MPLS IP/TV

[SaeedBakh_2]

we have MPLS network and we are planning to introduce IP/TV services to the customers,

Our core consist of two GSR 12406 (PRP2) and we have PE's 10X  7206VXR and  7609-S with RSP720 PE's every where,

i would like to know what is required to introduce IP/TV services ,and what i need to configure on the PE and P to enable this services or how to configure the multicast services here for this service.

Regards,

Ahmed

[Reza Sharifi]

Ahmed,

It depends on how you are providing the TV signals.  If you are providing TV using Dish Network then you need to convert the RF signal that comes in usually via Coax cable from the roof top to the IP. Then you would need to put a single TV channel in a different multicast group. On the TV side, you need to buy Cisco DMP or some thing like to convert the HTMI signal coming from TV to IP using a RJ45 type connector.  If the signal is coming to you via cable then The provider can peer with you using IP, but you still need to run Multicast for TV channels and repeat the same section an the TV side.

HTH

Reza

[SaeedBakh_2]

hi , what i need is information about the MPLS what is needed from this perspective and what is the configuration required. for multicast.

[Mohamed Sobair]

Ahmad,

You need to enable multicasting VPN (MVPN)  in your MPLS Network , you need to have Pim Sparse mode configured between all your P routers interfaces and between your PE and P interfaces. and you also need to have Pim sparse-dense mode enabled on the Egress PE interfaces where the clients are connected.

You need to make sure that you have a unique Multicast group per each vrf (Customer vrf), this group is so called the (MDT Data Group), a unique source is also required, this source interface recommended to be the Loopback of the originating BGP session id. The Loopback interface of the originating BGP session id should be pim enabled.

You also need to configure and (MDT default Multicast Group), this is primarily used to forward all Pim messages including control messages within MPLS Network (pim enabled interfaces).

after that, a MTI (Multicast tunnel GRE interface) will be automatically created between all your PE routers, this Tunnel is used to unicast all Multicast packets between your P and PE routers.

You should be informed that the service provider is totally transparent when customers multicast traffic gets transfered over the MPLS backbone

when this is done,  you have Multicast MPLS supported backbone and you can enable multicast services for your clients as well as tunnel transparently a customer multicast traffic.

Please check the below link for more information:

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/ios/12_2s/feature/guide/fs_mvpn.html

Regards,

Mohamed

[Vaibhava Varma]

Hi Ahmad

Apart from MVPN which is VRF Specific providing multicast services to MPLS L3 VPN customers another option to provide IPTV services to your regular HSI customers would be to deploy PIM SSM in your network at the edge routers serving the customers and use PIM SM across the backbone.

This way we would not need any RP and  would help reduce the Multicast State for the MDTs in the Core .

This will require for IGMPv3 to be used from Multicast Users side but we can also use PIM SSM Map on the edge routers if receivers don't yet support it.

Thanks & Regards

Vaibhava Varma

[SaeedBakh_2]

Is it required IGMP snooping and IGMP proxy to have service provide core for IP/TV.

Is the 7206VXR NPE-G1 can be PE for such IP/TV services.

[Vaibhava Varma]

HI Ahmad

IGMP Snooping and IGMP Proxy will be needed in case of providing IPTV over L2VPN solution typically using VPLS in the core for HSI Services e.g Porividng IPTV for DSL Customers whereby we use MPLS Core as Pure L2 Transport.

From my best understaning c7206 can surely support the MVPN and PIM SSM services. You may need to look at the CIsco product and IOS features to get more specific details but yes they are supported. Scalability of the 7206 as an MPLS PE might be a thinkable thing before going ahead with it.

Hope this helps you.

Regards

Vaibhava Varma

[abakhashwin]

SO if we use the core as l2vpn Atom, there will be no need to use IGMP V1,V2,V3 in the core, is IGMP V1.2,3 to be used need to have L3VPN?.

[Vaibhava Varma]

Hi Ashwin

IGMP is used by Multicast Receivers for joining to a particular Multicast Group in order to receive the Multicast Stream.

IGMP is only needed at the First Hop L3 Router from the CE perspective ( which will be the MPLS PE in our case). So IGMP is only needed at the edge and not in the core.

Yes IGMP is required for L3VPN  from CEs to join Groups at PE.

IGMPv3 is required for PIM SSM and IGMPv1/v2 is used for PIM ASM.

Thanks & Regards

Vaibhava Varma