Subject: Multicast address use in software development

From: [email-masked] (Jimmy Kyriannis)
Date: Sat, 6 Apr 96 21:59:23 -0500

So far, I've been unable to find anything on the Net that discusses the use of
IP multicast addresses in non-conferencing software development.  (I apologize
for the great number of questions, but this seems to be the proper forum to
discuss them.)  RFC1918 doesn't indicate any IP multicast addresses reserved by
the IANA for private enterprise use, nor does the IANA multicast address list
indicate a group of addresses that are free for use in developing software.
It seems to me that arbitrary use of multicast addresses when developing
software can lead to conflicts with ones used during MBONE conferences, at the
very least.

Could someone please point me towards a reference that indicates the proper
procedure for the use of an IP multicast address for software development for
private enterprise and/or commercial use.  Would an IP multicast address have
to be aquired from IANA in either case and registered with them, much as is
the SGI DogFight address?

In an MBONE-connected network environment, would the *route* to that multicast
group (not the data of the members participating in the multicast group)
propagate out to the MBONE if the IP TTL of packets using the address were
less that 16?  If so, then do explicit access list have to be placed in
multicast routers to prevent this from ocurring?  Finally, what if a user of
the application wished to use the MBONE for transport to other campuses?  Is
there a precedent for permitting the use of non-conferencing applications on
the MBONE, and if so, how is such an event scheduled?  Otherwise, I assume,
private multicast tunnels would have to be established to join the campuses
in a private MBONE.

Thanks very much.

Jimmy

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From: [email-masked] (Sajit Bhaskaran)
Date: Mon, 08 Apr 1996 09:29:49 -0700

Sounds like this is something that either this forum or idmr should address
- imho it appears that a block of 'private-enterprise only' multicast
addresses would be a good thing. I too am interested in hearing what others
feel about this. Thanks. 
Sajit