topic Re: Multicasting with ERS and VOSS in ExtremeSwitching (VSP/Fabric Engine)

Multicasting with ERS and VOSS

XTRMUser — Wed, 07 Dec 2022 22:56:36 GMT

Here is the path I want to have for a video multicast. So using IGMP, and this is L2 (vs L3). I put it on a vlan, with an I-Sid. I've turned on snooping and proxy. It appears to be getting lost on the VSP somewhere. I think it's getting lost on the two VSP's that are VIST'd together.

Any special trick, or special commands that I can use to trace or troubleshoot?

Thanks in advance.

Mark

Re: Multicasting with ERS and VOSS

EXTR_Paul — Thu, 08 Dec 2022 13:53:41 GMT

When working with SPBm and Multicast with mixed network of VSPs and ERSs there are special considerations. The biggest is that ERSs can't see routed IGMP traffic when running in Fabric L2 mode. Unless they are in Fabric L3 mode running IPshortcuts. which requires the premier license.

are the ERS's L2 devices or are they enabled for SPBm? I assume because you are using an MLT to the ERS that its L2.

Are you doing any inter-vlan routing? Or is everything in the same VLAN?

Do you have ip spbm multicast enabled for the gobally and per vlan on the VSP?

Also, what tools are you using to test the multicast??

can recommend using MC Hammer. Its an old NORTEL tool that PELCO still makes available.

https://support.pelco.com/s/article/Using-Multicast-Hammer-1538586730634?language=en_US

Re: Multicasting with ERS and VOSS

ed_zubrickas — Thu, 08 Dec 2022 16:39:08 GMT

From the diagram, I'm interpreting that the ERS Edge switches use "legacy" VLAN tagged uplinks (Fabric Attach or static, doesn't matter) to the VSP core/aggregation. So remember that for Fabric Multicast, VSP BEBs (the "1st VSP" to touch the Multicast VLAN from an ERS Edge) must have an IP address on that VLAN. Attached is a diagram showing Core&Aggregation=VSP with Non-SPBM-Edge=ERS. VSP Code is 8.1. Some new Fabric Muilticast features are coming which simplify this.Fabric Multicast, Edge=ERS

Re: Multicasting with ERS and VOSS

XTRMUser — Fri, 09 Dec 2022 14:29:03 GMT

Hi Paul,

The ERS's are L2, as you assumed.

No inter-vlan routing. Everything is on the same vlan

I have ip spbm multicast enabled globally. I tried to ip spb-multicast per vlan, but it won't let me, since I don't have an IP address on it.

I haven't used any tools, since I didn't know what tools might be available, either 3rd party or native to VSP/ERS.

Re: Multicasting with ERS and VOSS

XTRMUser — Fri, 09 Dec 2022 14:52:03 GMT

Thanks for this. I'll need to do some experimenting. I haven't set up any IP addressing on this vlan. I assumed since it was a L2 network, and I was just passing a (multicast) signal through, I didn't need IP addresses.

Re: Multicasting with ERS and VOSS

EXTR_Paul — Sat, 10 Dec 2022 14:43:16 GMT

This will 100% work, I have made this work all three ways.

VSPs and ERSs in SPBm mode, everything in one vlan.
VSPs in SPBm mode, ERS in normal L2 mode. SIngle Vlan and Routing on the VSPs
VSPs in SPBm mode and ERS as L3 SPBm modes. All routing.

in your case.

If everything is in the same L2 VLAN domain everything should work as Multicast will get flooded throughout the entire VLAN.

Can you confirm if the ERS's in SPBm mode or just "normal L2" mode?

If the ERSs are just in normal L2 mode (or SPBm mode) you need to make sure that in the VLAN you are using that "ip igmp snooping" is enabled.

Also, on the VSPs do yo have SPBm IP-multicast enabled globally? Its required at the VLAN and global levels.
ALso x2, what version of VOSS are you running on the VSP? If you are pre- voss 8.8 you need to have an IP address in the VLAN of each VSP.
Also x3. What its the make/model/boss version of the ERSs you are using.

As for tools.

use the MC Hammer tool I linked to the original reply. You just need to install it on two windows laptops.

Re: Multicasting with ERS and VOSS

XTRMUser — Mon, 12 Dec 2022 15:01:06 GMT

Hi Paul,

ERS are just "normal L2" mode. They are 4950 GTS-PWR+ running 7.9.1.027

VOSS: firmware 8.6.1.0

Yes, I have SPBM ip multicast enabled globally. I need to add IP addresses to the VSP, as I'm pre-voss 8.8. I do have other VSP's in the network, but they don't have the vlan defined on them, so I don't need to do anything with them, correct?

Re: Multicasting with ERS and VOSS

XTRMUser — Mon, 12 Dec 2022 15:02:30 GMT

I don't have any ip vrrp defined in my network, so I'm assuming that I don't need to add those commands/parameters to the "interface vlan" section of my multicast vlan.

Re: Multicasting with ERS and VOSS

XTRMUser — Mon, 12 Dec 2022 15:05:31 GMT

The IP addresses I give the VSPs. They need to be in the same subnet, I presume, but otherwise can be any private IP subnet? They don't need to be defined anywhere on the network? I use 19.168.x.x and 172.16.x.x-172.31.x.x on the network, so I could use 10.x.x.x addresses for this?

Re: Multicasting with ERS and VOSS

EXTR_Paul — Tue, 13 Dec 2022 13:47:42 GMT

yes. and private IP range will do. Just needs to be consistent.

In your diagram the three VSPs are all BEBs, that VLAN will need to be on all three VSPs. And in that multicast VLAN you will need to give each VSP an IP address in that VLAN. Private addresses like your example are perfectly fine. 10.10.10.1/24 10.10.10.2/24 10.10.10.3/24.....

next I would check the following.

- is the I-SID configured for the VLAN.

- Can you ping from a laptop on the MC sender switch to another laptop end-to-end in the network?

After you done this there is no reason why this shouldn't work.

Next I would find two windows laptops, get MC hammer up and running on those two laptops and see where there multicast is working or failing.

Once you have two laptops generating IGMP traffic, from the CLI of the ERS switches use the "SHOW IP IGMP ?" commands GROUPS and SENDERS to look for the IGMP groups.

Re: Multicasting with ERS and VOSS

XTRMUser — Wed, 14 Dec 2022 14:58:19 GMT

I'm still having issues. So I'm trying to just get a multicast from the source ERS through the first VSP. I have a receiver on the first VSP.

I was able to get a MC from one port (port 9) to another port (port 10) on the ERS. Here is code snippet for ERS.

interface vlan 1700
ip igmp snooping
ip igmp last-member-query-interval 1
ip igmp mrouter 9-11,23
exit

Then I put a wire from port 10 to port 7 of the VSP, and put a receiver on port 8 of the VSP, but no go. Here is the code snippet for the VSP.

router isis
spbm 1
spbm 1 nick-name d.44.50
spbm 1 b-vid 4051-4052 primary 4051
spbm 1 multicast enable
spbm 1 ip enable
exit

vlan create 1700 name "O-Net TV" type port-mstprstp 0
vlan members 1700 1/7-1/8,1/20 portmember
vlan i-sid 1700 21700
interface Vlan 1700
ip address 10.170.0.1 255.255.255.224 10
ip spb-multicast enable
exit

I am able to ping two laptops (one connected to the ERS (port 11), one connected to the VSP (port 8). I can't seem to get Multicast Hammer working, but I think that might be Windows Firewall. Still working on that.

Thanks.

Re: Multicasting with ERS and VOSS

XTRMUser — Mon, 19 Dec 2022 20:14:49 GMT

I think I basically have this going. I haven't got my multicast to the last ERS switch, but I did put a receiver on the 2nd last switch (ERS) and watching the multicast (ok, TV, legally. We have 5 receivers from the local cable company, and I was trying to get the signal to various parts of campus via our network to the receiver).

On the first ERS, here is IGMP part.

interface vlan 1700
ip igmp snooping
ip igmp last-member-query-interval 1
exit

I don't know if I need the IP igmp last-member-query-interval line

On all the VSP's I have nothing. The vlan is defined, I-sid defined, and appropriate member ports. That's all.

vlan create 1700 name "O-Net TV" type port-mstprstp 0
vlan members 1700 1/7-1/8 portmember
vlan i-sid 1700 21700

ERS mlt'd to two VSP's.

interface vlan 1700
ip igmp snooping
exit

Thanks all for the suggestions, ideas, etc.

Happy Holidays.

Re: Multicasting with ERS and VOSS

EXTR_Paul — Tue, 20 Dec 2022 13:25:01 GMT

This is just a guess. But Your multi-cast sender which is the TV appliance my have a low TTL setting.

I know that VLC player has a very low default value of 1 or 2. Those are rookie numbers. Find the setting and turn it up to 5 or 10.

As for "ip igmp last-member-query-interval 1" In my days I have never had to enable this. I couldn't even tell you what it does. 🙂 I have made simple multi-cast networks without it.

As for the VSPs. Because you are running a code version lower than 8.8 you must put an IP in the VLAN. Use any IP in that IP range.

Int Vlan 1700
ip address XX.XX.XX.XX/24
ip spbm-multicast

Did you try troubleshooting the issue with "Multicast Hammer" yet? I really encourage you to use it.

A lot of tools that use multicast do weird things and don't behave consistantly, so you are never sure what you are trying to troublshoot. Putting MC HAMMER on two laptops and setting one as the server and one as the a client will create true IGMP multicast streams.

From there do your "show ip igmp ?" commands to see where the groups, senders and interfaces are working or not.

Re: Multicasting with ERS and VOSS

XTRMUser — Thu, 22 Dec 2022 14:36:48 GMT

The cable box for the TV is not ours, and I can't access it. So I can't change the TTL.

Multicast Hammer. I got it going. It was Windows Firewall issues.

We are on Christmas break (or will be very shortly), and I won't be doing anything more with this until after the New Year.

Thanks for all your help, Merry Christmas, and Happy New year.