Sorta OT: IP Multicasting

Mon Apr 22 21:03:54 UTC 2002

>   1.)  Are there any pointers to URLs that deal with issues to set up for
>both incoming and outgoing multicasts?   I can't find many examples that
>show this from an ISP point of view.

The best tutorial IP multicast training materials I'm aware of are those at
ftp://ftpeng.cisco.com/ipmulticast/training/index.html

If you're looking for something more cookbook, I think the Internet2/Abilene
multicast cookbook at http://www.abilene.iu.edu/mccook.html is also a nice
resource (although obviously it is most useful if you are connecting via
Internet2/Abilene). 

>  2.)  Is it worth my effort?  In other words, what % of the internet
>audience is capable of receiving multicast IP from an audio feed?

One data point is that there are over 4600 MBGP prefixes getting advertised
(see, for example Marshall Eubanks' presentation at
http://www.nanog.org/mtg-0110/ppt/eubanks/sld011.htm). Whether or not
that's enough of an audience to make IP multicast worthwhile is a decision
you'll have to make for yourself.

But if nothing else, by enabling IP multicast, you should be able to receive
technical content such as the NANOG meetings, IETF meetings, etc. (which I 
would assert is worthwhile in and of itself). 

>   3.)  Are there any examples of audio feeds that use Multicast I can test
>with?

The University of Oregon makes KWAX (classical radio) available via IP
multicast; if you are using IP/TV or a compatible client, select the
session "UO Presents KWAX Classical Radio"), and we also have a variety of
video sources up for folks to try.

Regards,

Joe