Whither Multicast: An Informal Multicast BoF Meeting

Monday, 24 April, 17:15 - 17:45
Room: Bosphorus II

Marshall Eubanks

Although Multicast deployment may seem to be languishing, Multicast is actually seeing increasing use in a number of areas. For example, IP Multicast is a crucial component of many "triple play" networks for video deployment, Multicast has, through MBMS and BCMCS, been integrated into the architecture of 3G wireless networks, and there is extensive work at present on Multicast Virtual Private Networks, at both Layer 2 and Layer 3.

The Multicast Backbone Deployment (Mboned) Working Group of the IETF is an operational working group concerned with all aspects of Multicast deployment. Since many of the recent developments in the application of Multicast do not fit the global deployment model assumed in the Mboned charter, there is a worry that the needs of the operational Multicast community have diverged from the issues currently addressed by the working group.

The BoF at the RIPE 52 meeting in Istanbul is an attempt to bring Mboned closer to the operator community and to help the working group better understand the current practice of Multicast. I will describe the trends that I see at present and ways in which the working group may address those trends. Time will be given for people in the audience to describe their experiences with and plans for Multicast, and to suggest ways that the Mboned working group might better suit their needs. The meeting is open to all RIPE Meeting attendees who are interested in Multicast.