadeau, Kiran Koushik, 25-Feb-08. ( bytes)

This memo defines an experimental portion of the Management Information Base for use with network management protocols in the Internet community. In particular, it describes managed objects for modeling of Virtual Private LAN services. It needs to be used in conjunction with Pswudo Wire (PW) Management Information Base [PWE3-PW-MIB].

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