Flexible label value encoding in label switched packet networks

1. An apparatus, comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including program code;

wherein the at least one memory and the program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to at least:

handle a label switched packet including a header and a payload, wherein the header includes a label value field encoding a label value, wherein a size of the label value field is based on the label value, wherein the label value is encoded in the label value field using a set of label units, wherein a quantity of label units used to encode the label value in the label value field is based on the label value.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the label value is associated with a forwarding context.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the size of the label value field is a first size when the label value is within a first range of values, the size of the label value field is a second size when the label value is within a second range of values, or the size of the label value field is a third size when the label value is within a third range of values.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the first range of values is 1 to 127, the second range of values is 128 to 16383, and the third range of values is 16384 to 2097151.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the quantity of label units used to encode the label value in the label value field is one label unit when the label value is within a first range of values, two label units when the label value is within a second range of values, or three label units when the label value is within a third range of values.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the first range of values is 1 to 127, the second range of values is 128 to 16383, and the third range of values is 16384 to 2097151.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each of the label units in the set of label units includes a value field configured to encode at least a portion of the label value and a size indicator field configured to indicate whether the respective label unit is a last label unit in the set of label units.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the value field is a 7-bit field and the size indicator field is a 1-bit field.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the header includes a common header portion and a label stack, wherein the label value field is included within the label stack.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the common header portion includes:

a field configured to indicate a length of the label stack; and

a field configured to indicate whether an additional label is present below the label stack.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the header includes a label having a fixed-sized label value field encoding an additional label value.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein, to handle the label switched packet, the at least one memory and the program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to at least:

generate the header including the label value field;

associate the header with the payload to form thereby the label switched packet; and

send the label switched packet toward a network element.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein, to handle the label switched packet, the at least one memory and the program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to at least:

receive the label switched packet;

process the label switched packet based on the header of the label switched packet; and

send the label switched packet toward a network element.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein, to handle the label switched packet, the at least one memory and the program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to at least:

receive the label switched packet;

process the label switched packet based on the header of the label switched packet; and

send the payload of the label switched packet toward a network element.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein, to handle the label switched packet, the at least one memory and the program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to at least:

encode the label value within the label value field or decode the label value from the label value field.

16. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one memory and the program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to at least:

support advertisement of control plane information configured to support use of variable-sized label value fields.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the control plane information includes at least one of a capability of the apparatus to support use of variable-sized label value fields or label information associated with use of variable-sized label value fields.

18. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the control plane information is advertised using at least one of a segment routing control plane or a label switching control plane.

19. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions configured to cause an apparatus to at least:

handle a label switched packet including a header and a payload, wherein the header includes a label value field encoding a label value, wherein a size of the label value field is based on the label value, wherein the label value is encoded in the label value field using a set of label units, wherein a quantity of label units used to encode the label value in the label value field is based on the label value.

20. A method, comprising:

handling a label switched packet including a header and a payload, wherein the header includes a label value field encoding a label value, wherein a size of the label value field is based on the label value, wherein the label value is encoded in the label value field using a set of label units, wherein a quantity of label units used to encode the label value in the label value field is based on the label value.