Configuring Multicast VLAN Registration

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Prerequisites for MVR

The following are the prerequisites for Multicast VLAN Registration (MVR):

  • To use MVR, the switch must be running the LAN Base image.

Restrictions for MVR

The following are restrictions for MVR:

  • Only Layer 2 ports participate in MVR. You must configure ports as MVR receiver ports.

  • Only one MVR multicast VLAN per switch or switch stack is supported.

  • Receiver ports can only be access ports; they cannot be trunk ports. Receiver ports on a switch can be in different VLANs, but should not belong to the multicast VLAN.

  • The maximum number of multicast entries (MVR group addresses) that can be configured on a switch (that is, the maximum number of television channels that can be received) is 256.

  • MVR multicast data received in the source VLAN and leaving from receiver ports has its time-to-live (TTL) decremented by 1 in the switch.

  • Because MVR on the switch uses IP multicast addresses instead of MAC multicast addresses, alias IP multicast addresses are allowed on the switch. However, if the switch is interoperating with Catalyst 3550 or Catalyst 3500 XL switches, you should not configure IP addresses that alias between themselves or with the reserved IP multicast addresses (in the range 224.0.0.xxx).

  • Do not configure MVR on private VLAN ports.

  • MVR is not supported when multicast routing is enabled on a switch. If you enable multicast routing and a multicast routing protocol while MVR is enabled, MVR is disabled, and you receive a warning message. If you try to enable MVR while multicast routing and a multicast routing protocol are enabled, the operation to enable MVR is cancelled, and you receive an error message

  • MVR data received on an MVR receiver port is not forwarded to MVR source ports.

  • MVR does not support IGMPv3 messages.

  • The switch supports homogeneous stacking and mixed stacking. Mixed stacking is supported only with the Catalyst 2960-S switches. A homogenous stack can have up to eight stack members, while a mixed stack can have up to four stack members. All switches in a switch stack must be running the LAN Base image.

Information About Multicast VLAN Registration

Multicast VLAN Registration (MVR) is designed for applications using wide-scale deployment of multicast traffic across an Ethernet ring-based service-provider network (for example, the broadcast of multiple television channels over a service-provider network). MVR allows a subscriber on a port to subscribe and unsubscribe to a multicast stream on the network-wide multicast VLAN. It allows the single multicast VLAN to be shared in the network while subscribers remain in separate VLANs. MVR provides the ability to continuously send multicast streams in the multicast VLAN, but to isolate the streams from the subscriber VLANs for bandwidth and security reasons.

MVR and IGMP


Note


MVR can coexist with IGMP snooping on a switch.


MVR assumes that subscriber ports subscribe and unsubscribe (join and leave) these multicast streams by sending out IGMP join and leave messages. These messages can originate from an IGMP version-2-compatible host with an Ethernet connection. Although MVR operates on the underlying method of IGMP snooping, the two features operate independently of each other. One can be enabled or disabled without affecting the behavior of the other feature. However, if IGMP snooping and MVR are both enabled, MVR reacts only to join and leave messages from multicast groups configured under MVR. Join and leave messages from all other multicast groups are managed by IGMP snooping.

The switch CPU identifies the MVR IP multicast streams and their associated IP multicast group in the switch forwarding table, intercepts the IGMP messages, and modifies the forwarding table to include or remove the subscriber as a receiver of the multicast stream, even though the receivers might be in a different VLAN from the source. This forwarding behavior selectively allows traffic to cross between different VLANs.

Modes of Operation

You can set the switch for compatible or dynamic mode of MVR operation:

  • In compatible mode, multicast data received by MVR hosts is forwarded to all MVR data ports, regardless of MVR host membership on those ports. The multicast data is forwarded only to those receiver ports that MVR hosts have joined, either by IGMP reports or by MVR static configuration. IGMP reports received from MVR hosts are never forwarded from MVR data ports that were configured in the switch.

  • In dynamic mode, multicast data received by MVR hosts on the switch is forwarded from only those MVR data and client ports that the MVR hosts have joined, either by IGMP reports or by MVR static configuration. Any IGMP reports received from MVR hosts are also forwarded from all the MVR data ports in the host. This eliminates using unnecessary bandwidth on MVR data port links, which occurs when the switch runs in compatible mode.

MVR and Switch Stacks

Only one MVR multicast VLAN per switch or switch stack is supported.

Receiver ports and source ports can be on different switches in a switch stack. Multicast data sent on the multicast VLAN is forwarded to all MVR receiver ports across the stack. When a new switch is added to a stack, by default it has no receiver ports.

If a switch fails or is removed from the stack, only those receiver ports belonging to that switch will not receive the multicast data. All other receiver ports on other switches continue to receive the multicast data.

MVR in a Multicast Television Application

In a multicast television application, a PC or a television with a set-top box can receive the multicast stream. Multiple set-top boxes or PCs can be connected to one subscriber port, which is a switch port configured as an MVR receiver port.

Figure 1. Multicast VLAN Registration Example. The following is an example configuration.

In this example configuration, DHCP assigns an IP address to the set-top box or the PC. When a subscriber selects a channel, the set-top box or PC sends an IGMP report to Switch A to join the appropriate multicast. If the IGMP report matches one of the configured IP multicast group addresses, the switch CPU modifies the hardware address table to include this receiver port and VLAN as a forwarding destination of the specified multicast stream when it is received from the multicast VLAN. Uplink ports that send and receive multicast data to and from the multicast VLAN are called MVR source ports.

When a subscriber changes channels or turns off the television, the set-top box sends an IGMP leave message for the multicast stream. The switch CPU sends a MAC-based general query through the receiver port VLAN. If there is another set-top box in the VLAN still subscribing to this group, that set-top box must respond within the maximum response time specified in the query. If the CPU does not receive a response, it eliminates the receiver port as a forwarding destination for this group.

Without Immediate Leave, when the switch receives an IGMP leave message from a subscriber on a receiver port, it sends out an IGMP query on that port and waits for IGMP group membership reports. If no reports are received in a configured time period, the receiver port is removed from multicast group membership. With Immediate Leave, an IGMP query is not sent from the receiver port on which the IGMP leave was received. As soon as the leave message is received, the receiver port is removed from multicast group membership, which speeds up leave latency. Enable the Immediate-Leave feature only on receiver ports to which a single receiver device is connected.

MVR eliminates the need to duplicate television-channel multicast traffic for subscribers in each VLAN. Multicast traffic for all channels is only sent around the VLAN trunk once—only on the multicast VLAN. The IGMP leave and join messages are in the VLAN to which the subscriber port is assigned. These messages dynamically register for streams of multicast traffic in the multicast VLAN on the Layer 3 device. The access layer switch, Switch A, modifies the forwarding behavior to allow the traffic to be forwarded from the multicast VLAN to the subscriber port in a different VLAN, selectively allowing traffic to cross between two VLANs.

IGMP reports are sent to the same IP multicast group address as the multicast data. The Switch A CPU must capture all IGMP join and leave messages from receiver ports and forward them to the multicast VLAN of the source (uplink) port, based on the MVR mode.

Default MVR Configuration

Table 1 Default MVR Configuration

Feature

Default Setting

MVR

Disabled globally and per interface

Multicast addresses

None configured

Query response time

0.5 second

Multicast VLAN

VLAN 1

Mode

Compatible

Interface (per port) default

Neither a receiver nor a source port

Immediate Leave

Disabled on all ports

How to Configure MVR

Configuring MVR Global Parameters

You do not need to set the optional MVR parameters if you choose to use the default settings. If you want to change the default parameters (except for the MVR VLAN), you must first enable MVR.


Note


For complete syntax and usage information for the commands used in this section, see the command reference for this release.


SUMMARY STEPS

    1.    enable

    2.    configure terminal

    3.    mvr

    4.    mvr group ip-address [count]

    5.    mvr querytime value

    6.    mvr vlan vlan-id

    7.    mvr mode {dynamic | compatible}

    8.    end

    9.    Use one of the following:

    • show mvr
    • show mvr members

    10.    copy running-config startup-config


DETAILED STEPS
     Command or ActionPurpose
    Step 1 enable


    Example:
    Switch> enable
    
    
     

    Enables privileged EXEC mode. Enter your password if prompted.

     

    Step 2configure terminal


    Example:
    
    Switch# configure terminal
    
    
     

    Enters the global configuration mode.

     
    Step 3mvr


    Example:
    
    Switch (config)# mvr
    
    
     

    Enables MVR on the switch.

     
    Step 4mvr group ip-address [count]


    Example:
    
    Switch(config)# mvr group 
    228.1.23.4
    
    
     

    Configures an IP multicast address on the switch or use the count parameter to configure a contiguous series of MVR group addresses (the range for count is 1 to 256; the default is 1). Any multicast data sent to this address is sent to all source ports on the switch and all receiver ports that have elected to receive data on that multicast address. Each multicast address would correspond to one television channel.

    Note   

    To return the switch to its default settings, use the no mvr [mode | group ip-address | querytime | vlan] global configuration commands.

     
    Step 5mvr querytime value


    Example:
    
    Switch(config)# mvr querytime 
    10
    
    
     

    (Optional) Defines the maximum time to wait for IGMP report memberships on a receiver port before removing the port from multicast group membership. The value is in units of tenths of a second. The range is 1 to 100, and the default is 5 tenths or one-half second.

     
    Step 6mvr vlan vlan-id


    Example:
    
    Switch(config)# mvr vlan 22
    
    
     

    (Optional) Specifies the VLAN in which multicast data is received; all source ports must belong to this VLAN. The VLAN range is 1 to 1001 and 1006 to 4094. The default is VLAN 1.

     
    Step 7mvr mode {dynamic | compatible}


    Example:
    Switch(config)# mvr mode 
    dynamic
    
    
     

    (Optional) Specifies the MVR mode of operation:

    • dynamic—Allows dynamic MVR membership on source ports.

    • compatible—Is compatible with Catalyst 3500 XL and Catalyst 2900 XL switches and does not support IGMP dynamic joins on source ports.

    The default is compatible mode.

    Note   

    To return the switch to its default settings, use the no mvr [mode | group ip-address | querytime | vlan] global configuration commands.

     
    Step 8end


    Example:
    
    Switch(config)# end
    
    
     

    Returns to privileged EXEC mode.

     
    Step 9Use one of the following:
    • show mvr
    • show mvr members


    Example:
    
    Switch# show mvr
    
    OR
    
    Switch# show mvr members
     

    Verifies the configuration.

     
    Step 10copy running-config startup-config


    Example:
    Switch# copy running-config startup-config 
    
    
     

    (Optional) Saves your entries in the configuration file.

     
    Related References
    Example: Configuring MVR Global Parameters

    Configuring MVR Interfaces

    Follow these steps to configure Layer 2 MVR interfaces:

    SUMMARY STEPS

      1.    enable

      2.    configure terminal

      3.    mvr

      4.    interface interface-id

      5.    mvr type {source | receiver}

      6.    mvr vlan vlan-id group [ip-address]

      7.    mvr immediate

      8.    end

      9.    Use one of the following:

      • show mvr
      • show mvr interface

      • show mvr members

      10.    copy running-config startup-config


    DETAILED STEPS
       Command or ActionPurpose
      Step 1 enable


      Example:
      Switch> enable
      
      
       

      Enables privileged EXEC mode. Enter your password if prompted.

       

      Step 2configure terminal


      Example:
      
      Switch# configure terminal
      
      
       

      Enters the global configuration mode.

       
      Step 3mvr


      Example:
      
      Switch (config)# mvr
      
      
       

      Enables MVR on the switch.

       
      Step 4interface interface-id


      Example:
      
      Switch(config)# interface 
      gigabitethernet1/0/2
      
      
       

      Specifies the Layer 2 port to configure, and enter interface configuration mode.

       
      Step 5mvr type {source | receiver}


      Example:
      
      Switch(config-if)# mvr type receiver
      
      
       

      Configures an MVR port as one of these:

      • source—Configures uplink ports that receive and send multicast data as source ports. Subscribers cannot be directly connected to source ports. All source ports on a switch belong to the single multicast VLAN.

      • receiver—Configures a port as a receiver port if it is a subscriber port and should only receive multicast data. It does not receive data unless it becomes a member of the multicast group, either statically or by using IGMP leave and join messages. Receiver ports cannot belong to the multicast VLAN.

      The default configuration is as a non-MVR port. If you attempt to configure a non-MVR port with MVR characteristics, the operation fails.

      Note   

      To return the interface to its default settings, use the no mvr [type | immediate | vlan vlan-id | group] interface configuration commands.

       
      Step 6mvr vlan vlan-id group [ip-address]


      Example:
      
      Switch(config-if)# mvr vlan 22 group 
      228.1.23.4
      
      
       

      (Optional) Statically configures a port to receive multicast traffic sent to the multicast VLAN and the IP multicast address. A port statically configured as a member of a group remains a member of the group until statically removed.

      Note   

      In compatible mode, this command applies to only receiver ports. In dynamic mode, it applies to receiver ports and source ports.

      Receiver ports can also dynamically join multicast groups by using IGMP join and leave messages.

       
      Step 7mvr immediate


      Example:
      
      Switch(config-if)# mvr immediate
      
      
       

      (Optional) Enables the Immediate-Leave feature of MVR on the port.

      Note   

      This command applies to only receiver ports and should only be enabled on receiver ports to which a single receiver device is connected.

       
      Step 8end


      Example:
      
      Switch(config)# end
      
      
       

      Returns to privileged EXEC mode.

       
      Step 9Use one of the following:
      • show mvr
      • show mvr interface

      • show mvr members


      Example:
      
      Switch# show mvr interface
      Port    Type        Status          Immediate Leave
      ----    ----        -------         ---------------
      Gi1/0/2 RECEIVER    ACTIVE/DOWN     ENABLED
      
      
       

      Verifies the configuration.

       
      Step 10copy running-config startup-config


      Example:
      Switch# copy running-config startup-config 
      
      
       

      (Optional) Saves your entries in the configuration file.

       
      Related References
      Example: Configuring MVR Interfaces

      Monitoring MVR

      You can monitor MVR for the switch or for a specified interface by displaying the following MVR information.

      Table 2 Commands for Displaying MVR Information

      Command

      Purpose

      show mvr

      Displays MVR status and values for the switch—whether MVR is enabled or disabled, the multicast VLAN, the maximum (256) and current (0 through 256) number of multicast groups, the query response time, and the MVR mode.

      show mvr interface [interface-id] [members [vlan vlan-id]]

      Displays all MVR interfaces and their MVR configurations.

      When a specific interface is entered, displays this information:

      • Type—Receiver or Source

      • Status—One of these states:

        • Active means the port is part of a VLAN.

        • Up/Down means that the port is forwarding or nonforwarding.

        • Inactive means that the port is not part of any VLAN.

      • Immediate Leave—Enabled or Disabled

      If the members keyword is entered, displays all multicast group members on this port or, if a VLAN identification is entered, all multicast group members on the VLAN. The VLAN ID range is 1 to 1001 and 1006 to 4094.

      show mvr members [ip-address]

      Displays all receiver and source ports that are members of any IP multicast group or the specified IP multicast group IP address.

      Configuration Examples for MVR

      Example: Configuring MVR Global Parameters

      This example shows how to enable MVR, configure the group address, set the query time to 1 second (10 tenths), specify the MVR multicast VLAN as VLAN 22, and set the MVR mode as dynamic:
      Switch(config)# mvr
      Switch(config)# mvr group 228.1.23.4
      Switch(config)# mvr querytime 10
      Switch(config)# mvr vlan 22
      Switch(config)# mvr mode dynamic
      Switch(config)# end
      
      
      Related Tasks
      Configuring MVR Global Parameters

      Example: Configuring MVR Interfaces

      This example shows how to configure a port as a receiver port, statically configure the port to receive multicast traffic sent to the multicast group address, configure Immediate Leave on the port, and verify the results:
      Switch(config)# mvr
      Switch(config)# interface gigabitethernet1/0/2
      Switch(config-if)# mvr type receiver
      Switch(config-if)# mvr vlan 22 group 228.1.23.4
      Switch(config-if)# mvr immediate
      Switch(config)# end
      Switch# show mvr interface
      
      Port Type Status Immediate Leave
      ---- ---- ------- ---------------
      Gi1/0/2 RECEIVER ACTIVE/DOWN ENABLED
      
      
      Related Tasks
      Configuring MVR Interfaces

      Where to Go Next for MVR

      You can configure the following:

      • IGMP Snooping

      Additional References

      Related Documents

      Related Topic Document Title

      For complete syntax and usage information for the commands used in this chapter.

      Catalyst 2960-X Switch IGMP Snooping Command Reference

      Standards and RFCs

      Standard/RFC Title

      MIBs

      MIB MIBs Link

      All supported MIBs for this release.

      To locate and download MIBs for selected platforms, Cisco IOS releases, and feature sets, use Cisco MIB Locator found at the following URL:

      http:/​/​www.cisco.com/​go/​mibs

      Technical Assistance

      Description Link

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      Access to most tools on the Cisco Support website requires a Cisco.com user ID and password.

      http:/​/​www.cisco.com/​support

      Feature History and Information for MVR

      Release Modification

      Cisco IOS 15.0(2)EX

      This feature was introduced.