
Configuring IP Multicasting Services
5-2 114064 Rev. B
ST2 Concepts and Terminology
The Internet Stream Protocol (ST2) enables a network application to reserve
resources on internet routers for an ST2 stream -- a transmission path from a data
origin to one or more data targets. The capability to reserve Internet resources
makes ST2 well suited for video conferencing, real-time simulation, and other
multimedia applications.
An ST2 stream is a point-to-point or point-to-multipoint connection. F
igure 5-1
shows an ST2 stream established between a single video stream unit -- the origin
of the transmissions -- and six receiving target video systems. The stream is
simplex -- data flows in one direction only, downstream from the origin to the
targets.
ST2 and IP
Underlying and supporting an ST2 stream is an internet topology that includes
multiple IP routers capable of providing and guaranteeing the resources required
for the data transmission. For example, the topology underlying the stream in
F
igure 5-1 includes seven routers.
An ST2 stream creates a semblance of an end-to-end connection establishment
typical of a virtual circuit protocol. However, messages are never exchanged
directly between origin and targets. Each router discovers the next-hop IP routers
and is concerned only with the part of the stream between itself and these routers.
ST2 Agents
Each IP router supporting the stream is configured with the hardware and software
required for ST2 data transmissions; in addition, each router is running ST2 agent
software. Such routers are considered to be ST2 capable.
An ST2 agent that receives control messages and stream data directly from an
origin application or delivers control messages and stream data to a target
application is considered to be a host agent. ST2 agents that forward control
messages and data to the next agent downstream are considered to be intermediate
agents. A Bay Networks router can be configured as an intermediate ST2 agent.
The ST2 environment in F
igure 5-1 includes three Bay Networks routers
(BayNet/ST2 1, BayNet/ST2 2, and BayNet/ST2 3).
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