RFC 2102 (rfc2102) - Page 1 of 23

Multicast Support for Nimrod : Requirements and Solution Approaches

Network Working Group                                     R. Ramanathan
Request for Comments: 2102                 BBN Systems and Technologies
Category: Informational                                   February 1997


  Multicast Support for Nimrod :  Requirements and Solution Approaches


Status of this Memo

   This memo provides information for the Internet community.  This memo
   does not specify an Internet standard of any kind.  Distribution of
   this memo is unlimited.

Abstract

   Nimrod does not specify a particular solution for multicasting.
   Rather, Nimrod may use any of a number of emerging multicast
   techniques.  We identify the requirements that Nimrod has of a
   solution for multicast support.  We compare existing approaches for
   multicasting within an internetwork and discuss their advantages and
   disadvantages.  Finally, as an example, we outline the mechanisms to
   support multicast in Nimrod using the scheme currently being
   developed within the IETF - namely, the Protocol Indpendent Multicast
   (PIM) protocol.

Table of Contents

   1  Introduction.................................................  2
   2  Multicast vs Unicast.........................................  3
   3  Goals and Requirements.......................................  4
   4  Approaches...................................................  6
   5  A Multicasting Scheme based on PIM........................... 10
      5.1 Overview ................................................ 10
      5.2 Joining and Leaving a Tree .............................. 12
          5.2.1 An Example ........................................ 15
      5.3 Establishing a Shared Tree .............................. 16
      5.4 Switching to a Source-Rooted Shortest Path Tree.......... 18
      5.5 Miscellaneous Issues..................................... 20
   6  Security Considerations...................................... 21
   7  Summary...................................................... 21
   8  References................................................... 22
   9  Acknowledgements............................................. 23
   10 Author's Address............................................. 23







Ramanathan                   Informational