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Configuring multicast VLANs
Overview
As shown in
, Host A, Host B, and Host C are in three different VLANs and the same
multicast group. When Switch A (Layer 3 device) receives multicast data for that group, it sends
three copies of the multicast data to Switch B (Layer 2 device). This occupies a large amount of
bandwidth and increases the burden on the Layer 3 device.
Figure 20 Multicast transmission without the multicast VLAN feature
After a multicast VLAN is configured on Switch B, Switch A sends only one copy of the multicast data
to the multicast VLAN on Switch B. This method saves network bandwidth and lessens the burden
on the Layer 3 device.
Multicast VLANs include sub-VLAN-based multicast VLANs and port-based multicast VLANs.
NOTE:
Support for the sub-VLAN-based multicast VLAN feature or the port-based multicast VLAN feature
depends on the device model.
Sub-VLAN-based multicast VLAN
As shown in
•
Host A, Host B, and Host C are in VLAN 2 through VLAN 4, respectively.
•
On Switch B, VLAN 10 is a multicast VLAN. VLAN 2 through VLAN 4 are sub-VLANs of VLAN
10.
•
IGMP snooping is enabled for the multicast VLAN and its sub-VLANs.
Source
Receiver
Host A
Multicast packets
VLAN 2
VLAN 3
VLAN 4
VLAN 2
VLAN 3
VLAN 4
Switch B
Receiver
Host B
Receiver
Host C
Switch A
IGMP querier