Was MPLS Necessary?

"(The inaugural session contained a number of memorable talks, such as David Clark’s actually-not-outrageous position that networking people should all become economists.)"

Long ago I was a network engineer including a stint with a major ISP where I was knee deep in the design and implementation of MPLS TE on the backbone. I have a BA in economics, so I was the opposite of the above quote. I was an economist who became a networking person.

MPLS will die, we will kill it. Although for that to happen, IPv6 will need to dominate networks and old/slow hardware will need to be retired.

No but neither was tcp/ip.

However both added value.

In the late 90s it was ATM and Frame Relay v MPLS.

rough consensus and running code culminates to standards.

But none of its necessary.

Probably. LDP on other hand - no. Not really.