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RFC 6178: Label Edge Router Forwarding of IPv4 Option Packets

In plain English — editorial summary, not part of the RFC

This document specifies how Label Edge Routers (LERs) should behave when determining whether to MPLS encapsulate an IPv4 packet with header options. Lack of a formal standard has resulted in different LER forwarding behaviors for IPv4 packets with header options despite being associated with a prefix-based Forwarding Equivalence Class (FEC). IPv4 option packets that belong to a prefix-based FEC, yet are forwarded into an IPv4/MPLS network without being MPLS- encapsulated, present a security risk against the MPLS infrastructure. Further, LERs that are unable to MPLS encapsulate IPv4 packets with header options cannot operate in certain MPLS environments. While this newly defined LER behavior is mandatory to implement, it is optional to invoke. [STANDARDS-TRACK]

Document record

Document ID
RFC6178
Published
March 2011
Authors
D. Smith; J. Mullooly; W. Jaeger; T. Scholl
Status
PROPOSED STANDARD
Stream
IETF
Area
rtg
Pages
9
Also known as
—
Updates:
RFC 3031

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The document record above — title, authors, date, status, stream, area, relationships, DOI and errata — is imported verbatim from the public RFC Editor index. The “in plain English” section is editorial: written by The metasystema editorial team, not part of the RFC. Where the two differ, the RFC text governs.

Last checked against the RFC Editor index on . RFCs are never revised after publication; changes are issued as new documents.

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canonical URL: /rfc/6178-label-edge-router-forwarding-of-ipv4-option-packets