All things related to multicast

[Alan Crosswell <>]

Please comment on the following proposed goals for the Internet2 Multicast 
Working Group.  I would like to hear your opinions of things that you think 
should be dropped from or added to the list, and whether you have any interest 
in volunteering your time to help meet the goals.

Some of this work is done by volunteers.  Some is done by Abilene engineering 
staff.  Some is done by Internet2 staff.

Mission

See http://multicast.internet2.edu/wg-multicast-charter.shtml for the current 
mission statement.  I'm no good at mission statements.  Someone want to take a 
crack at revising this or is it good enough?

Goals

1. Encourage Source-Specific Multicast SSM
   - Why? Because MSDP won't scale and doesn't exist in IPv6.
   - How: Work with commercial I2 members, other vendors, and freeware
     producers to make their products SSM-capable.  This primarly means
     IGMPv3 support in
     a. end systems OSes (XP, Linux done.  MacOS X, other BSDs not done)
     b. black boxes (e.g. Vbrick)
     c. client software (e.g. Real Player, Windows Media Player,
        StreamPlayerII, etc.)
        (Note that VLC already does SSM)
     d. switches

2. Collect and disseminate multicast testing and debugging tools.  Much of 
this
   has been done already but the tool list needs to be cleaned up and 
extended.

3. Continue to deliver training through Hands-on Workshops.

4. IPv6 Multicast
   a. Work with v6 working group to bridge v6 and multicast workshop content.
   b. Encourage use of embedded RP in Abilene and other R&E networks.
   c. Make sure the toolset for v4 also works for v6.
   d. Work with switch vendors to encourage/evaluate MLDv2 support.

5. Liaison with related working groups
   a. IETF MAGMA
   b. Internet2 bigvideo, v6, measurement, routing, etc.
   c. Security group(s)
   d. International R&E groups

6. Push commodity ISP adoption of multicast routing
   a. Talk to the ISPs and try to convince them of the value.
   b. Work through the Quilt and gigapops to make multicast routing a
      requirement for ISP contracts.  Highlight those ISPs that already
      offer multicast peering.
   c. Talk to home access provider ISPs to try and encourage multicast support
      so our residential broadband users see the same benefit as our on-campus
      users.

7. Clean up the http://multicast.internet2.edu web site.

8. Invent the multicast killer app:-)


Thanks.
/a