Multicast VPN

[sankt]

Could Multicast data be effeciently distributed on a Virtual Private Network ( VPN )?

[neilm717]

How longs a piece of string?, I suspect it would all depend
on what method of VPN was being used and IF the routers used
supported Multicast and IF it was enabled. It probably
wouldn't work "out of the box".

Neil.

[sankt]

Actually from what I have read, ( Cisco, Microsoft and other references ), Distributing multicast data through a VPN does not require specially configured routers. The actual VPN software ( or hardware ) determines the ability to distribute Multicast data ( or any protocol for data delivery ).

[B0b]

Not today.

As neilm717 wrote, today's Internet is not configured for multicasting.

[neilm717]

Originally posted by sankt
Actually from what I have read, ( Cisco, Microsoft and other references ), Distributing multicast data through a VPN does not require specially configured routers. The actual VPN software ( or hardware ) determines the ability to distribute Multicast data ( or any protocol for data delivery ).

Hi Sankt,
If you were running on an extended Intranet where you had
total control of the configuration in use it probably could
be fiddled, but once you went out into the wild it's a very
mixed market, and you'd be relying on whatever bit of MBONE
was in place and the other fly in the ointment is that while
some ISP's route multicast very many don't.
Here in the UK the BBC has been running a test multicast
service from their R+D unit, and it works great IF your
ISP enables multicast, but sadly only a handfull of our
UK ISP's do and there seems little enthusiasm by the others
for it's take up, my own ISP being one of these and the
reason I'm still running PeerCast.

Neil.