This section describes how to configure MPLS OAM to check the connectivity of a PW.
On an MPLS L2VPN, traditional detection techniques can monitor the status of a PW but cannot send defect packets or report a defect type through the reverse tunnel of the PW. The shortcoming delays fault detection and link switchovers performed by an upper-layer application. To address this issue, configure MPLS OAM to monitor the PW.
MPLS OAM is a detection mechanism for the user plane separated from the network plane and can notify users of the PW status. A network administrator or maintenance engineer uses the information to evaluate network performance and maintain a network.
MPLS OAM can monitor the status of all PWs between two nodes or use a peer IP address, virtual circuit (VC) encapsulation type, and VC ID to identify a PW and obtain detailed information (including basic PW and OAM information and OAM detection information). The information can be used to maintain a network.
Table 1 describes the support of MPLS OAM detection for different types of PWs.
Before configuring MPLS OAM for a PW, configure the PW.