
Configuring IP Multicasting Services
5-4 114064 Rev. B
Stream Control Messages
ST2 agents communicate with each other by exchanging messages defined by the
Stream Control Message Protocol (SCMP).
For example, an origin that wants to establish a stream sends an SCMP connect
message to the next-hop IP router downstream. The connection request includes
• A list of one or more targets.
• A hop identifier (HID). An HID is suggested by the upstream agent. The
downstream agent may accept the HID or propose an alternative HID.
• A flowspec listing the network resources required for the stream.
To accept a connection request from an upstream agent, the agent returns an
SCMP ACCEPT message.
In “ST2 Features” on page 5-6, T
able 5-1 lists all the SCMP messages currently
supported by the Bay Networks implementation of ST2.
Neighbors and Tunnels
An ST2 agent exchanges SCMP messages with next-hop agents. In an ST2
environment, next-hop agents are considered to be neighbors.
Neighbors can be connected in two ways -- directly or through an ST2 tunnel. In
F
igure 5-2 the ST2 agent on Router A has two neighbors, the agent on Router B
and the agent on Router D. Router A and Router B are connected directly -- they
both have an interface to Network 1. Router A and Router D are connected
through a tunnel that includes Network 2 and Network 3, and a router that does
not have ST2 capabilities, Router C.
Tunnels are configured by the network administrator to establish ST2 streams in
networks where not all IP routers are ST2 capable. For transmission through a
tunnel, SCMP messages and ST2 data are encapsulated in IP datagrams and
forwarded through a non-ST2 router, and decapsulated at the destination.
A non-ST2 router can provide a tunnel for both stream data and control messages;
however, a router that lacks ST2 capability cannot guarantee the resources listed
in the flowspec.
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