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Cisco ME 3400 Ethernet Access Switch Software Configuration Guide
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Configuring IP Multicast Routing
This chapter describes how to configure IP multicast routing on the Cisco ME 3400 Ethernet Access
switch. IP multicasting is a more efficient way to use network resources, especially for
bandwidth-intensive services such as audio and video. IP multicast routing enables a host (source) to
send packets to a group of hosts (receivers) anywhere within the IP network by using a special form of
IP address called the IP multicast group address. The sending host inserts the multicast group address
into the IP destination address field of the packet, and IP multicast routers and multilayer switches
forward incoming IP multicast packets out all interfaces that lead to members of the multicast group.
Any host, regardless of whether it is a member of a group, can sent to a group. However, only the
members of a group receive the message.
To use this feature, the switch must be running the metro IP access image.
Note For complete syntax and usage information for the commands used in this chapter, see the Cisco IOS IP
Command Reference, Volume 3 of 3: Multicast, Release 12.2.
This chapter consists of these sections:
• Understanding Cisco’s Implementation of IP Multicast Routing, page 40-1
• Configuring IP Multicast Routing, page 40-8
• Configuring Advanced PIM Features, page 40-33
• Configuring Optional IGMP Features, page 40-36
• Configuring Optional Multicast Routing Features, page 40-43
• Monitoring and Maintaining IP Multicast Routing, page 40-46
For information on configuring the Multicast Source Discovery Protocol (MSDP), see Chapter 41,
“Configuring MSDP.”

Understanding Cisco’s Implementation of IP Multicast Routing

The switch supports these protocols to implement IP multicast routing:
• Internet Group Management Protocol (IGMP) is used among hosts on a LAN and the routers (and
multilayer switches) on that LAN to track the multicast groups of which hosts are members.
• Protocol-Independent Multicast (PIM) protocol is used among routers and multilayer switches to
track which multicast packets to forward to each other and to their directly connected LANs.