Pseudo-Wire Edge-to-Edge (PWE3) Working Group Stewart Bryant
Internet Draft Cisco Systems
Document: <draft-bryant-pwe3-terms-01.txt>
Expires: May 2003
November 2002
PWE3 Common Terminology
Status of this Memo
This document is an Internet-Draft and is in full conformance with
all provisions of section 10 of RFC2026.
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Abstract
This document defines the terminology common to PWE3 drafts.
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Table of Contents
Status of this Memo.......................................... 1
1. Introduction............................................. 3
2. Terminology.............................................. 3
3. IANA considerations...................................... 5
4. Security Considerations.................................. 5
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1. Introduction
This document attempts to define the common terms used in PWE3.
Documents produced by the IETF PWE3 WG use this common terminology,
but may define additional terms unique to their technical area.
2. Terminology
Attachment Circuit The circuit or virtual circuit attaching
(AC) a CE to a PE.
Applicability Each PW service will have an Applicability
Statement (AS) Statement (AS) that describes the applicability
of PWs for that service.
CE-bound The traffic direction where PW-PDUs are
received on a PW via the PSN, processed
and then sent to the destination CE.
CE Signaling Messages sent and received by the CEs
control plane. It may be desirable or
even necessary for the PE to participate
in or monitor this signaling in order
to effectively emulate the service.
Customer Edge (CE) A device where one end of a service
originates and/or terminates. The CE is not
aware that it is using an emulated service
rather than a native service.
Forwarder (FWRD) A PE subsystem that selects the PW to use to
transmit a payload received on an AC.
Fragmentation The action of dividing a single PDU into
multiple PDUs before transmission with the
intent of the original PDU being reassembled
elsewhere in the network. Fragmentation may be
performed in order to allow sending of packets
of a larger size than the network MTU which
they will traverse.
Maximum transmission The packet size (excluding data link header)
unit (MTU) that an interface can transmit without
needing to fragment.
Native Service Processing of the data received by the PE
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Processing (NSP) from the CE before presentation to the PW
for transmission across the core.
Packet Switched Within the context of PWE3, this is a
Network (PSN) network using IP or MPLS as the mechanism
for packet forwarding.
Protocol Data The unit of data output to, or received
Unit (PDU) from, the network by a protocol layer.
Provider Edge (PE) A device that provides PWE3 to a CE.
PE-bound The traffic direction where information
from a CE is adapted to a PW, and PW-PDUs
are sent into the PSN.
PE/PW Maintenance Used by the PEs to set up, maintain and
tear down the PW. It may be coupled with
CE Signaling in order to effectively manage
the PW.
Pseudo Wire (PW) A mechanism that carries the essential
elements of an emulated service from one PE
to one or more other PEs over a PSN.
PW End Service The interface between a PE and a CE. This
(PWES) can be a physical interface like a T1 or
Ethernet, or a virtual interface like a VC
or VLAN.
Pseudo Wire A mechanism that emulates the essential
Emulation Edge to attributes of service (such as a T1 leased
Edge (PWE3) line or frame relay) over a PSN.
Pseudo Wire PDU A PDU sent on the PW that contains all of
(PW-PDU) the data and control information necessary
to emulate the desired service.
PSN Tunnel A tunnel across a PSN inside which one or
more PWs can be carried.
PSN Tunnel Used to set up, maintain and tear down the
Signaling underlying PSN tunnel.
PW Demultiplexer Data-plane method of identifying a PW
terminating at a PE.
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Time Domain Synchronous bit-streams at rates defined by
Multiplexing (TDM) G.702.
Tunnel A method of transparently carrying information
over a network.
3. IANA considerations
There are no IANA considerations for this document.
4. Security Considerations
The other documents produced by PWE3 will be manually checked to
ensure that they do not re-define any of these terms.
Editors' Addresses
Stewart Bryant
Cisco Systems,
4, The Square,
Stockley Park,
Uxbridge UB11 1BL,
United Kingdom. Email: stbryant@cisco.com
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