Summary

This chapter assessed the need for transparency of multicast support and discussed the implications for the enterprise when using an MPLS VPN-based service. The conclusion is that the need for IP multicast support is real in the LAN, WAN, and SP transit network in support of the move toward a converged network. You should understand the mechanisms that are available to solve the application of IP multicast in the network, how to take a rational and staged approach toward developing a scalable policy, and how to execute that policy.

You can see that IP multicast creates bandwidth efficiency and requires careful planning and overall application governance, which identifies current and future state evolutions for the enterprise. Ensuring that the network can support the enterprise developments in a productive and manageable form should be the aim of any policy development to ensure that it remains manageable over time.

The common theme is planning, design, implementation, and operation. Building on these ensures that there is consistency in the support of IP multicast within the enterprise and support by the service provider from an end-to-end architecture perspective. As this technology evolves, there will be additional areas to explore, especially SSM, because it lessens the complexity of the RP deployment.