Internet2 IPv4 Multicast Workshops

Purpose

The IPv4 Multicast Workshop will focus primarily on IPv4 multicast technologies and implementation with a brief discussion of IPv6 Multicast. Students will design and configure a set of inter-connected multicast networks through a series of hands-on exercises. The workshop will be divided into 4 teams consisting of no more than 5 attendees. Each team will configure 3 types of routers in their own network and interconnect their network with other teams' networks.

It is our expectation that, after having experienced a workshop as a student, an attendee will be able to engineer multicast networks within his/her campus or gigaPoP, to explain multicast engineering concepts to peers, and, in some cases, to help teach or facilitate future multicast workshops. It is strongly suggested that participants have previous experience with router configuration, and basic routing protocols. While a variety of Multicast-related topics will be covered, the primary focus will be on understanding how to configure routers to support Multicast. Participants with backgrounds in configuring campus routers (particularly BGP configuration) will benefit the most from the workshop labs.

Registration for Upcoming Workshops

Registration for open workshops is available via http://events.internet2.edu/ and limited to 20 participants. Because space is limited, there will be a waiting list for each workshop. The fee for the workshop is $550 for members and $650 for non-members.

Host/Roster	Location/Logistical Information	Dates	Registration	Evaluation
University of Connecticut	Connecticut Education Network Department of Information Technology (DOIT) 101 East River Drive East Hartford, CT 06108	March 9-11, 2010	OPEN to members	N/A
Carnegie Mellon University	Carnegie Mellon University Center McKenna/Peter/Wright Room 5000 Forbes Ave. Pittsburgh, PA 15213	March 3-5, 2009	CLOSED	CLOSED
Merit Network, Inc.	Michigan Information Technology Center (MITC), 1000 Oakbrook Drive, Room 134 Ann Arbor, MI, 48104	October 17-19, 2008	CLOSED	CLOSED
Indiana University Purdue University, Indianapolis (IUPUI) campus	Informatics and Communications Technology Complex (ICTC) Building, room 203 535 W. Michigan St. Indianapolis. IN	December 12-14, 2007	CLOSED	CLOSED
Georgia Tech	Global Learning Center, Room 154 Atlanta, GA	November 6-8, 2007	CLOSED	CLOSED
University of Minnesota	Coffman Memorial Union, Room 303 Minneapolis, MN	Feburary 9-11, 2007	CLOSED	CLOSED

Links to previous workshops can be found HERE. Individuals interested in hosting a future workshop should contact Elaine Lauerman and see the Planning Guide for Host Institutions. For more information about all Internet2 workshops, email workshops@internet2.edu.

Workshop Content

Topics to be covered at this workshop include:

• Router Configuration
• Multicast addressing
• Protocol Soup
• IGMP - (Internet Group Membership Protocol) used by hosts and routers to tell each other about group membership
• PIM-SM (Protocol Independent Multicast - Sparse Mode) used to propagate forwarding state between routers.
• SSM (Source Specific Multicast), which uses a subset of PIM's functionality to guarantee source-only trees in the 232/8 range.
• MSDP (Multicast Source Discovery Protocol) used to exchange ASM active source information between RPs.
• MBGP (Multiprotocol BGP) used to exchange routing information for interdomain RPF checking.
• Deploying multicast in a multi-vendor environment.

What to Bring

Students are asked to bring a wireless-enabled laptop (802.11b/g) if you have one. Please install the standard tools (vic/vat/rat/sdr/vlc), rtpqual, iperf and ethereal on your laptops as well as mtrace and any other debugging tools that you find useful. See this tools page for download sites.

Recommended Reading

An essential reference for workshop attendees is Interdomain Multicast Routing: Practical Juniper Networks and Cisco Systems Solutions by Brian M. Edwards, Leonard A. Giuliano, and Brian R. Wright. This book contains extensive Cisco and Juniper configuration information and an excellent glossary. Also, Chapters 1-7 give a detailed overview of multicast protocols; students SHOULD read Chapters 1-7 in their entirety before attending the workshop. Students MUST buy or borrow a copy of this book, and bring it to the workshop.

Sponsors/Acknowledgements

Cisco Systems and Juniper Networks are sponsors of the Internet2 Multicast Workshop Series. Cisco Systems provided 2651XM routers and network modules and memory for 3640 routers, and Juniper Networks provided M-7i routers.

Contributors include Columbia University, Argonne National Laboratory, NCSA, University of Iowa, Indiana University, University of Oregon, University of Utah, NYSERnet and Ohio State University who have provided presenters for individual workshops.

Thanks to Greg Shepherd, Marshall Eubanks, Bill Nickless, Patrick Dorn, Beau Williamson, University of Oregon, Cisco Systems, and Juniper Networks for their contributions to the workshop documentation.