Building reliable MPLS networks using a path protection mechanism

It is expected that multiprotocol label switching (MPLS) based recovery could become a viable option for obtaining faster restoration than layer 3 rerouting. To deliver reliable service, however, MPLS requires a set of procedures to provide protection for the traffic carried on the label switched paths. We propose a path protection mechanism that is simple, scalable, fast, and efficient. We describe in detail our design considerations, the communication of fault information to appropriate switching elements, and the fault detection protocol. In particular, we propose a reverse notification tree structure for efficient and fast distribution of fault notification messages.