The MPLS WG Archive

[David Charlap <david.charlap@marconi.com>]

Gaitonde Anandprasanna wrote:
> 
> thats right.  Setting up of LSP is from router to router only.

Then there's no need for an application-level API.  The interfaces that
the router already has for configuring everything else (command line,
SNMP, whatever) are sufficient.

> But lets say that a person  is operating on a ingress router, and he
> wants to setup an LSP to an egress router. Shouldnt there be a command
> line interface for him to specify a command to setup an LSP.

Every vendor has interfaces for setting up LSPs.  And these interfaces
are usually tied directly to the protocol implementations on the switch.

Since users will never be installing their own UI code into switches,
there's no need for a generalized API.  There is certainly no need for a
standardized cross-platform API.

If you are developing an MPLS suite and need a user interface, go invent
one.  If your company already has an established UI, then go add some
MPLS/RSVP commands to it.  If you think all switches from all vendors
should have identical user interfaces, keep on dreaming - it ain't never
gonna happen.

-- David