Viewing Multicast topology in maps
The Multicast Manager sends a streamlined copy of its multicast topology—instances of
the MulticastService, MulticastGroup, MulticastTree, MulticastSource,
MulticastRedundancyGroup, MSDPSession, IGMPNetwork, and PIMHop classes—to the Global
Manager. The Global Manager combines this topology with the underlying transport network
topology received from the IP Availability Manager.
The Global Console presents the topology
information in a variety of dynamically updated formats that show the status of the
multicast and network elements and their many relationships. One of those formats is
the topology map, which is a graphical representation of the topology that shows
multicast connectivity. The map shows the multicast connectivity between sources,
routers and receiving networks. Devices that perform special functionality for
multicast are labeled; for example, DR indicates a designated router.
Launching the Multicast
map
The Multicast map can be launched by
selecting Multicast Map on the right-click menu:
- From an object in the Topology Browser
- From an icon in a map
The Multicast map can be launched from
the following classes of objects:
- MulticastTree
- MulticastGroup
- MulticastSource
- MulticastService
- IGMPNetwork
- Router
- Switch
After the Multicast map is
launched
When the map opens, it is centered on the
object that it was launched from. Initially, the map will show the objects that are
one hop away from the starting object (except when launched from a MulticastTree
object when all the elements of the tree are shown).
To expand the map, select Expand Node
from the right-click menu for objects that have an expansion “plus” icon to their
lower right.
Connections in the Multicast
map
Following describes the connections
between icons in the Multicast map represent different relationships or objects
depending on the two endpoints.
Start | End | Arrow | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
MulticastSource | Router or Switch |
| Sources relationship between the MulticastSource and the
Router or Switch |
Router or Switch | Router or Switch |
| Represents the PIMHop between MulticastService instances
running on each device for one MulticastGroup |
Router or Switch | GMPNetwork |
| ReportedByNetwork relationship between the MulticastService
running on Router or Switch and the IGMPNetwork |
Icons for devices that perform specialized roles in multicast networks have a label
displayed next to them in the Multicast map. Following table shows the roles for
which labels are displayed.
Multicast role for device | Label |
|---|---|
Designated router | DR |
Rendezvous point | RP |
Bootstrap router | BSR |
MSDP peer | MSDP |
Highlighting a multicast group
When a map shows the paths for more than one multicast group, you can highlight the
path for one specific group by selecting it from the combo box above the top left
corner of the map. The connections for the selected group are the highlighted using
an animated highlight feature which indicates the data flow along the
connections.