IP multicast is fully deployed accross the HEAnet backbone. WWe currently have MBGP/MSDP peerings with Tiscali, TeliaSonera, GEANT, JANET and Magnet Networks.

Please follow the below steps to enable multicast on your campus network :

Note : If you are using an RP on your campus network please contact HEAnet NOC to enable multicast/MSDP peering.

1) Contact HEAnet NOC to ensure that PIM Sparse Mode is enabled on the interface connected to your router.

2) Ensure campus switches are capable of IGMP snooping. They will need IGMP snooping to ensure multicast packets aren't treated as broadcasts and flooded out all ports. If switches aren't IGMP snooping capable there may be alternative protocols available from your switch vendor. For instance if you are using only cisco equipment CGMP can be used. For all other vendors consult vendor documentation.

3) Enable IP multicast routing on router facing HEAnet and on every router in the campus network with connected machines which require multicast.

4) Configure PIM RP address. (193.1.238.145) on router facing HEAnet and on every router in the campus network with connected machines which require multicast.

5) Configure SSM for default address range.

6) Enable PIM-Sparse-Mode on interface to HEAnet and on every interface on every router in the network with connected machines which require multicast.

7) Configure access-list and apply to interface to HEAnet to prevent leakage of local/internal multicast groups and to allow multicast traffic through.

8)
Install SDR : http://www-mice.cs.ucl.ac.uk/multimedia/software/
Install VideoLAN : http://www.videolan.org
Attempt to join "places all over the world" in SDR.
Attempt to join "internet2 netcast" in VideoLAN SAP playlist.
Attempt to view BBC Radio/TV channels : http://support.bbc.co uk/multicast/streams.html

9) Check network usage to ensure that IGMP is working correctly and only the correct end users are receiving the streams.

Sample configuration for Cisco router facing HEAnet :

ip multicast-routing
!
int x
ip pim sparse-mode
ip multicast boundary 50
!
ip pim rp-address 193.1.238.145 override
ip pim ssm default
!
access-list 50 deny 224.0.1.2
access-list 50 deny 224.0.1.3
access-list 50 deny 224.0.1.22
access-list 50 deny 224.0.1.24
access-list 50 deny 224.0.1.35
access-list 50 deny 224.0.1.39
access-list 50 deny 224.0.1.40
access-list 50 deny 224.0.1.60
access-list 50 deny 224.0.2.2
access-list 50 deny 229.55.150.208
access-list 50 deny 239.0.0.0 0.255.255.255
access-list 50 permit 224.0.0.0 15.255.255.255

Sample configuration for Cisco router in campus network :

ip multicast-routing
!
int x
ip pim sparse-mode
!
ip pim rp-address 193.1.238.145 override
ip pim ssm default

Further Information: If you wish to use a multicast source group address with global reachability you will need a specific multicast group address.HEAnet have been assigned the GLOP addresses 233.4.189.0/24 for this purpose. If you wish to use one of these addresses on a long term basis please inform HEAnet NOC so we can keep a record of your assignment. SSM will remove the need for globally reachable class D group addresses as the tuple of unicast IP and group address will ensure global uniqueness.

For a selection of links with information on multicast :

Andrew Daviel, at TRIUMF in Canada