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PIM Dense-mode deprecation vs PIM Passive

AustinHarsh2908
Level 1
Level 1

Hello,

 

I have a large multicast environment that is kind of all over the place on how PIM is configured. Some interfaces are sparse, some are sparse-dense, and some are passive (none are just dense). I have been moving to standardized my config such that PIM interfaces that face clients are configured as PIM passive, whereas PIM interfaces that have PIM neighbors are configured with sparse mode only (with neighbor filter).

 

My question is that I've noticed that dense mode is deprecated and may no longer be supported in the future. How does this impact PIM passive, since passive mode is basically PIM sparse-dense mode? Should I just move everything to sparse-mode and don't worry about passive mode? Or will passive mode eventually change to sparse-mode under the hood at some point?

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balaji.bandi
Hall of Fame
Hall of Fame

If you got the opportunity get rid of old technology where possible. i would go sparse-mode (be cautious) - so I would test a small part of the network before rollout all over the wide level, make sure PoC works as expected.

 

BB

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3 Replies 3

balaji.bandi
Hall of Fame
Hall of Fame

If you got the opportunity get rid of old technology where possible. i would go sparse-mode (be cautious) - so I would test a small part of the network before rollout all over the wide level, make sure PoC works as expected.

 

BB

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Yeah, I just went sparse-mode everywhere with neighbor filters. Lucky our application still worked!

Kevin Kilgore
Level 1
Level 1

PIM passive is best security practice since no chance of forming a bogus PIM neighbor on that interface. PIM neighbor filter is a good security practice also. So kudos for being security conscious.

 

I get what you're asking but either you're overthinking it or I'm under thinking it. The way it see it, PIM passive simply enables multicast routing for the subnet without sending hellos and suppresses any received hellos.

 

I've never thought of it as similar to either sparse or dense since it is all IGMP at that point.

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