| Internet-Draft | In Situ OAM for MPLS Data plane | September 2023 |
| Gandhi, et al. | Expires 12 March 2024 | [Page] |
In Situ Operations, Administration, and Maintenance (IOAM) is used for recording and collecting operational and telemetry information while the packet traverses a path between two points in the network. This document defines how IOAM data fields are transported with MPLS data plane encapsulation using MPLS Network Action (MNA).¶
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In Situ Operations, Administration, and Maintenance (IOAM) is used for recording and collecting operational and telemetry information while the packet traverses a path between two points in the network. The term "in-situ" refers to the fact that the IOAM data fields are added to the data packets rather than being sent within the probe packets specifically dedicated to OAM. The IOAM data fields are defined in [RFC9197]. The IOAM data fields are further updated in [RFC9326] for direct export use-cases.¶
This document defines how IOAM data fields are transported with MPLS data plane encapsulations using MPLS Network Action (MNA).¶
[I-D.ietf-mpls-mna-hdr] defines mechanisms for carrying MNA Sub-Stack (NAS) above the Bottom of the label stack (BOS) and [I-D.jags-mpls-ps-mna-hdr] defines mechanisms for carrying Post-Stack Network Actions in MPLS packets after the Bottom of the label stack. This document uses these two mechanisms and describes the procedures for carrying IOAM data fields in an MPLS packet.¶
The key words "MUST", "MUST NOT", "REQUIRED", "SHALL", "SHALL NOT", "SHOULD", "SHOULD NOT", "RECOMMENDED", "MAY", and "OPTIONAL" in this document are to be interpreted as described in [RFC2119] [RFC8174] when, and only when, they appear in all capitals, as shown here.¶
The MPLS Network Action (MNA) terminology defined in [I-D.ietf-mpls-mna-hdr] and [I-D.jags-mpls-ps-mna-hdr] are used in this document.¶
Abbreviations used in this document:¶
Equal Cost Multi-Path¶
Edge-To-Edge¶
Hop-By-Hop¶
Ingress-To-Egress (I2E), Hop-By-Hop (HBH) or Select Scope¶
In Situ Operations, Administration, and Maintenance¶
Multiprotocol Label Switching¶
MPLS Network Action¶
Network Action Indicator¶
Network Action Sub-Stack Length¶
Operations, Administration, and Maintenance¶
Proof-of-Transit¶
The Post-Stack Network Action for IOAM is defined using the specification from [I-D.jags-mpls-ps-mna-hdr].¶
The Post-Stack Network Action encoding contains IOAM Post-Stack Network Action Opcode (value TBA2 allocated by IANA), length in number of 4-Octet units, and IOAM Option-Type with IOAM-Data-Fields in ancillary data as shown in Figure 1. The IOAM-Data-Fields MUST follow the definitions corresponding to their IOAM-Option-Types (e.g., see Section 4.4 of [RFC9197] and Section 3 of [RFC9326]).¶
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 +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+<-+ |N N N N|Version| PS-MNA-LEN | TYPE = POST-STACK-MNA | TH +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-|<-+ |PS-NA-OP=IOAM| BLOCK-NUMBER |IOAM-OPT-TYPE|R|R|R| IOAM-HDR-LEN| | +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+ I | | O | | A ~ IOAM Option and Data Space [RFC9197] [RFC9326] ~ M | | | | | | +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+<-+ . . . . +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+<-+ |PS-NA-OP=IOAM| BLOCK-NUMBER |IOAM-OPT-TYPE|R|R|R| IOAM-HDR-LEN| | +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+ I | | O | | A ~ IOAM Option and Data Space [RFC9197] [RFC9326] ~ M | | | | | | +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+<-+ | | | | ~ Optional Payload + Padding ~ | | | | +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
The 4-Octet Top Header is added with the following fields in the the Post-Stack Network Action as defined in [I-D.jags-mpls-ps-mna-hdr]¶
An IOAM-Data-Field is added in the Post-Stack Network Action containing the following fields:¶
The P flag defined in [I-D.jags-mpls-ps-mna-hdr] is used to indicate the presence of Post-Stack Network Action and Ancillary Data.¶
A Post-Stack Network Action Indicator (P flag) MUST be set to "1" to indicate the presence of the Post-Stack Network Action with IOAM-Data-Fields in the Post-Stack Network Action (after the Bottom of the Stack).¶
The IHS scope field defined in [I-D.ietf-mpls-mna-hdr] is used to indicate that E2E or HBH or Select processing is required for the Post-Stack Network Action and Ancillary Data.¶
If both edge and intermediate nodes need to process the IOAM data fields then IHS scope MUST be set to "HBH, value 0x1". If only edge nodes need to process the IOAM data fields then IHS scope MUST be set to "I2E, value 0x0". The HBH scope allows to skip the IOAM data processing on the intermediate nodes i.e., avoids the need to parse all IOAM-Data-Fields to detect the HBH option type.¶
The MNA Label used in this document is a Base Special Purpose Label (bSPL value TBA1), which is also called Network Action Sub-Stack Indicator as allocated in [I-D.ietf-mpls-mna-hdr].¶
Opcode 2 is used to carry the Flag-Based Network Action Indicators (NAIs) in the Ancillary Data field [I-D.ietf-mpls-mna-hdr]. The Flag-Based Network Action Indicators is set to 0x0 to indicate that no Network Action other than the Post-Stack Network Action(s) is requested for the packet.¶
The U Flag for Unknown Action Handling is specified in [I-D.ietf-mpls-mna-hdr].¶
The Network Action Sub-Stack Length (NASL) is set to 0 if no additional Label Stack Entry (LSE) is added after the LSE carrying the P Flag.¶
The IHS scope is set to "I2E, value 0x0" to indicate the scope of E2E IOAM-Data-Fields in the MPLS Sub-Stack as shown in Figure 2. Note that there may be additional Network Action (NA) LSEs added in the MNA Sub-Stack and NASL is updated with the number of LSEs after the LSE with P flag.¶
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 +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+ | Label | TC |S| TTL | +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+ . . +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+ | MNA Label (bSPL value TBA1) | TC |S| TTL | +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+ | Opcode=2 | Flag-Based NAIs |1|E2E|S| Res |U|NASL=0 | +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+ . . +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+ | Packet as shown in Figure 1 | . . +---------------------------------------------------------------+
The E2E IOAM-Data-Fields carry the Option-Type(s) that require processing on the encapsulating and decapsulating nodes only. The IOAM Option-Type carried can be IOAM Edge-To-Edge Option-Type (value 3) defined in [RFC9197] as well as Direct Export (DEX) Option-Type (value 4) defined in [RFC9326]. The E2E IOAM-Data-Fields SHOULD NOT carry any IOAM Option-Type that require IOAM processing on the intermediate nodes as it will not be processed by them since IHS scope is set to "I2E, value 0x0".¶
The E2E IOAM Network Action procedure is summarized as following:¶
The IHS scope is set to "HBH, value 0x1" to indicate the scope of HBH IOAM-Data-Fields in the MNA Sub-Stack as shown in Figure 3. Note that there may be additional Network Action (NA) LSEs added in the MNA Sub-Stack and NASL is updated based on the number of LSEs after the LSE with P flag.¶
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 +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+ | Label | TC |S| TTL | +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+ . . +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+ | MNA Label (bSPL value TBA1) | TC |S| TTL | +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+ | Opcode=2 | Flag-Based NAIs |1|HBH|S| Res |U|NASL=0 | +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+ . . +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+ | Packet as shown in Figure 1 | . . +---------------------------------------------------------------+
The HBH IOAM-Data-Fields carry the Option-Type(s) that require processing at the intermediate and/or encapsulating and decapsulating nodes. The IOAM Option-Type carried can be IOAM Pre-allocated Trace Option-Type (value 0), IOAM Incremental Trace Option-Type (value 1) and IOAM Proof of Transit (POT) Option-Type (value 2), and Edge-To-Edge Option-Type (value 3) defined in [RFC9197] as well as Direct Export (DEX) Option-Type (value 4) defined in [RFC9326].¶
The Hop-By-Hop IOAM Network Action procedure is summarized as following:¶
Both HBH and E2E IOAM NAs may be added in an MNA Sub-Stack. In this case, the HBH IOAM NAs MUST be added after the BOS and before the E2E IOAM NAs. When an intermediate node that processes the HBH IOAM NAs, encounters the first E2E IOAM NA, it will stop processing of the E2E NA.¶
The procedure for carrying the IOAM NAs for Select Scope is the same as HBH Scope IOAM except the IHS scope is set to "Select, value 0x2". In this case, only the select nodes will process the IOAM-Data-Fields.¶
The encapsulating node needs to make sure the IOAM-Data-Fields do not start with a well-known IP Version Number (e.g. 0x4 for IPv4 and 0x6 for IPv6) as that can alter the hashing function for ECMP that uses the IP header. This is achieved by using the first nibble NNNN in the Top Header with a different IP Version Number (value TBA3) after the MPLS label stack as defined in [I-D.jags-mpls-ps-mna-hdr].¶
The decapsulating node that has to remove the IOAM-Data-Fields and perform the IOAM function may not be capable of supporting it. The encapsulating node needs to know if the decapsulating node can support the IOAM function. The signaling extension for this capability exchange is outside the scope of this document.¶
The intermediate node that is not capable of supporting the IOAM functions defined in this document, can simply skip the IOAM processing.¶
The node that does not recognize the MNA Label received at the top of the label stack will drop the packet.¶
When a packet is received with MPLS Encapsulated IOAM Network Action, the nested MPLS encapsulating node that needs to add different IOAM Network Action, the node MUST add a new MNA Sub-Stack with the IOAM Network Action as part of the new MPLS encapsulation.¶
The encapsulating node needs to make sure that the IOAM-Data-Fields in Post-Stack Network Action are added within the Readable Label Depth (RLD) of the downstream MNA capable nodes in order for them to be able to process the IOAM.¶
The Post-Stack Network Action Offset (opcode 1), as well as Post-Stack and In-Stack Network Action (PS-IS-NA) Ordering (opcode 4) both defined in [I-D.jags-mpls-ps-mna-hdr] can be used along with IOAM Post-Stack Network Action Opcode defined in this document.¶
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 +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+ | Label | TC |S| TTL | +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+ . . +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+ | MNA Label (bSPL value TBA1) | TC |S| TTL | +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+ | Opcode=1 | Offset in 4 octets |R|IHS|S| Res |U|NASL=0 | +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+ . . +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+ | Packet as shown in Figure 1 | . . +---------------------------------------------------------------+
The security considerations of IOAM in general are discussed in [RFC9197] and [RFC9326]) and apply to the procedure defined in this document.¶
The usage of MPLS extensions defined in this document for IOAM is intended for deployment in a single network administrative domain. As such, it assumes that the operator enabling the IOAM operation has previously verified the integrity of the path. Still, operators need to properly secure the IOAM in the domain to avoid malicious configuration and use, which could include injecting malicious IOAM packets into the domain.¶
Registry "Post-Stack Network Action Opcode" will be created by [I-D.jags-mpls-ps-mna-hdr]. The PS-NA-OPCODE for IOAM is allocated from this registry.¶
| Value | Name | Description | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| TBA2 | IOAM | In Situ OAM | This document |
The authors would like to thank Patrick Khordoc, Sagar Soni, Shwetha Bhandari, Clarence Filsfils, and Vengada Prasad Govindan for the discussions on IOAM. The authors would also like to thank Tarek Saad, Loa Andersson, Greg Mirsky, Stewart Bryant, Xiao Min, Jaganbabu Rajamanickam, and Cheng Li for providing many useful comments. The authors would also like to thank Mach Chen, Andrew Malis, Matthew Bocci, and Nick Delregno for the MPLS-RT reviews of the early version of this document.¶
The following people have substantially contributed to this document:¶
Zafar Ali Cisco Systems, Inc. Email: zali@cisco.com Voitek Kozak Comcast Email: Voitek_Kozak@comcast.com¶