4. Multicast transmission fundamentals

4.1 Multicast models

In a general sense, multicast defines a multipoint transmission mode that can be unidirectional or bidirectional. It is fundamentally based on the construction of distribution trees to establish two types of group communication.

• Multipoint to multipoint, or p to n type

  This is the original IP multicast service model defined in RFC 1112. This model is now known as the ASM (Any Source Multicast) broadcast model, and allows broadcast groups with several active traffic sources. It is characterized by the following points:

  • a receiver simply joins a group without needing to know the identity of the source(s);

  • any...