Multicasting is the technique that is used for sending packets to large

number of users in IP network by using different types of source based

and shared trees. The multicasting is commonly used in different
applications of internet such as IPTV, Video Conferencing, Seminars, Web
meeting and others. There are different practical applications that are
commonly using the multicasting techniques such as iTV player,
multiparty gaming and others. The multicasting provides more benefits
and features as compare to unicast services. There are different types of
protocols used for configuration of multicasting in IP networks such as
Internet Group Management Protocol (IGMP), and Protocol Independent
Multicast (PIM). These protocols are providing different functions in
multicast networks such as IGMP provides efficient management of
information about hosts and PIM provides services for transmitting video
packets from source to multicast groups. The multicasting is depending on
multicast group, whereas three modes of PIM can be used in IP network
such as Dense mode, Sparse mode and Sparse-Dense mode. The dense
mode is providing source based services in multicast network by flooding
traffic directly from source to multicast groups in (S,G) fashion. The Sparse
mode is using designated routers to function as rendezvous points in
multicast network. The Sparse-dense mode is function as both dense and
sparse mode. The rendezvous points can be deployed by using three
different methods such as Static RP method, Dynamic RP with Auto-RP
and Dynamic RP with Bootstrap routers. This report is helping Sleeze
Company to understand the in depth information about multicasting
networks, whereas explanations are provided in terms of PIM modes, RP
deployment methods and recommendations to deploy multicast network
in their hotel chains.
2. PIM Modes:
The multicasting networks are heavily relying on Protocol Independent
Multicast (PIM) protocol, whereas all services provided between multicast
sources and membership hosts are decided by PIM protocols. The three

different types of mode are used within PIM protocol, whereas these three
modes differ with each other in terms of their operations and functions.
2.1 PIM Dense mode:
The mode of PIM protocol recognised for flooding of multicast traffic
among all the registered hosts of multicast networks is called as PIM
Dense Mode. The operation of PIM dense mode is depending on two
types of messages from membership hosts such as join and prune
messages. All the hosts requesting to join the multicast group are flooded
with multicast traffic until multicast source router receives the prune
message from membership host. There are different functions of PIM
dense mode in multicasting networks such as high security through
encryption techniques, interactions of MGSB and IGMP, protection from
denial of service attacks, source based tree management and services,
and encoded unicast features. These functions are provided by PIM dense
mode by using the mechanism of Reverse Path Forwarding (RPF),
whereas all operations of dense mode are conducted through RPF
mechanism. The source is sending traffic to multicast groups after
receiving the join requests, whereas these sources stop sending multicast
traffic after receiving prune message from hosts. There is no designated
router required for this mode of PIM protocol, whereas sources can provide
multicast services to different hosts in multicast network. (Minoli, 2008).
The operation of PIM dense mode can be understood by explaining the
RPF mechanism and Source based tree mechanism. During the IP
multicast routing, the routers are forwarding the packets away from
source in order to make progress along the distribution tree, whereas
these packets are forwarded away to prevent routing loops. The tables are
organised by using the reverse path mechanism, whereas multicast
forwarding state of router is logically defining the reverse path from
receive to root of distribution tree. The whole mechanism is called RPF
mechanism, whereas PIM dense mode is using the RPF tables to multicast
traffic from source to all willing hosts. The PIM dense mode is operating as
Push model, whereas traffic is flooded to all PIM neighbours. All

multicasting is depending on source and failure can result in closure of

whole tree. (Cisco, 2001). The operation of PIM dense mode can be
explained by provided figure 1.

Figure 1: Operation of PIM Dense mode for flooding multicast traffic (Cisco,
2001)
2.2 PIM Sparse Mode:
The mode of PIM protocol using shared tree mechanism for multicasting
traffic in network by using the designated router is called PIM sparse
mode. The designated routers are commonly known as rendezvous points,
whereas these designated routers are responsible for managing and
forwarding multicast packets to hosts without disturbing the multicast
source. There can be single or multiple RPs in multicast network, whereas
only one RP is active in multicast network. The active RP is collecting
information about joining hosts through multicast routing table, whereas
RPs are making specific source or any source based trees for multicasting
packets. The Multicasting Routing Information Base MRIB is used for
storing the information collected from multicast routing table about joining
hosts.

There are two versions of PIM sparse mode, whereas these two

versions can support different techniques for deployment of RP such as

static RP and bootstrap RP. There are different functions of PIM sparse
mode such as efficient mechanism for failover of RP, auto selection of RP,
mapping agents to determine RP, high security, less attacks and
vulnerabilities, faster delivery of multicast packet, less interference with
source, shared tree mechanism, proper identification of joining hosts, hello
message mechanism, and high QoS features. (Harte, 2008).
The operation of PIM sparse mode can be explained by understanding the
shared tree mechanism. This PIM mode is using IGMP and MLD protocols
for operation in shared tree; where as asserted messages are sent and
processed for providing the routing metrics for destination host addresses.
The shared tree multicasting is denoted by (*, G) in multicasting routing,
whereas shared trees are using common root placed (RP) for sending
packets to multicast groups. The unidirectional traffic from multicast
groups are sent to RP, whereas RP is connected with source tree and
respond back to requesting multicast group in shared tree multicasting
mode. Thus, the whole operation is managed by RP in shared tree fashion,
whereas fast responses are provided to multicast group through shared
content mechanism. (Cisco, 2007). The given below figure 2 is showing
the operation of PIM sparse mode with router D functioning as RP in
shared tree multicasting.

Figure 2: Example of PIM sparse mode with router D as rendezvous point

(Cisco, 2007)

2.3 PIM Sparse Dense Mode:

The mode of PIM protocol that uses both dense and sparse mode
characteristics is known as PIM dense sparse mode. This mode is usually
configured in mixed multicasting networks, where both sparse and dense
multicasting is required. The functions of both dense and sparse mode can
be obtained by using this combined mode, whereas whole mechanism is
depending on multicast group. This mode is more suitable in large
multicast networks, whereas most suitable technique with PIM sparse
dense mode is based on selection of dynamic RP through Auto-RP
technique. (Cisco, 2007). The major functions of this mode are high
security, efficient quality of service, multi-mode operation, services for all
multicast group, efficient delivery of multicast packets and support for
multiple RPs. The operation of PIM sparse dense mode is similar to
previous modes, depending on which mode is active for multicast group.
The configuration is also same for enabling multicast services; only the
command IP pim-sparse-dense is defined on each interface. This mode
is also capable of operating in both source tree and shared tree multicast.
The Auto-RP feature is considered the most beneficial function of PIM
sparse dense mode for automatically selecting the RP with highest IP
address. (Juniper, 2011; Cisco, 2007).