This chapter describes the configuration and implementation of IP multicast in ACI fabric environments, covering tenant routed multicast, border leaf functionality, and Protocol Independent Multicast operations.
Tenant routed multicast
Describes a Layer 3 multicast routing capability that enables multicast forwarding between senders and receivers within ACI tenant VRF instances.
Fabric interface
Describes a virtual interface that represents the fabric for IPv4/IP6 multicast routing between software modules.
IPv4/IPv6 tenant routed multicast
Explains the process to enable or disable IPv4 or IPv6 multicast routing in a Cisco ACI fabric at three hierarchical levels.
VRF GIPo allocation
Explains how VRF GIPo is allocated implicitly based on configuration for multicast traffic forwarding in ACI fabric.
Multiple border leaf switches as designated forwarder
Describes how multiple border leaf switches coordinate to prevent duplicate multicast traffic and balance load across the fabric through designated forwarder selection.
PIM/PIM6 designated router election
Explains the PIM/PIM6 designated router election mechanism for different interface types in Layer 3 IPv4/IPv6 multicast on ACI fabric.
Non-border leaf switch behavior
Describes how PIM/PIM6 operates on non-border leaf switches in passive mode with specific packet handling capabilities.
Active border leaf switch list
Describes the list maintained on every leaf switch for PIM/PIM6 operations including striping and other purposes.
Overload behavior on bootup
Describes the behavior that prevents a border leaf switch from joining the active border leaf switch list immediately after gaining fabric connectivity.
First-Hop functionality
Describes how the directly connected leaf switch provides first-hop functionality required for PIM and PIM6 sparse mode operations.
Last-hop routers
Describes the router connected to the receiver that handles Shortest-Path Tree switchover functionality in PIM multicast networks.
Fast-convergence mode
Describes a configurable fabric mode that optimizes multicast traffic convergence by allowing multiple border leaf switches to pull traffic while designating only one as the forwarder.
Rendezvous points
Explains IP addresses that act as shared roots for multicast shared trees in multicast network domains.
Inter-VRF multicast
Describes a multicast feature that enables sources and receivers to be located in different VRFs within ACI networks.
Configure the stripe winner policy
Describes a configurable multicast traffic management feature that allows selection of a specific POD for stripe winner election to optimize latency and performance in multi-POD ACI fabrics.
ACI multicast feature list
This section outlines ACI multicast features with detailed comparisons to equivalent NX-OS features, including IGMP, IGMP snooping, MLD snooping, and PIM capabilities at both interface and VRF levels.
Guidelines, limitations, and expected behaviors for layer 3 IPv4 and IPv6 multicast
Provides guidelines, limitations, and expected packet behaviors for Layer 3 IPv4 and IPv6 multicast in ACI fabric environments.
Configure layer 3 multicast using the GUI
Configure layer 3 multicast using the Cisco APIC GUI to ENABLE PIM and IGMP functionality for bridge domains and Layer 3 Out interfaces.
Configure layer 3 IPv6 multicast using the GUI
Configure layer 3 IPv6 multicast functionality in a VRF using the GUI to ENABLE PIM6 protocol and related settings.
BGP IPv4/IPv6 multicast address-family
Explains the BGP multicast address-family feature that supports IPv4 and IPv6 for BGP peers towards external routers in tenant VRF on border leaf switches.
Multicast filtering
Explains how ACI supports control and data plane configurations to filter multicast traffic from sources and receivers.
Layer 3 multicast on SVI L3Outs
Explains Layer 3 multicast support on SVI L3Out configurations that enables PIM adjacencies between ACI border leaf switches and external multicast devices.
Verify PIM interface creation for L3Out interface
Verify that a PIM interface is properly created for an L3Out interface by confirming PIM enablement and multicast configuration.
A PIM interface was not created for a multicast tunnel interface
Provides troubleshooting steps when a PIM interface is not created for a multicast tunnel interface.
Tip: verify PIM interface creation for multicast-enabled bridge domains
Outlines verification steps when a PIM interface is not created for a multicast-enabled bridge domain.
Explains Layer 3 multicast support on SVI L3Out configurations that enables PIM adjacencies between ACI border leaf switches and external multicast devices.