H3C S7500E Series Ethernet Switches Operation Manual

Operation Manual – Multicast

H3C S7500E Series Ethernet Switches Chapter 1 Multicast Overview

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1.3.2 Multicast Protocols

 Note:

z Generally, we refer to IP multicast working at the network layer as Layer 3 multicast

and the corresponding multicast protocols as Layer 3 multicast protocols, which

include IGMP/MLD, PIM/IPv6 PIM, and MSDP; we refer to IP multicast working at

the data link layer as Layer 2 multicast and the corresponding multicast protocols as

Layer 2 multicast protocols, which include IGMP Snooping/MLD Snooping, and

multicast VLAN/IPv6 multicast VLAN.

z IGMP Snooping, IGMP, multicast VLAN, PIM and MSDP are for IPv4, MLD

Snooping, MLD, IPv6 multicast VLAN, and IPv6 PIM are for IPv6.

This section provides only general descriptions about applications and functions of the

Layer 2 and Layer 3 multicast protocols in a network. For details of these protocols,

refer to the specific chapters.

I. Layer 3 multicast protocols

Layer 3 multicast protocols include multicast group management protocols and

multicast routing protocols.

Figure 1-7 describes where these multicast protocols are in

a network.

AS 1 AS 2

Source

Receiver

PIM/IPv6 PIM

MSDP

IGMP/MLD

Figure 1-7 Positions of Layer 3 multicast protocols

1) Multicast management protocols

Typically, the internet group management protocol (IGMP) or multicast listener

discovery protocol (MLD) is used between hosts and Layer 3 multicast devices directly