Path Computation Element Protocol Extension for Color
RFC 9863, “Path Computation Element Protocol Extension for Color”, is a Proposed Standard document published in October 2025 by B. Rajagopalan, V. Beeram, S. Peng, M. Koldychev, G. Mishra. The canonical text is published by the RFC Editor.
Abstract
Color is a 32-bit numerical (unsigned integer) attribute used to associate a Traffic Engineering (TE) tunnel or policy with an intent or objective. For example, a TE Tunnel constructed to deliver low latency services and whose path is optimized for delay can be tagged with a color that represents "low latency." This document specifies extensions to the Path Computation Element Protocol (PCEP) to carry the color attribute.
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 9863 is hosted at rfc-editor.org. Available in HTML,TXT,PDF,XML.
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