MP-BGP (Multiprotocol Border Gateway Protocol) An IPv6-enabled routing protocol used to announce IPv6 routes across MPLS tunnels. MPEG (Moving Picture Experts Group) The ISO standards body responsible for the MPEG international video compression standards. MPEG-1 addresses VHS-quality images with 1.5Mbps data rate. MPEG-1 can play back from a single-speed CD-ROM player at 352 X 240 (i.e., quarter-screen) at 30 frames per second (fps). MPEG-2, which today is the compression scheme of choice, addresses DTV-or computer-quality-images with a 6Mbps data rate. MPEG-2 offers resolutions of 720 480 and 1,280 X 720 at 30fps, with full CD-quality audio. MPEG-3 will address HDTV-quality images, at data rates up to 60Mbps. MPEG-4, an evolution of MPEG-2, features audio, video, and systems layers and offers VBR encoding for both narrowband and broadband delivery in a single file. It also uses an object-based compression method, rather than MPEG-2's frame-based compression. MPEG-4 allows objects-such as two-dimensional or three- dimensional video objects, text, graphics, and sound-to be manipulated and made interactive through Web-like hyperlinks and/or multimedia triggers. MPEG-4 Advanced Video Compression (AVC) is a digital video codec standard noted for achieving very high data compression. MPEG-7 is a multimedia content description standard for information searching. MPEG-21 is a frame- work for the all-electronic creation, production, delivery, and trade of content. Glossary MPLS (Multiprotocol Label Switching) MPLS (Multiprotocol Label Switching) An IETF initiative that integrates Layer 2 infor- mation about network links (e.g., bandwidth, latency, utilization) into Layer 3 (IP) within a par- ticular autonomous system in order to simplify and improve IP packet exchange. MPLS gives network operators a great deal of flexibility to divert and route traffic around link failures, con- gestion, and bottlenecks. MPAS (Multiprotocol Lambda Switching) A variation of MPLS in which specific wave- lengths serve in place of labels as