Terms and Acronyms

The following is a list of GMPLS-related terms:

• Generalized Multiprotocol Label Switching (GMPLS)—An extension to MPLS that allows data from multiple layers to be switched over label-switched paths (LSPs). GMPLS LSP connections are possible between similar Layer 1, Layer 2, and Layer 3 devices.
• Forwarding adjacency—A forwarding path for sending data between GMPLS-enabled devices.
• GMPLS label—Layer 3 identifiers, fiber port, time-division multiplexing (TDM) time slot, or dense wavelength-division multiplexing (DWDM) wavelength of a GMPLS-enabled device used as a next-hop identifier.
• GMPLS LSP types—The four types of GMPLS LSPs are:
  • Fiber-switched capable (FSC)—LSPs are switched between two fiber-based devices, such optical cross-connects (OXCs) that operate at the level of individual fibers.
  • Lambda-switched capable (LSC)—LSPs are switched between two DWDM devices, such as such as OXCs that operate at the level of individual wavelengths.
  • TDM-switched capable (TDM)—LSPs are switched between two TDM devices, such as SONET ADMs.
  • Packet-switched capable (PSC)—LSPs are switched between two packet-based devices, such as routers or ATM switches.
• Link Management Protocol—A protocol used to define a forwarding adjacency between peers and to maintain and allocate resources on the traffic engineering links.
• Traffic engineering link—A logical connection between GMPLS-enabled devices. Traffic engineering links can have addresses or IDs and are associated with certain resources or interfaces. They also have certain attributes (encoding-type, switching capability, bandwidth, and so on). The logical addresses can be routable, although this is not required because they are acting as link identifiers. Each traffic engineering link represents a forwarding adjacency between a pair of devices.

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