6-39
Configuring the Switch
IP Multicast (IGMP) Service Features—Multimedia Traffic Control
Configuring the Switch
Role of the Switch
When IGMP is enabled on the switch, it examines the IGMP packets it receives:
■ To learn which of its ports are linked to IGMP hosts and multicast routers/
queriers belonging to any multicast group
■ To become a querier if a multicast router/querier is not discovered on the
network
Once the switch learns the port location of the hosts belonging to any partic-
ular multicast group, it can direct group traffic to only those ports, resulting
in bandwidth savings on ports where group members do not reside. The
following example illustrates this operation.
Figure 6-19 on page page 6-40 shows a network running IGMP.
■ PCs 1 and 4, Switch #2, and all of the routers are members of an IP
multicast group. (The routers operate as queriers.)
■
Switch #1 ignores IGMP traffic and does not distinguish between IP
multicast group members and non-members. Thus, it is sending large
amounts of unwanted multicast traffic out the ports to PCs 2 and 3.
■ Switch #2 is recognizing IGMP traffic and learns that PC #4 is in the IP
multicast group receiving multicast data from the video server (PC X).
Switch #2 then sends the multicast data only to the port for PC #4, thus
avoiding unwanted multicast traffic on the ports for PCs #5 and #6.
Sraswb.book : SIER_SW6.FM Page 39 Tuesday, June 30, 1998 12:20 PM
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