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Configuring Shared-Tree Data Distribution Across Provider Cores for Providers of MBGP MVPNs

For MBGP MVPNs (also referred to as next-generation Layer 3 multicast VPNs), the default mode of operation supports only intersite shortest-path trees (SPTs) for customer PIM (C-PIM) join messages. It does not support rendezvous-point trees (RPTs) for C-PIM join messages. The default mode of operation provides advantages, but it requires either that the customer rendezvous point (C-RP) be located on a PE router or that the Multicast Source Discovery Protocol (MSDP) be used between the C-RP and a PE router so that the PE router can learn about active sources advertised by other PE routers.

If the default mode is not suitable for your environment, you can configure RPT-SPT mode (also known as shared-tree data distribution), as documented in section 13 of the BGP-MVPN draft (draft-ietf-l3vpn-2547bis-mcast-bgp-00.txt). RPT-SPT mode supports the native PIM model of transmitting (*,G) messages from the receiver to the RP for intersite shared-tree join messages. This means that the type 6 (*,G) routes get transmitted from one PE router to another. In RPT-SPT mode, the shared-tree multicast routes are advertised from an egress PE router to the upstream router connected to the VPN site with the C-RP. The single-forwarder election is performed for the C-RP rather than for the source. The egress PE router takes the upstream hop to advertise the (*,G) and sends the type 6 route toward the upstream PE router. To send the data on the RPT, either inclusive or selective provider tunnels can be used. After the data starts flowing on the RPT, the last-hop router switches to SPT mode, unless you include the spt-threshold infinity statements in the configuration.

Note:

The MVPN single-forwarder election follows the rule documented in section 9.1.1 of the BGP-MVPN draft (draft-ietf-l3vpn-2547bis-mcast-bgp-00.txt). The single-forwarder election winner is based on the following rules:

  • If the active unicast route to the source is through the interface, then this route is used to determine the upstream multicast hop (UMH).

  • If the active unicast route to the source is a VPN route, MVPN selects the UMH based on the highest IP address in the route import community for the VPN routes, and the local primary loopback address for local VRF routes.

The switch to SPT mode is performed by PIM and not by MVPN type 5 and type 6 routes. After the last-hop router switches to SPT mode, the SPT (S,G) join messages follow the same rules as the SPT-only default mode.

The advantage of RPT-SPT mode is that it provides a method for PE routers to discover sources in the multicast VPN when the C-RP is located on the customer site instead of on a PE router. Because the shared C-tree is established between VPN sites, there is no need to run MSDP between the C-RP and the PE routers. RPT-SPT mode also enables egress PE routers to switch to receiving data from the PE connected to the source after the source information is learned, instead of receiving data from the RP.

In Junos OS Release 15.1 and later, in RPT-SPT mode, PIM SSG Joins are created on the egress PE even if no directly-connected receivers are present.

CAUTION:

When you configure RPT-SPT mode, receivers or sources directly attached to the PE router are not supported. As a workaround, place a CE router between any receiver or source and the PE router.

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