Go to the Cisco IOS Source Specific Multicast (SSM) Homepage

Bidir-PIM

Bidirectional PIM is an extension to the PIM suite of protocols that implements shared sparse trees with bidirectional flow of data. In contrast to PIM-SM, Bidir-PIM avoids keeping source specific state in router and thus allows trees to scale to an arbitrary number of sources.

• Bidir-PIM will be introduced with 12.1(2)T (5/00).
• 12.1(2)T Bidir-PIM documentation on CCO.
• Bidir-PIM information commands, sample configurations, related documents on ftpeng.

IGMP Proxy / Stub multicast routing.

IGMP Proxy is the loosely used term to describe a feature, in which a router does not rely on PIM or other routing protocols to build multicast trees, but instead forwards/proxies IGMP messages from downtree to upstream routers. It is typically used in routers that can not use PIM.
 

Historically, Cisco IOS provides a limited subset of IGMP Proxy functionality through configuration combinations involving ip igmp helper-address and PIM-DM configuration with filtering.

Cisco IOS 12.1 documentation for Stub multicast routing configuration.

Cisco IOS 12.1(5)T introduces flexible IGMP Proxy functionality, extending on this basic configuration mechanisms.

Cisco IOS 12.2 UDLR/IGMP Proxy Configuration Guide

Cisco IOS 12.1(5)T UDLR Tunnel enhancement and IGMP Proxy Feature documentation on CCO.

IGMP v3

IGMP v3 is the newest version of the IGMP protocol with which hosts signal to routers the multicast traffic they want to receive. Version 3 of this protocol adds support for host specific membership reports which amongst other benefits enables SSM. In Cisco IOS, IGMP v3 is part of the SSM solution.
 

Please see the Cisco IOS SSM Homepage for further information.

IGMP v3lite

IGMP v3lite is a Cisco specific SSM transition solution toward IGMPv3 for application developers and users that have to rely on host operating systems that do not yet support IGMPv3. Using IGMP v3lite, application developers can support IGMP v3 for SSM before the host supports IGMP v3 itself in the operating system. IGMP v3lite works together with Cisco IOS routers in the network.
 

Please see the Cisco IOS SSM Homepage for further information

MBGP

Multicast BGP (MBGP) is an application of RFC2283. MBGP is run between BGP peers to exchange a second set of IP routes which are used for IP multicast reachability. For PIM, MBGP is the preferred solution to achieve non-congruent multicast and unicast topologies. MBGP used together with MSDP is the current deployment solution to connect PIM-SM domains.

• MBGP was introduced with 11.1C, 12.0(2)S, 12.0(7)T
• 11.1CC MBGP documentation on CCO.
• 12.1 MBGP documentation on CCO: Configuration guide, Commands Reference.
• Current MBGP commands are contained in Main List of Multicast Commands.
• MBGP information: index, deployment overview, configuration examples
• Configuration Notes:

Translation Updates, Changed BGP/MBGP syntax for newer 12.0T, 12.1 versions of IOS
• RFC2283: Multiprotocol Extensions for BGP-4.

MDS (MDfS)

Multicast Distributed  fast Switching (MDS, or better MDfS) incorporates support for distributed switching of multicast packets at the line cards (VIPs on Cisco-75xx and line cards on the GSR). The switching function is always performed at the line cards so that the Route Processor is used only to do route processing.

• MDS was introduced with 11.1(20)CC and 12.0
• 12.0 MDS documentation on CCO: Configuration Guide, Command Reference
• 12.1 MDS documentation on CCO: Configuration Guide, Command Reference
• Current MDS commands are contained in Main List of Multicast Commands.
• MDS description

MMLS

The IP Multicast Multi Layer Switching (MMLS) feature provides high-performance, hardware based, Layer 3 switching of IP multicast traffic for Catalyst 5000 series LAN switches connected to an IOS based router and for Catalyst-6000 series LAN switches with a PFC/MSFC.

• IP Multicast MLS was introduced with 12.0(5)T in IOS,

with CatOS 5.1 in the Catalyst 5000 family and with CatOS 5.3 in the Catalyst 6000 family.
• 12.0(5)T IP Multicast MLS documentation on CCO.
• 12.1 MMLS documentation on CCO: Configuration Guide, Command Reference
• Catalyst 5000 Release 5.1 IP Multicast MLS documentation on CCO.
• Catalyst 6000 Release 5.3 IP Multicast MLS documentation on CCO.

MRM

The Multicast Reachability Monitor (MRM) feature is a management diagnostic tool that provides network fault detection and isolation in a large multicast routing infrastructure. It is designed to notify a network administrator of multicast routing problems in near real time.

• MRM was introduced with 12.0(5)S and 12.0(5)T
• 12.0(5)S MRM documentation on CCO.
• 12.1 MRM documentation on CCO: Configuration guide, Commands Reference
• MRM guide
• IETF MRM draft:

http://search.ietf.org/internet-drafts/draft-ietf-mboned-mrm-00.txt
• Further outside links.

MSDP

Multicast Source Discovery Protocol is a mechanism to exchange (S,G) information between RPs in PIM-SM domains. It can not only be used in interdomain applications with or without MBGP but also in intradomain applications to achieve RP resilience.

• MSDP was introduced with 11.1CC, 12.0(2)S and 12.0(7)T
• Support for the MSDP MIB was introduced in 12.1(5)T
• 12.0(7)T MSDP documentation on CCO.
• 12.1 MSDP documentation on CCO: Configuration Guide, Commands Reference
• Current MSDP commands are contained in Main List of Multicast Commands.
• Configuration notes:

MSDP and anycast RP
MSDP SA filter recommendations
Participating in Multicast at Multicast Interexchange Points
• Protocol drafts:

/ipmulticast/drafts/draft-ietf-msdp-spec-02.txt
http://search.ietf.org/internet-drafts/draft-ietf-msdp-spec-*.txt
The spec-02 draft most closely describes the protocol used in the current MSDP implementation in IOS, which is also what the other implementations actively deployed in the Internet are being based on. Potential changes in the process of standardization are under discussion in the IETF. The latest draft in the IETF is pointed to by the spec-* link above, but differences over the -02 draft have not been implemented vendors yet. When the draft advances in the IETF standardisation track, the IOS implementation will track it.
• IETF MSDP working group charter.

 
• Cisco IOS supports the MSDP MIB starting with versions 12.0(12)S and 12.1(5)T,

based on draft-ietf-msdp-mib-03.txt.
• 12.0(12)S MSDP MIB documentation on CCO.
• 12.1(5)T MSDP MIB documentation on CCO.

MVoIP - Hoot & Holler over IP

Cisco MVoIP (Multicast Voice over IP) is a Voice over IP application of IP Multicast. It uses Ciscos VoIP technology over IP Multicast to create a replacement for the traditional 'Hoot & Holler' networks used in brokerage firms. Hoot & Holler systems provide continuous voice conference functionality between sets of telephones at different sites (continuously on, no dialing).

• Hoot & Holler was introduced with Cisco IOS 12.1(2)XH for Cisco 2600 and Cisco 3600 series routers and integrated into 12.1(3)T. It will also be integrated into Cisco IOS 12.2 mainline.
• 12.1(3)T Hoot & Holler documentation on CCO.
• 12.1 configuration guide for Voice over IP on CCO.
• Hoot & Holler homepage on CCO.

PGM

Pragmatic General Multicast (PGM) is a reliable multicast transport protocol for applications that require ordered, duplicate free, multicast data delivery from multiple sources to multiple receivers. PGM router assist is the function executed by routers to allow PGM application to scale better. PGM Host is the function executed by hosts running PGM.

• PGM router assist support was introduced in 12.0(5)T.
• 12.0(5)T PGM router assist documentation on CCO.
• 12.1 PGM documentation on CCO: Configuration Guide, Commands Reference
• Ftpeng documentation: PGM commands, Output from PGM show commands.
• IETF PGM draft:  http://www.ietf.org/internet-drafts/draft-speakman-pgm-spec-06.txt
• PGM Host support was introduced in 12.1(1)T.
• 12.1(1)T PGM host documentation on CCO.

Note: There are currently no applications in IOS that utilize the PGM Host stack in IOS.

RGMP

RouterPort Group Management Protocol (RGMP) is a protocol between PIM-SM routers and RGMP supported layer 2 switches to reduce flooding of IP multicast traffic in switched transit networks on the PIM-SM router ports supporting RGMP. It is supplementing IGMP snooping which only reduces flooding to host ports.

• RGMP was introduced with 12.0(10)S / 12.1(1)E / 12.1(5)T in Cisco IOS

and in CatOS 5.4 for Catalyst 4000/5000/6000 series switches.
12.1(5)T RGMP documentation on CCO.
• CatOS 5.4 / Catalyst 6000 RGMP documentation on CCO
• Configuration Note: RGMP

SSM

Source Specific Multicast (SSM) is an extension to the IP Multicast service, with the intend to be better and more easily deployable to and to solve crucial issues like address management and interdomain routing for Internet Broadcast style applications.

• Please see the Cisco IOS SSM Homepage for further information.

State-Refresh

State-refresh is an extension to PM Dense Mode (PIM-DM) protocol. It uses a heartbeat kind of mechanism to avoid period flood and prune behavior.

• State-Refresh for PIM-DM was introduced with Cisco IOS 12.1(5)T.
• 12.1(5)T Feature documentation for State-Refresh on CCO.
• State-Refresh information.
• IETF state-refresh draft: draft-ietf-pim-refresh-00.txt

UDLR

Unidirectional link routing (UDLR) provides a way to forward multicast packets over a physical unidirectional interface (such as a satellite link of high bandwidth) to stub networks that have a back channel. There are two mechanisms: UDLR-Tunnels which applies to unicast and multicast, and IGMP-UDR, which only applies to multicast.

• UDLR support was introduced in IOS-12.0(3)T.
• Major improvements to UDLR tunnels were introduced with IOS-12.1(5)T

(support for ARP, NHRP, IGMP Proxy, ...)
• UDLR Presentation (Overview, Examples) (PDF)
• Cisco IOS 12.2 UDLR/IGMP Proxy Configuration Guide
• 12.1(5)T UDLR Tunnel enhancement and IGMP Proxy Feature documentation on CCO.
• 12.0(3)T UDLR documentation on CCO.
• 12.1 UDLR documentation on CCO:Configuration Guide, Commands Reference
• Configuration note: Using Ethernet as a Unidirectional Link
• UDRL documentation on ftpeng.

UDPTN

UDP TelNet (UDPTN) is a feature in IOS that provides the ability to encapsulate asynchronous data into UDP packets, and then unreliably transmit this data to one (unicast) or more (multicast, broadcast) IOS routers where it is converted back to asynchronous data on a serial interface.

• UDPTN support was introduced in IOS-12.0(5)T.
• 12.0(5)T UDPTN documentation on CCO.
• 12.1 UDPTN documentation on CCO: Configuration Guide, Commands Reference

URD

URD is a Cisco specific SSM transition solution that allows content providers to provide content via SSM even when using legacy applications that do not support IGMPv3 or IGMP v3lite. URD relies on URLs provided by the content server that are intercepted by the last-hop router to transmit the source address information. URD is completely transparent to the application and can thus be provided for wthout any changes to the host software. URD works together with Cisco IOS routers.
 

Please see the Cisco IOS SSM Homepage for further information.