Session Directories and Scalable Internet Multicast Address Allocation

A multicast session directory is a mechanism by which users can discover the existence of multicast sessions. In the Mbone, session announcements have also served as multicast address reservations - a dual purpose that is efficient, but which may cause some sideaffects as session directories scale. In this paper we examine the scaling of multicast address allocation when it is performed by such a multicast session directory. Despite our best efforts to make such an approach scale, this analysis ultimately reveals significant scaling problems, and suggests a new approach to multicast address allocation in the Internet environment.

• Type: Conference
• Year: 1998
• Where: SIGCOMM
• Authors: Mark Handley
• Keywords: Communications, Multicast Address, Multicast Session, Multicast Session Directory, SIGCOMM 1998