All things related to multicast

["R. P. Channing Rodgers, M.D." <>]

Lary et al.,

> From: "Lawrence A. Rowe" 
> <>
> 
> Hi -
> 

[...deletions...]
> one of the problems we're facing now is that the multicast protocols are
> changing and not all router vendors support them.
[...deletions...]
> Seems like there are several things we as a community might do.
 
> 1. Establish some sort of interoperability test center.  Perhaps someone
> would like to setup a laboratory within which vendors can bring there
> equipment to work out multicast problems.

This is a terrific idea -- but who and where and funded how?  Seems to
me that this is the sort of thing that the IP Multicast Initiative
(http://www.ipmulticast.com/) ought to support, or perhaps another group
of major vendors, perhaps setting it up at and through a university.

> 2. We really need a way to deploy multicast. [...deletions...]
> As far as I know, there is no PIM-SM/MGPD public domain software
> implementation that we could deploy

[...deletions...]

> I suppose this comment is heresy, but comments?
>       Larry
> -- 
> Professor Lawrence A. Rowe          Internet:  
> 
> Computer Science Division - EECS       Phone: 510-642-5117
> University of California, Berkeley       Fax: 510-642-5615
> Berkeley, CA 94720-1776            URL: http://bmrc.berkeley.edu/~larry

If it's heresy, you can plant my stake next to yours on the bonfire.
Solutions to these issues are long overdue, and the lack of solutions
is truly hindering a wider understanding of the virtues and potential
of multicast technology.

Cheerio, Rick Rodgers