Communications protocol software specialist Data Connection Limited (DCL) is shipping the first two products in a line of multicast protocol implementations targeting OEMs building multicast-enabled routers and switches that run Linux and other embedded OSes. The products support PIM-SM (protocol independent multicast – sparse mode) and IGMP (Internet group membership protocol).

DCL's “DC-PIM-SM” implements PIM-SM. “Sparse mode” multicasting assumes that the receivers for a given multicast will be sparsely scattered across the network and its subnets. It therefore uses both shared and source-based trees. PIM-SM is further along, as a standard, than the other main PIM protocol, PIM-DM or “dense mode.”

DCL's “DC-IGMP” implements IGMP, which is used by receiving hosts on IPv4 networks to advertise their group membership to their multicast router (the “MLD” protocol is used on IPv6 networks).

According to DCL, PIM-SM and IGMP are currently the two most important multicast protocols for next-generation networking equipment designers. However, it also plans to market implementations of PIM-DM (dense mode), PIM-BM (bidirectional mode), and BGMP (border gateway multicast protocol), among other protocols.

DCL says its protocol implementations are portable, with an open, extensible, modular architecture designed with flexible future customization in mind. The implementations can be used in edge, core, and border routers, and in multicast group discovery protocol proxies, it says.

“Multicast services are becoming revenue drivers for service providers. Our software allows vendors to add these capabilities quickly,” said CEO Phil McConnell.

Other DCL protocol implementations include IP Routing and MPLS protocol products (including DC-OSPF, DC-ISIS, DC-BGP, DC-RIP, DC-MPLS, and DC-VPN Manager).

DCL offers more details about multicasting protocols and its routing software in a series of whitepaper.

 
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