L2VPN Configuration Guide for Cisco 8000 Series Routers, Cisco IOS XR Releases

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L2VPN Configuration Guide for Cisco 8000 Series Routers, Cisco IOS XR Releases

Virtual circuit connection verification features

Updated: June 15, 2026

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Introduces virtual circuit connection verification capabilities, detailing mechanisms and operational packet handling required to monitor, validate, and troubleshoot L2VPN connectivity using robust verification processes.

Virtual circuit connection verification is a Layer 2 VPN operations, administration, and maintenance feature that

  • runs an IP-based provider edge-to-provider edge keepalive protocol across a specified pseudowire

  • verifies that pseudowire data-path forwarding does not contain faults, and

  • uses a control channel that is negotiated when the pseudowire is established.

Feature history

The feature history table lists release support for this feature.

Table 1. Feature History Table

Feature Name

Release Information

Feature Description

Virtual Circuit Connection Verification on L2VPN

 Release 26.2.1

Introduced in this release on: Modular Systems (8800 [LC ASIC: K100])(select variants only*);

*This feature is supported on Cisco 88-LC1-48Y8H-EM line cards.

Virtual Circuit Connection Verification on L2VPN

Release 24.4.1

Introduced in this release on: Fixed Systems (8700) (select variants only*)

*The VCCV functionality is now extended to the Cisco 8712-MOD-M routers.

Virtual Circuit Connection Verification on L2VPN

Release 24.3.1

Introduced in this release on: Fixed Systems (8200 [ASIC: Q200, P100], 8700 [ASIC: P100])(select variants only*); Modular Systems (8800 [LC ASIC: Q100, Q200, P100])(select variants only*

*The VCCV functionality is now extended to:

  • 8212-48FH-M

  • 8711-32FH-M

  • 88-LC1-52Y8H-EM

  • 88-LC1-12TH24FH-E

Virtual Circuit Connection Verification on L2VPN

Release 24.2.11

Introduced in this release on: Modular Systems (8800 [LC ASIC: P100]) (select variants only*)

Virtual Circuit Connection Verification (VCCV) enhances network reliability by enabling operators to detect and troubleshoot faults in the pseudowire data path, ensuring uninterrupted data transmission. It utilizes an IP-based keepalive protocol between provider edges (PEs) across a specified pseudowire, with VCCV packets managed on a dedicated control channel.

*This functionality is now extended to routers with the 88-LC1-36EH line cards.

Virtual circuit connection verification packet handling

Virtual Circuit Connection Verification (VCCV) is an L2VPN Operations, Administration, and Maintenance (OAM) feature that enables network operators to run IP-based provider edge-to-provider edge (PE-to-PE) keepalive protocols across a specified pseudowire, ensuring the pseudowire data path is free from faults. The disposition PE receives VCCV packets on a control channel associated with the pseudowire. Control channel type and connectivity verification type are negotiated during pseudowire establishment between PEs in each direction.

Two types of packets can arrive at the disposition egress:

  • Type 1—Specifies normal Ethernet-over-MPLS (EoMPLS) data packets.

  • Type 2—Specifies VCCV packets.

Cisco 8000 series routers support Label Switched Path (LSP) VCCV Type 1, which uses an inband control word if enabled during signaling. The VCCV echo reply is sent as IPv4, which is the reply mode in IPv4. The reply may be forwarded as IP, MPLS, or a combination of both.

VCCV ping counters are:

  • Counted in MPLS forwarding on the egress side

  • On the ingress side, sourced by the route processor and not counted as MPLS forwarding counters