Multicast Architecture - Huawei Quidway S3900 Series Operation Manual

Operation Manual – Multicast Protocol
Quidway S3900 Series Ethernet Switches-Release 1510
II. Application of multicast
The multicast technology effectively addresses the issue of point-to-multipoint data
transmission. By enabling high-efficiency point-to-multipoint data transmission, over an
IP network, multicast greatly saves network bandwidth and reduces network load.
Multicast provides the following applications:
Applications of multimedia and flow media, such as Web TV, Web radio, and
real-time video/audio conferencing.
Communication for training and cooperative operations, such as remote
education.
Database and financial applications (stock), and so on.
Any point-to-multiple-point data application.

1.2 Multicast Architecture

The purpose of IP multicast is to transmit information from a multicast source to
receivers in the multicast mode and to satisfy information requirements of receivers.
You should be concerned about:
Host registration: What receivers reside on the network?
Technologies of discovering a multicast source: Which multicast source should the
receivers receive information from?
Multicast addressing mechanism: Where should the multicast source transports
information to?
Multicast routing: How is information transported?
IP multicast is a kind of peer-to-peer service. Based on the protocol layer sequence
from bottom to top, the multicast mechanism contains addressing mechanism, host
registration, multicast routing, and multicast application, as shown in Figure 1-4:
Multicast Multicast
application application
...... ......
Host Host
registration registration
Addressing Addressing
mechanism mechanism
Multicast Multicast
source source
(Host) (Host)
Figure 1-4 Architecture of the multicast mechanism
The multicast addressing mechanism involves the planning of multicast addresses.
Host registration and multicast routing are implemented based on the IP multicast
protocol. Multicast application software is not described in this chapter.
Multicast Multicast
route route
Host Host
...... ......
registration registration
Addressing Addressing
mechanism mechanism
Multicast router Multicast router
Huawei Technologies Proprietary
1-5
Chapter 1 Multicast Overview
Multicast Multicast
application application
Multicast Multicast
...... ......
route route
Host Host Host Host
registration registration registration registration
Addressing Addressing Addressing Addressing
mechanism mechanism mechanism mechanism
Multicast router Multicast router
Receiver Receiver
(Host) (Host)