Managing IPv4 and IPv6 Multicast 1141
What Is Multicast Tunneling?
If Multicast traffic is to be routed through a part of a network that does not 
support multicasting (routers which are not multicast capable) then the 
multicast packets are encapsulated in an IP datagram and sent as a unicast 
packet. When the multicast router at the remote end of the tunnel receives 
the packet, the router strips off the IP encapsulation and forwards the packet 
as an IP Multicast packet. This process of encapsulating multicast packets in 
IP is called tunneling.
What Is IGMP?
The Internet Group Management Protocol (IGMP) is used by IPv4 systems 
(hosts, L3 switches, and routers) to report their IP multicast group 
memberships to any neighboring multicast routers. The PowerConnect 7000 
Series switch performs the multicast router role of the IGMP protocol, which 
means it collects the membership information needed by the active multicast 
routing protocol. 
The PowerConnect 7000 Series switch supports IGMP Version 3. Version 3 
adds support for source filtering, which is the ability for a system to report 
interest in receiving packets only from specific source addresses, as required to 
support Source-Specific Multicast [SSM], or from all but specific source 
addresses, sent to a particular multicast address. Version 3 is designed to be 
interoperable with Versions 1 and 2.
Understaning IGMP Proxy
IGMP proxy enables a multicast router to learn multicast group membership 
information and forward multicast packets based upon the group 
membership information. The IGMP Proxy is capable of functioning only in 
certain topologies that do not require Multicast Routing Protocols (i.e., 
DVMRP, PIM-DM, and PIM-SM) and have a tree-like topology, as there is no 
support for features like reverse path forwarding (RPF) to correct packet route 
loops.
The proxy contains many downstream interfaces and a unique upstream 
interface explicitly configured. It performs the host side of the IGMP protocol 
on its upstream interface and the router side of the IGMP protocol on its 
downstream interfaces.