Generalized Multiprotocol Label Switching also known as GMPLS enhances MPLS architecture by the complete separation of the control and data planes of various networking layers. With the help of this there is a seamless interconnection and convergence of new and legacy which allow end-to-end provisioning, control and traffic engineering even when the start and the end nodes belong to heterogeneous networks.
In particular, GMPLS will provide support for photonic networking, also known as optical communications.
GMPLS is based on the IP routing and addressing models. It involves setting up a specific path for a given sequence of packets by labeling every packet so that a routing table does not have to be referred in order to figure out which outward path a packet should be switched toward its destination.
In summary, GMPLS extends MPLS functionality by establishing and provisioning paths for: