5.5. Generalized MPLS (GMPLS)
5.5.1. GMPLS Overview
MPLS, as originally defined, applies to packet[2] networks. In essence, an MPLS LSR receives a packet from one interface, replaces the (incoming) label in the MPLS header by an outgoing label, and forwards the packet out of another interface. Thus, MPLS defines a virtual circuit capability. Now, consider a true circuit-switched network. Depending on the type of the network, the switching operations would differ:
[2] We loosely use the term packet to mean either frames or cells (as in ATM).
Time-Division Multiplexing (TDM) networks: In these networks, a node switches data from time slots in an incoming interface to time slots in an outgoing interface. An example is a SONET network in which an ...
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