Path Ingress Protections

1.1. Terminologies

The following terminologies are used in this document.¶

PCE:

Path Computation Element or Path Computation Element server¶

PCEP:

PCE communication Protocol¶

PCC:

Path Computation Client¶

BIER:

Bit Index Explicit Replication¶

BIFT:

Bit Index Forwarding Table¶

CE:

Customer Edge¶

PE:

Provider Edge¶

TE:

Traffic Engineering¶

SR:

Segment Routing¶

LFA:

Loop-Free Alternate¶

TI-LFA:

Topology Independent LFA¶

BFD:

Bidirectional Forwarding Detection¶

VPN:

Virtual Private Network¶

L3VPN:

Layer 3 VPN¶

FIB:

Forwarding Information Base¶

2.1. SR Path Ingress Protection Example

Figure 1 shows an example of protecting ingress PE1 (or say primary ingress) of a SR path (or say primary SR path), which is from ingress PE1 to egress PE3 via P1 and represented by *** in the figure. A PCE computes the primary SR path and sends the path to primary ingress PE1 (i.e., the PCC running on PE1) in a PCEP message after the PCE receives a request with primary ingress PE1, egress PE3 and constraints on the path.¶

             *******  *******
         [PE1]-----[P1]-----[PE3]            PE1 Primary Ingress
         / |        |# #####  | \            PEx Provider Edge
        /  |        |#        |  \           CEx Customer Edge
   [CE1]   |        |#        |   [CE2]      Px  Non Provider Edge
        \  |        |#        |  /           *** Primary SR Path
         \ |  ##### |#        | /            ### Backup SR Path
         [PE2]-----[P2]-----[PE4]            PE2 Backup Ingress

A backup SR path is from backup ingress PE2 to egress PE3 through P2 and P1, and represented by ### in the figure. The PCE computes the backup SR path and sends the backup path to backup ingress PE2 (i.e., the PCC running on PE2) in a PCEP message for protecting primary ingress PE1.¶

In normal operations, CE1 sends the traffic with destination PE3 to primary ingress PE1, which imports the traffic into the primary SR path. The traffic is transmitted to PE3 along the primary SR path.¶

When CE1 detects the failure of primary ingress PE1, it switches the traffic to backup ingress PE2, which imports the traffic from CE1 into the backup SR path. The traffic is sent to egress PE3 along the backup SR path.¶

2.2. BIER-TE Path Ingress Protection Example

Figure 2 shows an example of protecting ingress PE1 (or say primary ingress) of a primary BIER-TE path, which is from ingress PE1 to egress nodes PE3 and PE4 via P1. This primary BIER-TE path is represented by *** in the figure.¶

             *******  *******
         [PE1]-----[P1]-----[PE3]        PE1 Primary Ingress
         / |       #|*\#####  |          PEx Provider Edge
        /  |       #| *\__    |          CEx Customer Edge
   [CE1]   |       #|  ***\   |          Px  Non Provider Edge
        \  |       #|     *\  |          *** Primary BIER-TE Path
         \ |       #|      *\ |          ### Backup BIER-TE Path
         [PE2]-----[P2]-----[PE4]        PE2 Backup Ingress
              #####    #####

The backup BIER-TE path is from backup ingress PE2 to egress nodes PE3 and PE4 through P2 and P1, which is represented by ### in the figure.¶

In normal operations, CE1 sends the packets with a multicast group and source to primary ingress PE1, which imports/encapsulates the packets into the primary BIER-TE path through adding a BIER-TE header. The header contains the primary BIER-TE path from primary ingress PE1 to egress nodes PE3 and PE4. The packets are transmitted to PE3 and PE4 along the primary BIER-TE path.¶

When CE1 detects the failure of primary ingress PE1 using a failure detection mechanism such as BFD, it switches the traffic to backup ingress PE2, which imports the traffic from CE1 into the backup BIER-TE path. The traffic is sent to the egress nodes PE3 and PE4 along the backup BIER-TE path.¶

Given the traffic source (e.g., CE1), primary ingress (e.g., PE1) and egresses (e.g., PE3 and PE4) of the primary BIER-TE path from some PCEP messages, the PCE computes a backup ingress (e.g., PE2), a backup BIER-TE path from the backup ingress to the egresses, and sends the backup BIER-TE path to the PCC of the backup ingress in a PCEP message. It also sends the information about the backup ingress, the primary ingress and the traffic to the PCC of the traffic source (e.g., CE1).¶

When the PCC of the traffic source receives the information about the backup ingress, the primary ingress and the traffic, it sets up the fast detection of the primary ingress failure and the switch over target backup ingress. This setup lets the traffic source node switch the traffic (to be sent to the primary ingress) to the backup ingress when it detects the failure of the primary ingress.¶

When the PCC of the backup ingress receives the backup BIER-TE path, it adds a forwarding entry into its BIFT. This entry encapsulates the packets from the traffic source in the backup BIER-TE path. This makes the backup ingress send the traffic received from the traffic source to the egress nodes via the backup BIER-TE path.¶

3.1. Source Detect

In normal operations, i.e., before the failure of the ingress of a primary path such as a primary BIER-TE path, the traffic source sends the traffic to the ingress of the primary path. The backup ingress (e.g., PE2) is ready to import the traffic from the traffic source into the backup path such as the backup BIER-TE path installed.¶

When the traffic source detects the failure of the ingress, it switches the traffic to the backup ingress, which delivers the traffic to the egress nodes of the path via the backup path.¶

3.2. Backup Ingress Detect

The traffic source (e.g., CE1) always sends the traffic to both the ingress (e.g., PE1) of the primary path such as the primary BIER-TE path and the backup ingress (e.g., PE2).¶

The backup ingress does not import any traffic from the traffic source into the backup path such as the backup BIER-TE path in normal operations. When it detects the failure of the ingress of the primary path, it imports the traffic from the source into the backup path.¶

For the backup ingress to fast detect the failure of the primary ingress, it SHOULD directly connect to the primary ingress. When a PCE computes a backup ingress and a backup path, it SHOULD consider this.¶

3.3. Both Detect

In normal operations, i.e., before the failure of the ingress, the traffic source sends the traffic to the ingress of the primary path such as the primary BIER-TE path. When it detects the failure of the ingress, it switches the traffic to the backup ingress.¶

The backup ingress does not import any traffic from the traffic source into the backup path such as the backup BIER-TE path in normal operations. When it detects the failure of the ingress of the primary path, it imports the traffic from the source into the backup path.¶

4.1. Capabilities for Ingress Protection

  0                   1                   2                   3
  0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1
 +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
 |          Type = TBD2          |           Length=4            |
 +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
 |           Reserved            | PathInd   |S|B|   Flags   |D|A|
 +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

4.2. Extensions for Backup Ingress and Traffic Source

This section specifies the extensions to PCEP for the backup ingress and the traffic source. The extensions let the traffic source¶

S1:

fast detect the failure of the primary ingress and switch the traffic to the backup ingress when the traffic source detects the failure of the primary ingress, or¶

S2:

always send the traffic to both the primary ingress and the backup ingress.¶

The extensions let the backup ingress¶

B1:

always import the traffic received from the traffic source with possible service ID into the backup path, or¶

B2:

import the traffic with possible service ID into the backup path when the backup ingress detects the failure of the primary ingress.¶

The following lists the combinations of Si and Bi (i = 1,2) for different ways of failure detects.¶

Source Detect:

S1 and B1.¶

Backup Ingress Detect:

S2 and B2.¶

Both Detect:

S1 and B2.¶

  0                   1                   2                   3
  0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1
 +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
 |         Type = TBD3           |        Length (variable)      |
 +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
 |           Reserved            |           Flags             |A|
 +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
 ~                                                               ~
 ~                        sub-TLVs (optional)                    ~
 ~                                                               ~
 +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

  0                   1                   2                   3
  0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1
 +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
 |         Type = TBD4           |          Length (4)           |
 +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
 |            Primary Ingress IPv4 Address (4 octets)            |
 +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

  0                   1                   2                   3
  0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1
 +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
 |         Type = TBD5           |         Length (16)           |
 +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
 |            Primary Ingress IPv6 Address (16 octets)           |
 ~                                                               ~
 +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

  0                   1                   2                   3
  0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1
 +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
 |         Type = TBD6           |          Length (4)           |
 +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
 |        zero           |       Service Label (20 bits)         |
 +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

  0                   1                   2                   3
  0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1
 +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
 |         Type = TBD7           |         Length (4/16)         |
 +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
 |                        Service ID (4 or 16 octets)            |
 ~                                                               ~
 +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

  0                   1                   2                   3
  0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1
 +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
 |         Type = TBD8           |        Length (variable)      |
 +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
 ~                                                               ~
 ~                        sub-TLVs (optional)                    ~
 ~                                                               ~
 +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

  0                   1                   2                   3
  0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1
 +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
 |         Type = TBD9           |        Length (variable)      |
 +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
 |IPv4 Prefix Len|          IPv4 Prefix                          ~
 +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
 ~   (Optional) Virtual Network ID (2 octets)                    ~
 +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

  0                   1                   2                   3
  0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1
 +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
 |         Type = TBDa           |        Length (variable)      |
 +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
 |IPv6 Prefix Len|          IPv6 Prefix                          ~
 +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
 ~   Optional Virtual Network ID (2 octets)                      ~
 +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

  0                   1                   2                   3
  0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1
 +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
 |         Type = TBDb           |          Length (4)           |
 +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
 |                   Interface Index (4 octets)                  |
 +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

  0                   1                   2                   3
  0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1
 +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
 |         Type = TBDc           |          Length (4)           |
 +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
 |               Interface IPv4 Address (4 octets)               |
 +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

  0                   1                   2                   3
  0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1
 +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
 |         Type = TBDd           |         Length (16)           |
 +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
 |               Interface IPv6 Address (16 octets)              |
 ~                                                               ~
 +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

 0                   1                   2                   3
 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|                            CC-ID                              |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|          Reserved             |             Flags         |B|D|
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|                                                               |
//                        Optional TLV                         //
|                                                               |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

  0                   1                   2                   3
  0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1
 +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
 |         Type = TBDe           |          Length (4)           |
 +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
 |             Backup Ingress IPv4 Address (4 octets)            |
 +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

  0                   1                   2                   3
  0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1
 +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
 |         Type = TBDf           |         Length (16)           |
 +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
 |             Backup Ingress IPv6 Address (16 octets)           |
 ~                                                               ~
 +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

8.1. Normative References

[RFC2119]

Bradner, S., "Key words for use in RFCs to Indicate Requirement Levels", BCP 14, RFC 2119, DOI 10.17487/RFC2119, March 1997, <https://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc2119>.

[RFC5440]

Vasseur, JP., Ed. and JL. Le Roux, Ed., "Path Computation Element (PCE) Communication Protocol (PCEP)", RFC 5440, DOI 10.17487/RFC5440, March 2009, <https://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc5440>.

[RFC7356]

Ginsberg, L., Previdi, S., and Y. Yang, "IS-IS Flooding Scope Link State PDUs (LSPs)", RFC 7356, DOI 10.17487/RFC7356, September 2014, <https://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc7356>.

[RFC8424]

Chen, H., Ed. and R. Torvi, Ed., "Extensions to RSVP-TE for Label Switched Path (LSP) Ingress Fast Reroute (FRR) Protection", RFC 8424, DOI 10.17487/RFC8424, August 2018, <https://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc8424>.

[RFC9050]

Li, Z., Peng, S., Negi, M., Zhao, Q., and C. Zhou, "Path Computation Element Communication Protocol (PCEP) Procedures and Extensions for Using the PCE as a Central Controller (PCECC) of LSPs", RFC 9050, DOI 10.17487/RFC9050, July 2021, <https://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc9050>.

8.2. Informative References

[I-D.chen-bier-te-frr]

Chen, H., McBride, M., Liu, Y., Wang, A., Mishra, G. S., Fan, Y., Liu, L., and X. Liu, "BIER-TE Fast ReRoute", Work in Progress, Internet-Draft, draft-chen-bier-te-frr-07, 28 March 2024, <https://datatracker.ietf.org/api/v1/doc/document/draft-chen-bier-te-frr/>.

[I-D.ietf-pce-pcep-flowspec]

Dhody, D., Farrel, A., and Z. Li, "Path Computation Element Communication Protocol (PCEP) Extension for Flow Specification", Work in Progress, Internet-Draft, draft-ietf-pce-pcep-flowspec-13, 14 October 2021, <https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/draft-ietf-pce-pcep-flowspec-13>.

[I-D.ietf-rtgwg-segment-routing-ti-lfa]

Bashandy, A., Litkowski, S., Filsfils, C., Francois, P., Decraene, B., and D. Voyer, "Topology Independent Fast Reroute using Segment Routing", Work in Progress, Internet-Draft, draft-ietf-rtgwg-segment-routing-ti-lfa-13, 16 January 2024, <https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/draft-ietf-rtgwg-segment-routing-ti-lfa-13>.

[RFC5462]

Andersson, L. and R. Asati, "Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) Label Stack Entry: "EXP" Field Renamed to "Traffic Class" Field", RFC 5462, DOI 10.17487/RFC5462, February 2009, <https://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc5462>.

[RFC8231]

Crabbe, E., Minei, I., Medved, J., and R. Varga, "Path Computation Element Communication Protocol (PCEP) Extensions for Stateful PCE", RFC 8231, DOI 10.17487/RFC8231, September 2017, <https://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc8231>.

[RFC8281]

Crabbe, E., Minei, I., Sivabalan, S., and R. Varga, "Path Computation Element Communication Protocol (PCEP) Extensions for PCE-Initiated LSP Setup in a Stateful PCE Model", RFC 8281, DOI 10.17487/RFC8281, December 2017, <https://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc8281>.

[RFC8408]

Sivabalan, S., Tantsura, J., Minei, I., Varga, R., and J. Hardwick, "Conveying Path Setup Type in PCE Communication Protocol (PCEP) Messages", RFC 8408, DOI 10.17487/RFC8408, July 2018, <https://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc8408>.