PIM Anycast RP - iNETZERO

Notebook: JNCIE-SP
Created: 4/17/2019 9:35 AM
URL: https://www.inetzero.com/pim-anycast-rp/

PIM Anycast RP
By David Roy December 13, 2013 5:03 pm

In this post we explain the feature defined in the RFC 4610 “Anycast RP
using Protocol Independent Multicast” and its configuration on Junos
devices.
Prerequisites:
PIM sparse mode is the protocol that allows to build the multicast
distribution tree in IPv4 or IPv6 Global Routing environment (not MPLS)
from a Source of a stream and a set of multicast Subscribers.
A multicast stream is uniquely identified by a couple of addresses
named (S;G) :
– The IP address of the Source : a unicast IPv4 or IPv6 address
– The Multicast IP address of a multicast group : an IP IPv4
(range 224/8) or IPv6 (range FF00::/8)
Usually final subscribers don’t know the source(s) of a given multicast
stream but only the Group address of this one. They used a protocol
like IGMPv2 or MLDv1 that simply provides interfaces to “Join” or
“Leave” a given multicast group G.
N.B. : Enhanced protocols like IGMPv3 or MLDv2 provide the ability to
also convey the associated source S of a given group G (not the scope
of this post)
Therefore, IGMPv2 or MLDv1 protocols convey ASM information (Any
Source Multicast). Its notation is (*,G) and refers to any source that
forwards traffic under the multicast G address. In contrary, SSM
information (Source Specific Information) refers to a specific stream
(S;G).
PIM router receives ASM or SSM information from subscribers and
translates them in ASM or SSM PIM messages :
– IGMP Report / MLD Listener report are translated in PIM Join
message
– IGMP Leave / MLD Listener done are translated in PIM Prune
message
PIM SM also takes in place the concept of RP router(s) : Rendez-vous
Point router. This router has a critical role:
– It allows, first, to know where multicast Sources are located
within the network. Via a registering mechanism, a border router,
directly connected to a Source, registers the SSM information, related
to the received stream, on the RP router. Then the RP will join the
Source Tree (aka. SPT Short Path tree) between itself and the border
router connected to the source.
– In parallel, a border router directly connected to final subscribers
joins the “Shared Tree” (aka. RP tree) between itself and the closest
RP that manages the Group G.
Finally from the source S to the RP the stream follows the SPT then
from the RP to final customer the stream follows the Shared Tree.
Usually, when the leaves routers (routers connected to subscribers)start
receiving the (S;G) stream through the Shared Tree switch to the SPT,
because by receiving the (S;G) stream, those routers knows now the
Source S address of the G group.
The following diagrams summarize the concept explained above :
The topology :
And the principle :
Quick explanation:
1- A Source S starts to stream a multicast flow over a G address.
The stream is noted (S;G)
2- First router directly connected to Source S, registering the stream
by encapsulating multicast traffic in PIM register messages (unicast
datagrams). Those messages reach the RP router
3- RP Router creates (S;G) and (*;G) entries.
4- RP router sends back a PIM Join (S;G) message toward the
source (it follows the reverse path)
5- When RP starts to receive natively the (S;G) stream via the SPT,
it stops the registering process by sending a PIM register stop message
toward the border router.
6- In parallel a multicast subscriber for G appears and send a
IGMPv2 or MPLDv1 subscription for G.
7- Directly connected router create the (*;G) state
8- Then it sends a PIM Join (*;G) toward the RP (it follows the revers
path)
9- RP sends down the multicast stream which follows the Shared
Tree until the multicast subscriber.
10- By analyzing multicast traffic the last hop router now creates (S;G)
state.
11- It switches to the SPT.
12- It sends a PIM Join message toward the source (it follows the
revers path)
13- Intermediate router create (S;G) entry
14- And forwards the PIM Join (S;G) message toward the source.
15- When first hop router receives the (S;G) Join message it starts to
send multicast traffic toward multicast subscriber (following the SPT)
16- When last hop router starts receiving (S;G) stream via the SPT it
prunes the Shared Tree by sending a PIM Prune message for (*;G)
toward the RP
17- RP then prunes the SPT if there is no more routers on Shared
Tree by sending a PIM Prune message for (S;G) toward the source.
Anycast RP with PIM :
As we can see, the RP router is a single point of failure. Therefore, it’s
natural to want to place several RP in a network to provide failover or
load balancing mechanism. One solution is Anycast RP.
Anycast is a method to share a common resource, in IP networks, it is
usually an IP address. The principal of Anycast is quite simple.
Several RP share a common IP which will be the IP address configured
statically on all the other routers as the RP address (not RP). This
unique IP address is announced dynamically by all RP in the IGP. With
this method the closest RP will be always used. A synchronization
between RP is also needed. Indeed, when a border router registers a
(S;G) flow to its closest RP, this one has to notify its other RP peers.
Unlike Anycast RP with MSDP where a new protocol is need between
RP, Anycast RP with PIM re-uses the PIM Register messages between
RPs to synchronize each other.
Another thing to notice, Anycast RP with PIM supports natively IPv6
multicast unlike the MSDP based solution.
The next diagram depicts quickly the concept :
1- A border router receives a new (S;G) stream
2- It registers the stream via a PIM register Start message toward
the RP : actually the nearest RP (IGP point of vue) which is in this case
RP2.
3- RP2 forwards the PIM registers messages to its RP peers : here
RP1.

Let start the config on Junos devices :

The example described below refers to this topology:
This is a Dual Stack network with ISIS as IGP. The Anycast RP address
is for IPv4 2.2.2.2/32 and for IPv6 2003::1/128. The routers R1, R2, R3,
R4 and R5 and configure with those IP address as static RPs.
The IPv4 and IPv6 Anycast address are configured as secondary
address on lo0 interface which is then redistributed (primary and
secondary) in ISIS.
R1-R5 configuration :
RP1 configuration :

RP2 configuration :
Now, let configure the Anycast RP feature on both RPs. On RP1 :
On RP2 :
And that’s all for the config ! Now, let start a mcast stream (10.1.1.42 ;
225.5.5.5). To simulate a source I used another router, directly
connected to R4 and I used this command. Don’t forget the TTL (by
default equal to 1 for mcast ping).

The (S;G) state is well created on directly attached router R4:

In parallel I put a monitoring of PIM packet on RP1 and RP2. Since RP2
is the closest RP of R4, R4 sends its Register Message for (S;G) to
RP2 which then acknowledges it via a Register Stop. RP2 updates then
its RP peer RP1 by sending the same Register message. RP1 then
acknowledges the Register via a Register Stop. As there is no customer
for this corresponding (S;G), the stream is stopped at R4 level (Number
of downstream interfaces: 0)
The view on RP1 :
Then we start a customer directly attached to R1. As expected, R1 has
joined first the Shared Tree. IT sent a PIM Join (*,225.5.5.5) to RP1 the
closest RP for it. The RP1 which knows the Source of 225.5.5.5
(previously registered) joins the SPT to S via R3 then R4. The stream
follows the SPT toward RP1 then the shared Tree toward R1. R1
switches then to SPT when it knows the source and prunes the Shared
Tree. RP1 that also didn’t have customers on Shared Tree, prunes the
SPT.
The state on R1 is finally :
And the state on RP1 :

Conclusion:
PIM Anycast RP is a nice feature that only relies on the PIM protocol
(unlike with MSDP). Moreover, it supports natively IPv4 and IPv6
multicast. It combines the load balancing and fail over mechanismes in
a very simple concept with a small part of configuration. For Sparse
Mode with ASM group, it’s one of the best solution to allow multicast
high availability on your network.

David Roy
My name is David Roy . I'm 35 years old. I live in
France. I'm a content developer for iNET ZERO
 and also a Technical Support Engineer since 7
years. Before that I worked during 5 years at a
research & development department (IP / DVB
satellite team). I'm JNCIE-SP #703, JNCIE-ENT
#305, and JNCIE-SEC#144 certified
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August 24, 2014 at 11:09 pm

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Reply

Andrew says:

April 16, 2015 at 7:21 am

The Multicast IP address of a multicast group : an IP IPv4

(range 224/8) or IPv6 (range FF00::/8); shouldn’t it read
224/4 instead?
Reply

Luciano says:

July 18, 2017 at 10:52 pm

Hi this article is great! Do you have some tips for SRX in flow
mode as RP? My SRX RP is not building the SPT after it
receives the PIM register from the FHR.
Any tips would be great!
Reply

Max says:

August 15, 2018 at 6:09 am

Hello! Great article! Will this work if the source is connected

directly to the RP?
Reply

Max says:

August 16, 2018 at 1:14 am

Hello!
Will the Anycast RP feature work if the source is connected
directly to the RP?
Reply
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