Bidirectional Forwarding Detection for Multipoint Networks over Point-to-Multipoint MPLS Label Switched Paths
RFC 9780, “Bidirectional Forwarding Detection for Multipoint Networks over Point-to-Multipoint MPLS Label Switched Paths”, is a Proposed Standard document published in May 2025 by G. Mirsky, G. Mishra, D. Eastlake 3rd. It updates RFC 8562. The canonical text is published by the RFC Editor.
Abstract
This document describes procedures for using Bidirectional Forwarding Detection (BFD) for multipoint networks to detect data plane failures in point-to-multipoint MPLS Label Switched Paths (LSPs) and Segment Routing (SR) point-to-multipoint policies with an SR over MPLS (SR-MPLS) data plane.
Furthermore, this document updates RFC 8562 by recommending the use of an IPv6 address from the Dummy IPv6 Prefix address block 100:0:0:1::/64 and discouraging the use of an IPv4 loopback address mapped to IPv6.
In addition, this document describes the applicability of LSP Ping (as an in-band solution) and the control plane (as an out-of-band solution) to bootstrap a BFD session. The document also describes the behavior of the active tail for head notification.
What “Proposed Standard” means
An entry-level standards-track specification: stable, peer-reviewed and a solid basis for implementation, though it may still evolve before becoming an Internet Standard.
The canonical text of RFC 9780 is hosted at rfc-editor.org. Available in HTML,TXT,PDF,XML.
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