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Multicast Rollout in UK: The Task, The Plan, The Lessons

This article explores the experience of multicast rollout in the UK, discussing the challenges, the plan, and the lessons learned. It highlights the importance of expertise, equipment capabilities, protocol compatibility, and user expectations. The article also suggests the need for systematic end-to-end commissioning tests and collaboration among stakeholders.

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Multicast Rollout in UK: The Task, The Plan, The Lessons

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  1. The experience of Multicast Rollout in the UK The Task The Plan The Experience The Lessons Peter Clarke Dept of Physics and Astronomy University College London

  2. Source • A bit more than that • Configuring “PIM-SM” • Configuring “RP” • Configuring MBGP /MSDP for inter-domain operation RP Receiver MULTICAST in a nutshell • Simple picture (thanks for diagrams borrowed form CISCO vi J.Couzens)

  3. AbMAN UHI Network Clydenet FaTMAN EaStMAN NNW C&NL MAN Glasgow Edinburgh NorMAN YHMAN North Wales MAN Warrington Leeds EMMAN MidMAN London EastNet Reading TVN Kentish MAN External Links Bristol Portsmouth Northern Ireland LMN External Links South Wales MAN SWERN LeNSE Sites

  4. The Task • Enable MULTICAST independently in all administrative domains • SuperJANET (SJ4) CORE • Regional Distribution Networks • Connected sites • Make domains talk to each other The Plan • UKERNA published a multicast connection plan • url: http://www.ja.net/development/multicast/index.html • Expected incremental evolution from Core outward • Expected established communication lines to be used • A scaleable approach • ….. but

  5. The Killer Application • …then a killer application parachuted in: ACCESS GRID • Users wanted it to work yesterday • Some users did not appreciate complexity • Many “ill founded” frustrations bandied around ... it forced the pace ... !!! ... Not necessarily a bad thing – as its still not all working ... !!!

  6. The “easy” bits • In some cases it worked straight away • SJ4 Core  • Some Regional Networks  • Some sites  • Often where some combination of the following occurred: • Expertise already developed • PIM-SM already configured • Same vendor equipment ( but even then instruction manuals were not always right )

  7. Firewall Multicast route Unicast route The “simple” problems • In some cases problems took longer to understand • Protocol mismatches • Firewalls – not many understand multicast • Inter-vendor incompatibilities • Concrete example:

  8. The “difficult” problems • Some deployed equipment unable to support native multicast • Some still non understood inter-vendor problems • MPLS and Native Multicast don’t co-exist easily • One network is managed using MPLS. • Planned for a long time to use tunnels – but never really worked • Engineers have been working for months – possibly just solved !

  9. Current Status ~ 9 months • Two regional networks not able to carry multicast yet • Some (few) key site networks still not working

  10. Conclusion – the lessons Facts: • Widespread expertise/experience wasn’t there • Huge disparity between user expectation  reality • Equipment problems: • Some equipment not multicast capable • Firewalls • Some non understood inter vendor issues • Protocol problems: • MPLS • Incompatibilities in configurations

  11. Messages Non controversial • Put lots of effort into getting complex components deployed long before users want them. Possibly controversial • Its and end-to-end thing – so “locally connected” deployment not always best • Need systematic set of e2e commissioning tests Controversial • Sometimes need All people in one room at same time • Need FBNI (federal bureau of network investigation)

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