PIM Mode Interoperation

An Extreme Networks switch can function as a PIM multicast border router (PMBR). A PMBR integrates PIM-SM and PIM-DM traffic.

When forwarding PIM-DM traffic into a PIM-SM network, the PMBR acts as a virtual first hop and encapsulates the initial traffic for the RP. The PMBR forwards PIM-DM multicast packets to the RP, which, in turn, forwards the packets to those routers that have joined the multicast group.

The PMBR also forwards PIM-SM traffic to a PIM-DM network, based on the (*.*.RP) entry. The PMBR sends a (*.*.RP) join message to the RP, and the PMBR forwards traffic from the RP into the PIM-DM network.

No commands are required to enable PIM mode interoperation. PIM mode interoperation is automatically enabled when a dense mode interface and a sparse mode interface are enabled on the same switch.