MPLS Transport Profile (MPLS-TP)

The MPLS Transport Profile (MPLS-TP) introduces new capabilities for operations and management (OAM) when MPLS is used for transport services and transport network operations. This includes a generic mechanism to send OAM messages. This mechanism contains two main components: Generic Alert Label (GAL)-A special label that enables an exception mechanism that informs the egress label-switching router (LSR) that a packet it receives on an LSP belongs to an associated control channel or the control plane. Generic Associated Control Channel Header (G-Ach)-A special header field that identifies the type of payload contained in the MPLS label-switched paths (LSPs). G-Ach has the same format as a pseudowire associated control channel header.