MVR Features Explanation of the GE_XP/XPE
Cards
Document ID: 118598
Contributed by Mahender Verma, Cisco TAC Engineer.
Nov 20, 2014
Contents
Introduction
Prerequisites
Requirements
Components Used
Background Information
Multicast and Video Broadcast Application Based on MVR
Brief Explanation of Topology
Feature Configurations
MVR Detail Settings in Cisco Transport Controller
Operating Modes
Summary
Introduction
This document describes the Multicast VLAN Registration (MVR) feature which is supported in Cisco
GE_XP, 10GE_XP, GE_XPE, and 10GE_XPE cards.
Prerequisites
Requirements
Cisco recommends that you have knowledge of Ethernet and GE_XP cards in Cisco ONS 15454
Multi−Service Transport Platform (MSTP) equipment.
Components Used
The information in this document is based on this hardware:
• Digital Subscriber Line Access Multiplexers (DSLAM)
• Cisco ME3400 switch
• ONS 15454 MSTP and Layer 3 Aggregation Services Router 9000 (ASR9000) Router and IP
television (IPTV) source
• GE_XP, 10GE_XP, GE_XPE, and 10GE_XPE cards in "Layer 2 over Dense Wavelength Division
Multiplexing (DWDM)" mode
This document can also be used with these related hardware and software versions:
• Cisco ONS 15454 MSTP
• GE_XP, 10GE_XP, GE_XPE, and 10GE_XPE
Background Information
The MVR feature on the XPonder is used to separate Layer 3 multicast traffic from the Service VLANs
(SVLANs) that carry data on all the client interfaces of the XPonder. Any Internet Group Management
Protocol (IGMP) snooped packet with a valid Layer 3 multicast address is placed into a user−defined SVLAN
dedicated to multicast traffic.
• MVR introduces the concept of a multicast source VLAN (MVLAN), which is the only VLAN over
which IPTV multicast traffic flows.
• The interfaces which receive multicast traffic, but not the part of MVLAN, are known as MVR
receiver ports.
• The MVR receiver ports can receive traffic from a port on the MVLAN, but cannot send traffic onto
the MVLAN.
• MVR can operate with hosts on different VLANs that selectively deliver IPTV multicast traffic to
requesting hosts.
• Multicast address range needs to configure while MVR is configured.
• Interfaces that are on the MVLAN itself cannot be MVR receiver ports for that MVLAN.
Multicast and Video Broadcast Application Based on MVR
The Cisco ONS 15454 XPonder supports both push and pull models for video broadcast or multicast
applications. The SVLAN−based drop−and−continue approach is used for the push model, where all multicast
and video broadcast traffic is dropped at each site. With Internet Group Management Protocol Version 2
(IGMPv2) capability, the XPonder provides a pull model where a multicast stream or a video channel is
pulled on to the network with a join from the end customer. MVR further enhances network flexibility for
video applications where a multicast VLAN is reserved for the network independent of the VLAN on which
the service is delivered on each port. The translation from multicast VLAN to customer VLAN happens at the
client port.
Brief Explanation of Topology
In the network, the Gigabit Ethernet Xponders (GEXP) / Gigabit Ethernet Xponders Enhanced (GEXPE)
cards with Gigabit Ethernet (GE) ports on the Access Side user−network interface (UNI) and network node
interface (NNI) on the Aggregation Side are used.
• DSLAM (DATA/VOICE/IPTV) with VLAN per service (126 DATA, 227 VOICE, 328 IPTV). IPTV
Service is Internet Protocol over Ethernet (IPoE), STB (Set−Top Box) is behind Routed Customer
Premise Equipment (CPE) and CPE issues the IGMP requests towards the Provider Edge (PE) router
to join the Multicast TV Channel.
• ME3400 Access Switch connects the DSLAM to the GE−XP Port1−1. The Switch Ports towards
DSLAM and DWDM are Layer 2 Trunk ports that allow these three VLANS.
• In ONS 15454 DWDM, GE_XP cards are in "Layer 2 over DWDM" mode, with SVLAN 100 for the
GE ports and MVR VLAN 3300 for Multicast traffic.
• The ASR9000 acts as the Layer 3 PE router and first Layer 3 hop. Here, IPTV 328 is terminated to
BVI (Bridge Group Virtual Interface) 328 Layer 3 Interface and MVR VLAN 3300 on BVI 3300
Layer 3 Interface.
Figure 1
Feature Configurations
MVR Detail Settings in Cisco Transport Controller
Figure 2
• Enables/disables MVR on the card.
• Enables/disables the IGMP feature on Customer VLAN (CVLAN).
• Multicast SVLAN sets the MVR VLAN ID. All source ports must belong to this VLAN. The default
is the VLAN with the lowest VLAN ID.
Note: The VLAN should not be part of QinQ configuration on any UNI port in the card.
• Multicast Address defines a global range of IP multicast groups on which MVR must be enabled. The
valid range is from 224.0.0.0− 239.255.255.255, excluding IP addresses (224−239).0 and
128.0.(0−255). For example, in Figure 2 there is Multicast Address 233.13.1.0. Any multicast data
sent to the IP address mentioned in the command is sent to all sources and all receiver ports that have
elected to receive data on that multicast address.
• Count sets the range of multicast group addresses. The count range is 1−256. For simplicity, it is set
to 256. (Figure 2)
Operating Modes
1. The configuration of MVR (Figure 2) when the GE−XP UNI port1−1 is "Transparent" as shown here:
Figure 3
Figure 4
Figure 5
In this setup you are only able to see the IGMP join message on VLAN 328 (step 3) and not from
VLAN 3300 on the Layer 3 PE. In step 7 in Figure 5, if the multicast side sends a single tagged
packet the UNI port (as transparent) removes that tag before it pushes it out and hence the client
receives an untagged packet.
Note: IGMP snooping restricts the flooding of multicast traffic as multicast traffic is forwarded to
those interfaces where a multicast device is present.
2. The configuration of MVR (Figure 2) when GE−XP UNI port1−1 is "Selective" as shown here:
Figure 6
Look again at Step 7 in Figure 5. If the multicast side sends a single tagged packet, the UNI port
keeps that tag before it pushes it out and hence the client receives a tagged packet. In the setup in
Figure 6, the rewrite operation on both sides as UNI port1−1 is set to "Selective".
In GE−XP cards, IGMP on CVLAN can be enabled in the MVR settings if the UNI port is set to
"Selective". See Figure 7 for the configuration.
Figure 7
Summary
• In the current setup with the UNI port set to transparent mode, if the multicast side sends a single
tagged packet the UNI port removes that tag before it pushes it out. Hence the client receives an
untagged packet.
• In this case to receive the tag, the only possible way is to keep the UNI port in selective translate
mode.
• In selective translate mode, there is only one selective translate entry per port possible for multicast in
this setup.
• If you want to view which multicast stream flows via which VLAN, it can be viewed from the Cisco
Transport Controller (CTC) Card view. Choose Maintenance > MAC addresses > Multicast (provide
* in SVLAN option there). Press refresh in order to list the available entries as shown in Figure 8.
Figure 8
Updated: Nov 20, 2014
Document ID: 118598