Document: draft-ietf-pce-multipath
Title: Path Computation Element Communication Protocol (PCEP) Extensions for
Signaling Multipath Information Reviewer: Italo Busi Review result: Ready

Hi,

I have been selected as the Operational Directorate (opsdir) reviewer for this
Internet-Draft.

The Operational Directorate reviews all operational and management-related
Internet-Drafts to ensure alignment with operational best practices and that
adequate operational considerations are covered.

A complete set of _"Guidelines for Considering Operations and Management in
IETF Specifications"_ can be found at
https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-ietf-opsawg-rfc5706bis/.

While these comments are primarily for the Operations and Management Area
Directors (Ops ADs), the authors should consider them alongside other feedback
received.

- Document: draft-ietf-pce-multipath-19

- Reviewer: Italo Busi

- Review Date: 17 February 2026

- Intended Status: Standards Track

---

## Summary

- Has Issues: I have some minor concerns about this document that I think
should be resolved before publication.

## General Operational Comments Alignment with RFC 5706bis

This document defines a mechanism for signaling multi-path LSPs using PCEP,
including also a mechanisms for the PCE speakers to exchange information about
their capabilities in support of multi-path LSPs.

Although the primary focus is the support of SR Candidate Path with more than
one Segment List, the solution is generic and this generalization is clearly
stated in the scope and introduction of the document.

The document does not strictly follow the RFC5706bis guidelines, although the
Manageability Considerations section (section 10) provides sufficient
guidelines for operating the protocol extensions defined in the document and it
is aligned with RFC6123.

## Major Issues

No major issues found.

---

## Minor Issues

These comments are mainly editorial and intended to clarify (e.g., making it
more explicit) some interpretations of the current text based on my
understanding.

1) Section 3.4

OLD

   This TLV is used to specify protecting standby path(s), for each ECMP
   path within a PCEP LSP.  This is similar to path protection, but
   works at the ECMP path level instead of at the PCEP LSP level.

NEW

   This TLV is used to describe a set of backup path(s) protecting a
   primary path within a PCEP LSP: see Section 4.4 for details.  This
   is similar to path protection, but works at the ECMP path level
   instead of at the PCEP LSP level.

Without the clarification text in section 4.4 it was very hard for me to
understand how this TLV could be used by just reading this section.

2) Section 3.5

Can N and L bits be set independently in the MULTIPATH-OPPDIR-PATH TLV?

I think that a link co-routed path is also node co-routed. One option is to be
liberal and ignore N when L is set. Another option is to force that N is also
set when L is set.

It would be better if the document is explicit about this point.

3) Section 3.5

Is there any difference between reporting a MULTIPATH-OPPDIR-PATH TLV with
Opposite Direction Path ID set to zero or not reporting the
MULTIPATH-OPPDIR-PATH TLV at all?

4) Section 4.1.1

OLD

   New MULTIPATH-CAP TLV is defined.  This TLV MAY be present in the
   OPEN object during PCEP session establishment.

NEW

   New MULTIPATH-CAP TLV is defined.  This TLV MAY be present in the
   OPEN object during PCEP session establishment.  It MAY also be
   present in the LSP object for each individual LSP from the PCC.

The proposal is to keep the first paragraph consistent with the rest of the
section.

5) Section 4.1.1

OLD

   *  O-flag: whether MULTIPATH-OPPDIR-PATH TLV is supported and
      requested.  If this flag is set, the PCE SHOULD tell the PCC the
      reverse path information, if it is able to.

NEW

   *  O-flag: whether MULTIPATH-OPPDIR-PATH TLV is supported by the PCE
      or requested by the PCC.  If this flag is set by the PCC, the PCE
      SHOULD tell the PCC the reverse path information, if it is able
      to.

If my understanding is correct, it would be useful to be more explicit as
proposed above.

6) Section 4.1.1

OLD

   When PCE computes the LSP path, it MUST NOT return more forward
   multipaths than the corresponding value of "Number of Multipaths"
   from the MULTIPATH-CAP TLV.  <...>

NEW

   When PCE computes the LSP path, it MUST NOT return more forward
   multipaths than the corresponding value of "Number of Multipaths"
   in the MULTIPATH-CAP TLV received from the PCC.  <...>

If my understanding is correct, it would be useful to be more explicit as
proposed above.

7) Section 4.1.1

The last paragraph seems an example associated with the third to last paragraph
and not with the penultimate paragraph.

I would suggest to swap the order of the last two paragraphs.

---

## Nits

Optional editorial suggestions (e.g., acronym expansions or grammar fixes).

1) Section 4.3: please expand PLSP on first use.

- Example:

 > Abstract: Expand "NFV" on first use.

 > Section 3.1: "it’s" -> "its".

No minor issues found.

---


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