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Internet Protocol (IP) multicast is a routing technique that allows IP traffic to be sent from one source or multiple sources and delivered to multiple destinations. Instead of sending individual packets to each destination, a single packet is sent to a multicast group, which is identified by a single IP destination group address. IP multicast routing arose because unicast and broadcast techniques do not handle the requirements of new applications efficiently. Multicast addressing, for example, supports the transmission of a single IP datagram to multiple hosts. This chapter focuses on the leading multicast routing options. Figure 39-1 illustrates the general nature of a multicast environment
A principle component of IP multicast is the Internet Group-Membership Protocol (IGMP). IGMP relies on Class D IP addresses for the creation of multicast groups and is defined in RFC 1112. IGMP is used to dynamically register individual hosts in a multicast group with a Class D address. Hosts identify group memberships by sending IGMP messages, and traffic is sent to all members of that multicast group. Under IGMP, routers listen to IGMP messages and periodically send out queries to discover which groups are active or inactive on particular LANs. Routers communicate with each other by using one or more protocols to build multicast routes for each group.
Several routing protocols are used to discover multicast groups and to build routes for each group. These include Protocol-Independent Multicast (PIM), Distance-Vector Multicast Routing Protocol (DVMRP), and Multicast Open Shortest Path First (MOSPF). The following table summarizes the unicast requirements needed and flooding algorithms used for each protocol. Table 39-1 summarizes the multicast routing option.
| Protocol | Unicast Protocol Requirements | Flooding Algorithm |
|---|---|---|
PIM-dense mode | Any | Reverse path flooding (RPF) |
PIM-sparse mode | Any | RPF |
DVMRP | Internal, RIP-like routing protocol | RPF |
MOSPF | Open Shortest Path First (OSPF) | Shortest-path first (SPF) |
The PIM dense mode uses a process of reverse path flooding that is similar to the DVMRP. Differences exist, however, between dense mode PIM and DVMRP. PIM, for example, does not require a particular unicast protocol to determine which interface leads back to the source of a data stream. DVMRP employs its own unicast protocol, while PIM uses whatever unicast protocol the internetwork is using.
The PIM sparse mode is optimized for internetworks with many data streams but relatively few LANs. It defines a rendezvous point that is then used as a registration point to facilitate the proper routing of packets.
When a sender wants to transmit data, the first-hop router (with respect to the source) node sends data to the rendezvous point. When a receiver wants to receive data, the last-hop router (with respect to the receiver) registers with the rendezvous point. A data stream then can flow from the sender to the rendezvous point and to the receiver. Routers in the path optimize the path and automatically remove any unnecessary hops, even at the rendezvous point.
Reflooding and DVMRP unicast are used in DVMRP path-flooding operations. In reflooding, DVMRP routers periodically reflood an attached network to reach new hosts. The flooding mechanism uses an algorithm that takes into account the frequency of flooding and the time required for a new multicast group member to receive the data stream. DVMRP unicast is used to determine which interface leads back to the source of a data stream. It is unique to DVMRP but is similar to RIP in that it is based on hop count. The DVMRP unicast environment permits the use of a different path than the path used for multicast traffic.
An MOSPF router calculates routes from the source to all possible group members for a particular multicast group. MOSPF routers include multicast information in OSPF link states. MOSPF calculates the routes for each source/multicast group pair when the router receives traffic for that pair, and routes are cached until a topology change occurs. MOSPF then recalculates the topology.
Several MOSPF implementation issues have been identified and require consideration. First, MOSPF works only in internetworks that use OSPF. In addition, MOSPF is best suited for environments with relatively few active source/group pairs. MOSPF can take up significant router CPU bandwidth in environments that have many active source/group pairs or that are unstable.
Posted: Thu Jun 17 16:21:57 PDT 1999
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